Professor Pekka Himanen to write handbook on promoting art and culture

Pekka Himanen

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Professor Pekka Himanen is to draw up a report to the Finnish state on how to get art and culture in Finland to flourish in the next decade.
      The report was commissioned by three government ministers: Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre), Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen (Nat. Coalition Party), and Minister of Culture Srefan Wallin (Swed. People’s Party).
      The report, which is to be published as a book, is scheduled for completion in March.
      Risto Volanen, a senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office, notes that the government has commissioned similar reports on issues such as climate change, globalisation, demographic change, and the economy.
     
Himanen has been instructed to draw up a report that “opens up new thinking” on how art and culture and values can “work as a resource that allows Finland to fare well in a broad sense, and fulfil its mission in the world of the next decade”.
      According to Volanen, Himanen’s mission is to bring humanities research, culture, and culture into the forefront of public debate. “These important areas are easily forgotten when considering the framework of globalisation in political debate”, he says.
     
Pekka Himanen says that the working title of the project is “manuscript for a flourishing decade”.
      He wants to see the next decade as a time in which the humanities flourish, turning heads away from the defeatism that he sees predominating in Finland.
      He compares the atmosphere of public discussion that prevails in Finland with a formula of a tragedy, in which the protagonist marches with determination toward a pre-determined cruel fate.
      “I want to turn thinking into a different direction, so that the next decade will not be so grim.”
     
To help Finland flourish as a nation Himanen offers interaction, creativity, culture, and art. “If we look at past decades, what do we remember of them? Artists and thinkers, not the richest individuals.”
      According to Himanen, the focus of the report will be on the absolute value of art and culture, not on how much money the nation might earn through culture and creativity. Concrete proposals are also in store.
      “I will put forward that culture and art needs significantly more investment than before. Art is a good investment, and the humanities are especially inexpensive.”
     
Himanen wants foundations and rich individuals to join his effort to make Finland blossom.
      “We need more modern patrons who genuinely want to leave a mark behind themselves.”
      Himanen feels so strongly about the importance of the project that he is writing his report for free.
      “I feel that this needs to be done in the volunteer spirit of the recession.”


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Fear gives Finland wings (30.9.2001)
  Philosopher Pekka Himanen wants to rewrite "European script" (1.9.2005)

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