Denmark

Danish voluntary arts have their historical background in the 19th century.
The two disciplines of amateur theatre and amateur music are dominant and favoured with state approval.
The Joint Council of Voluntary Arts Association (AKKS) is a sort of “umbrella of umbrellas”, comprising the major voluntary arts organisations.
Voluntary arts organisations have a so-called “patchwork-economy”.

The conditions for Danish voluntary arts are historically formed during the 19th century. At that time, the Danish vicar and poet N.F.S. Grundtvig (1783-1872) defined the core of popular education and the forming of associations (clubs) as we know them today. Grundtvig’s cultural movement, called “Grundvigianism”, served especially by educating and emancipating the rural population, which was at that time the largest social group. One of the instruments was the creation of so-called folk high schools, where everyone could come and study Christianity and cultural subjects and participate in the dissemination of knowledge. Today, the plentiful associations or clubs are considered an important element – if not the core element – of Danish democracy and culture. It is safe to say, that if two Danes share an idea, they immediately form an association or a club.

Organisation

The basic forming of associations was further developed through the years that followed and is today also the framework for the voluntary arts associations – such as sports, cultural activities, associations for handicapped people, youth or social associations. An association or club is defined as an organisation of several people who share a common interest, in which they decide to co-operate. The association appoints a board that defines the purpose and goals of the association in the form of statutes, to be approved and developed by the members. All members pay an annual fee, typically the only income of the association to cover activities and administration. Today, many of the associations are further organised in larger organisations, comprising many associations dealing with similar subjects or goals.

Many Danes are today very active in the associations or in the larger umbrella organisations. But the disciplines of amateur theatre and amateur music are very large and favoured with state approval, meaning that they are subsidised and acknowledged. The two disciplines together comprise approximately 1 million active performers (out of a population of 5 million).

AKKS

The Joint Council of Voluntary Arts Association (AKKS) is a sort of “umbrella of umbrellas”, comprising many of the major voluntary arts organisations. It is a joint council representing 11 Danish umbrella organisations, all of them working with art and culture at amateur level. The aim is to strengthen the voluntary work for amateurs working with art and culture. The collaboration started back in 1974, where a group of active people in different organisations founded “The Joint Council of Amateur Choir, Orchestra and Theatre”. Through the 1970s and 1980s they organised “play together” arrangements all over the country, and in the 1990s the name was changed to its present name.

These member organisations of AKKS have quite diverse economic conditions. Some of them receive subsidies from The Danish Arts Foundation under the Ministry of Culture to cover administration and some activities. Others receive money from the national lottery (state monopoly), or from the law of popular education, and some even from municipalities or counties (typically tied to the location of the head office). Other organisations receive nothing and they are forced to submit their own funds etc. in order to finance their activities and other payments. In general, you can say that the organisations have a so-called “patchwork economy”, meaning that their economy is based on diverse sources and often with no guarantee of continuation.

Written by Tina Møller Jakobsen, 2004