Elena authored several publications on cultural policies and funding strategies, and artists’ working conditions. She was one of the co-initiators and a project manager of Perform Europe, a Board member at Culture Action Europe, and a Consultant at UNESCO.
At NEMO’s European Museum Conference 2024, Elena Polivtseva will join the panel "We need to talk!" on Monday 11 November.
Presentation abstract:
Cultural institutions in times of crisis and polarisation
Building on the keynote speech, Elena will highlight how the crisis-driven trend in policy-making and social discourse, which prioritises precise calculations and future forecasting over proactive imagination, is impacting cultural institutions. Culture, with its inherent unpredictability and intangible nature, struggles to assert its value in a reality marked by declining trust and constant emergencies. Social polarisation also affects the autonomy and agency of cultural institutions. Facing ongoing precarity and multiple challenges, the sector often resorts to self-censorship, caught between the fear of alienating progressive audiences and clashing with conservative power holders. The platformisation of culture has further segmented consumers, as they are increasingly presented with content tailored to their preferences. Meanwhile, culture has become a battleground for identities and ideologies, with cultural workers embedded in the same polarised, echo-chambered society.
