Overview:

This Programme is grounded in a sustainable development perspective based on the essential nature of a genuine freedom for citizens: cultural freedom. Its main objective is the strengthening of cultural industries^[1] in Uruguay and improvement of access to cultural goods and services.

In this regard, the programme will contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in general, and in particular Goals 1, 3 and 8: eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women and development of a Global Partnership for Development.

The promotion and protection of cultural diversity is integrated into all the aims and activities in accordance with the commitments undertaken by Uruguay following its recent ratification of the relevant Convention.

The Programme is also in line with national priorities designed to: a) achieve sustained and sustainable economic growth through increased involvement of knowledge and innovation in productive processes; b) drive a national decentralisation project which emphasises a national political vision and which promotes social integration; c) reverse the processes of social exclusion and inequality through the modernisation and strengthening of new sectoral social policies; d) promote the democratic transformation of the State, equipping and orientating it for synergic organisation of public and private resources in relation to these objectives.

The Programme’s expected outcomes will have a direct impact on these national challenges and are designed both to build capacities and to last beyond the implementation period, thus ensuring the sustainability of the activities undertaken.

The resources sought from the UNDP Spain MDG Achievement Fund would be used to support:

• The strengthening of cultural and creative industries and related infrastructure; the implementation of new models for public-private management; the improvement of artisan design and production; the establishment of a cultural enterprise incubator and the provision of support for the international commercialisation of cultural goods and services.
• The extension of current decentralisation programmes to cover the whole country, strengthening the process already underway and democratising access to cultural goods and services for the people of Uruguay, particularly young people and those living in poverty.
• The promotion of culture as a dimension of development and an element of social cohesion will be presented through new cultural, public and private institutionality, with enhanced systematisation of specific regional and international information.

^[1]  The term cultural industry applies to those industries that combine the creation, production and commercialisation of contents which are intangible and cultural in nature. These contents are typically protected by copyright and they can take the form of goods or services. Cultural industries generally include printing, publishing and multimedia, audio-visual, phonographic and cinematographic productions, as well as crafts and design. (Source: UNESCO)  

Outcome 1:

The quality and competitiveness of goods produced by Uruguayan cultural industries have been strengthened.

Outcome achievements:

Output 1.1 Strategic plan to enhance competitiveness of music and editorial industries created and implemented:

• Strategic plans for musical and editorial industries incorporating a gender perspective developed.
• Creation of musical and editorial clusters
• The Uruguayan Association of Sound Technicians created.
• The Uruguayan Association of Comic Strip Authors created.
• 20 structural and partnership projects for the strengthening and internationalization of both clusters supported and developed.

Output 1.2: Production, marketing and quality of handicrafts strengthened:

• A strategic Plan for the handcrafts sector (design, production and international marketing) was developed.
• The quality of the craft sector’s production and business management was improved: 60 product lines were developed; and 3 workshops and 4 seminars on design, marketing and product improvement were conducted in which 355 people participated.
• The promotion of products in major craft fairs and cultural or business events was improved: 119 artisans participated in 52 international fairs featuring a total of 259 products, and 159 artisans participated in 33 national fairs featuring 326 products

Output 1.3: Cultural enterprise incubator created:

• The technical capabilities of the cultural entrepreneurs inside the country were strengthened. Through the installation of the incubators as a private-public structure, a total of 36 entrepreneurs have been supported, 21 companies have been created and 23 business plans have been developed.

Outcome 2:

Access to cultural goods by vulnerable social groups, as a strategy of achieving the MDGs, has been improved.

Outcome achievements:

Output 2.1 Usinas for cultural development equipped and strengthened:

• 9 usinas partly or fully equipped to create and record audio and visual cultural goods.

Output 2.2: Creation of "cultural factories" for the development of small industries in the countryside create:

• 11 cultural factories created, developed and strengthened. The personnel of 9 of them were trained in marketing and business planning. Instructors were hired for 15 factories, 5 factories were equipped and 256 people have participated in the workshops
• Additional workshops for professional technical formation were carried out.

Output 2.3: Promoting creativity in young children and vulnerable populations implemented:

• 3,688 children and adolescents from schools and colleges were trained in artistic disciplines through 126 workshops.
• Socially vulnerable populations (such as homeless and prisoners) were trained in artistic disciplines : 7 workshop were attended by 82 participants
• Youth were trained and supported to act as cultural mediators: 150 direct beneficiaries and 800 participants.

Output 2.4: Public awareness on the contribution of culture to achieving the MDGs (including gender and cultural development) raised:

• The public was sensitized on the importance of the role of culture and cultural industries in the achievement of the MDGs through the realisation of artistic productions with the MDGs’ themes: 31 activities, 5 workshops and 2 contests.
• Public was sensitized on gender and cultural development relation: 11 culture and gender diffusion activities were carried out

Outcome 3:

The capacities of the cultural institution have been strengthened

Outcome achievements:

Output 3.1 National and departmental cultural institutions responsible for protecting and promoting cultural expressions and related industries strengthened:

• The cultural institutionalization has been strengthened through studies, meetings,  and products

Output 3.2: Information System of Cultural Industries (SIIC) and Satellite Account for Culture in Uruguay (CSCU) strengthened:

• Information System of Cultural Industries (SIIC) was strengthened and enhanced: a data base was established with 15 stations.
• Satellite Account for Culture in Uruguay (CSCU) established.

Output 3.3: Network of professionals and academics that promotes culture and related industries strengthened:

• The REDSUR Virtual platform has been installed
• The REDSUR documentation center has been equipment and inaugurated
• 5 meetings were held with more than 500 participants

Lessons learned:

• Overall, the project was well conceived and executed and adopted to external changes.  The project raised the level of discussion and helped improve the information base on cultural industries. It also functioned as an honest broker to allow different stakeholders, such as government, the UN and civil society, to work together. Different and changing implementation procedures, slowed progress; this was mitigated by the Coordination Unit who ensured decisions were taken, documented, and implemented. Different procedures and decision making mechanisms from the UN agencies and the national partners in the implementation also presented difficulties in the implementation  In addition, different UN agencies had dissimilar implementation capacities with some more agile than others.

More details can be found in the final project report: https://mptf.undp.org/document/download/8363