Understanding decentralization: deconcentration and devolution processes in the French and Italian cultural sectors

none3noPurpose – Decentralization is a widespread and international phenomenon in public administration. Despite the interest of public management scholars, an in-depth analysis of the interrelationship between two of its forms – deconcentration and devolution – and its impact on policy and management capacities at the local level is seldom investigated. Design/methodology/approach – This article addresses this gap by examining the implementation of deconcentration and devolution processes in France and Italy in the cultural field, combining the analysis of national reform processes with in-depth analyses of two regional cases. The research is the result of document analysis, participatory observation and semi-structured interviews. Findings – The article reconstructs the impacts of devolution and deconcentration processes on the emergence of policy and management capacity in two regions (Rhone-Alpes and Piedmont) in the cultural sector. The article shows that decentralization in the cultural sector in France and Italy is the result of different combinations of devolution and deconcentration processes, that the two processes mutually affect their effectiveness, and that this effectiveness is deeply linked to the previous policy and management capacity of the central state in a specific field/country. Originality/value – The article investigates decentralization as a result of the combination of deconcentration and devolution in comparative terms and in a specific sector of implementation, highlighting the usefulness of this approach also for other sectors/countries.mixedSantagati, Maria Elena; Bonini Baraldi, Sara; Zan, LucaSantagati, Maria Elena; Bonini Baraldi, Sara; Zan, Luc

Behind the scenes of public funding for performing arts in Italy: hidden phenomena beyond the rhetoric of legislation

This paper focuses on how Italian performing arts organizations were funded between 2003 and 2005. How does policy regulate the financing system for performing arts? What are the underlying logics that govern financing choices? In this paper the authors move beyond the simple examination of formal policies by analysing the funding data and organizational routines of the ministerial offices responsible for the allocation of grants. The authors implemented a multi-method research methodology consisting of document analysis, in-depth interviews, and quantitative analysis of funding data. The main findings can be summarized as follows. First, funds are continuously allocated to the same group of organizations. Second, although rigid, the system is imbued by a 'rhetoric of the project'. Third, the system does not reward innovation. In conclusion, only by studying how the law is actually implemented can one capture the choices that underlie financing actions, and thus unravel unanticipated outcomes and inconsistencies between rhetoric and conduct

Perspectives on Musical Care Throughout the Life Course: Introducing the Musical Care International Network

Giorgos Tsiris - ORCID: 0000-0001-9421-412X https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9421-412XIn this paper we report on the inaugural meetings of the Musical Care International Network held online in 2022. The term “musical care” is defined by Spiro and Sanfilippo (2022) as “the role of music—music listening as well as music-making—in supporting any aspect of people's developmental or health needs” (pp. 2–3). Musical care takes varied forms in different cultural contexts and involves people from different disciplines and areas of expertise. Therefore, the Musical Care International Network takes an interdisciplinary and international approach and aims to better reflect the disciplinary, geographic, and cultural diversity relevant to musical care. Forty-two delegates participated in 5 inaugural meetings over 2 days, representing 24 countries and numerous disciplines and areas of practice. Based on the meetings, the aims of this paper are to (1) better understand the diverse practices, applications, contexts, and impacts of musical care around the globe and (2) introduce the Musical Care International Network. Transcriptions of the recordings, alongside notes taken by the hosts, were used to summarise the conversations. The discussions developed ideas in three areas: (a) musical care as context-dependent and social, (b) musical care's position within the broader research and practice context, and (c) debates about the impact of and evidence for musical care. We can conclude that musical care refers to context-dependent and social phenomena. The term musical care was seen as useful in talking across boundaries while not minimizing individual disciplinary and professional expertise. The use of the term was seen to help balance the importance and place of multiple disciplines, with a role to play in the development of a collective identity. This collective identity was seen as important in advocacy and in helping to shape policy. The paper closes with proposed future directions for the network and its emerging mission statement.https://doi.org/10.1177/205920432312005536aheadofprintaheadofprin

L'intervento indiretto. Un'analisi del sistema di finanziamento statale allo spettacolo dal vivo.

Questo capitolo analizza il funzionamento del sistema di finanziamento statale italiano allo spettacolo dal vivo attraverso il Fondo Unico per lo Spettacolo (FUS), ricollegando le finalit\ue0 e i criteri contenuti nella normativa che regola le decisioni di finanziamento ai fenomeni osservati (le decisioni di allocazione delle risorse) . Sulla base dello schema analitico esposto nell\u2019introduzione di sezione, un primo livello di analisi riguarda la coerenza degli obiettivi di policy all\u2019interno della normativa che definisce le finalit\ue0 e i criteri di determinazione del finanziamento (paragrafo 1). Il secondo paragrafo si focalizza sul processo di amministrazione della norma, e dunque sulle procedure e prassi messe in essere nelle fasi di istruttoria, costruzione del parere della commissione e delibera del finanziamento. Il terzo paragrafo presenta invece una riflessione di sintesi sulla rispondenza tra le effettive decisioni di finanziamento (i fenomeni) e le finalit\ue0 di politica culturale contenute nella normativa

Indirect Policies: Public Funding for Performing Arts in Italy

The chapter investigates the public funding system for performing arts in Italy, by analyzing the links between its declared aims, the procedures through which it operates, and final decisions concerning the allocation of resources. Following the analytical framework presented in Chapter 15 of the same volume, as a first step the authors look at the internal consistency between the aims of the funding policy and the formal procedures put in place to evaluate and select grant beneficiaries (Section 2). The third paragraph focuses on the process of administering the law, which reveals both the organizational routines and the informal procedures that play a role in the decision-making process leading to the allocation of resources. Next, in the fourth paragraph the authors discuss the consistency (or lack of consistency) between the aims of the policy and actual funding decisions. Lastly, the authors provide more general remarks on the rationale of the assessment processes

L'intervento indiretto. Un'analisi del sistema di finanziamento statale allo spettacolo dal vivo

Questo capitolo analizza il funzionamento del sistema di finanziamento statale italiano allo spettacolo dal vivo attraverso il Fondo Unico per lo Spettacolo (FUS), ricollegando le finalit\ue0 e i criteri contenuti nella normativa che regola le decisioni di finanziamento ai fenomeni osservati (le decisioni di allocazione delle risorse) . Sulla base dello schema analitico esposto nell\u2019introduzione di sezione, un primo livello di analisi riguarda la coerenza degli obiettivi di policy all\u2019interno della normativa che definisce le finalit\ue0 e i criteri di determinazione del finanziamento (paragrafo 1). Il secondo paragrafo si focalizza sul processo di amministrazione della norma, e dunque sulle procedure e prassi messe in essere nelle fasi di istruttoria, costruzione del parere della commissione e delibera del finanziamento. Il terzo paragrafo presenta invece una riflessione di sintesi sulla rispondenza tra le effettive decisioni di finanziamento (i fenomeni) e le finalit\ue0 di politica culturale contenute nella normativa