With the enforcement of 'local culture activation projects' in the middle of 1980s in which domestic economical growth stood firmly, domestic culture and art policies have been gradually converted from central government-oriented ones to local people'...
With the enforcement of 'local culture activation projects' in the middle of 1980s in which domestic economical growth stood firmly, domestic culture and art policies have been gradually converted from central government-oriented ones to local people's enjoyment of cultural life, such as the construction of cultural infrastructures. However, the practical activation of local cultural policies seemed to begin with the full-scale enforcement of local autonomic system in 1995.
Since then, the local culture activation policies have been the opportunities of motivating local people to change their political dispositions and statuses. With local autonomies' active promotion of local culture, its importance has been recognized again and the relationship of local people with local governments has been changed into the status of residents as 'customers' and 'owners', thus achieving much advance in the necessity of recognizing local residents' values and roles.
In this course of changes, the increase of local people's cultural desires and various cultural activities has made the cultural growth that representing regional competitiveness in international society come to the fore as an important task. The changes of cultural environment have been recognized importantly in relation to the quality of life. In addition, the role of non-profit cultural and artistic organizations and civic art communities has been regarded importantly in the decision-making process of policies and their sphere of activities has gradually broadened.
In this study, the investigator tried to examine the importance of formation of a voluntary civic art community which spontaneously generated from the gradual development of civic consciousness into social interaction-oriented communal ties within the sphere of a community on the basis of the possibility of art-based social integration.
In order to explain the academic foundation of voluntary civic art community, the investigator examined preceding studies on communities. Based on the above examination, the investigator drew out such three elements of community that functioning as the most basic components of community as geographical spheres, social interaction and communal ties and then explained these three components. In addition, the investigator examined the change of people's artistic and cultural consciousness for the realization of cultural democracy after the '68 Paris Revolution'
First of all, the background of appearance of voluntary art and its theoretical meaning were looked into. In addition, the examples of civic art communities home and abroad were explained. As for the domestic examples, the investigator examined such three cities as Daejeon Metropolitan City, Seongnam City and Hwaseong City. As for the overseas examples, the investigator examined such three countries as the United Kingdom (seemingly the country of birth place of voluntary art communities), Germany and Bulgaria, focusing on civic art activities and support policies.
As for the current status of culture and art policies, an in-depth interview of 17 specialists from such three fields as academic circles, concerned governmental agencies and voluntary civic art community participants was carried out to examine the necessity of civic art community. Study findings are as follows: (1) as for the necessity of civic art community, all the specialists from the three fields presented positive standpoints. They recognized it as an essential element for the communication with communities and development of culture and art; (2) They regarded the activities of voluntary civic art community as achieving self-development, creating the values of community, increasing residents' ties of interaction, and resulting in services and contributions to communities; (3) they recognized its inevitable role for the development of local culture, such as the improvement of local images and the instillation of dignified local emotions; (4) the civic art community could play the role of reconciliatory window via communication between governmental agencies/public performing facilities and communities. For this, local autonomies must carry out support projects actively; (5) governmental agencies have to put every effort to secure necessary budget and rehearsal space for the smooth activities of civic art community; and (6) in order to activate voluntary civic art communities, it is necessary to provide them systematic supports for the maximization of their voluntary and spontaneous activities. If local autonomies intervene in their activities on the pretext of supporting them, its original goal and direction can be confused and the existential reason of local autonomies can be questioned as well.
In the future, the number of civic art community seems to increase gradually. Therefore, it is necessary to consider it carefully until it takes root firmly.
The basic principle for local autonomies and civic art community members alike should be their voluntary and devoted participation. And it is also necessary for all the members of community to have full commitment to the mission of realizing the values of voluntary civic art community for the development of local culture and art.