Luxembourg's cultural policy: the KEP strategy has reached 70% implementation
San Fermin Pamplona - Navarra, Unsplash
The Luxembourg Ministry of Culture has published updates on the implementation of Kulturentwécklungsplang 2018-2028 (KEP), the main strategic document for cultural policy. At www.kep.lu, 62 updated progress maps corresponding to all 62 recommendations from the original plan are now available. As of 31 December 2024, the overall implementation rate has reached 70%.
Out of 62 recommendations:
- 18 have already been fully realised, including 4 in the last year alone;
- 43 are in the process of implementation;
- 1 recommendation remains suspended.
Recent achievements include the implementation of Recommendation No. 20 on the revision of the law on public contracting for works of art. The new law adopted on 8 March 2023 established the principle of "1% for art" (mandatory allocation of part of the budget for art projects in the construction of public facilities) as a separate legal mechanism, adapted both for public bodies and for communes and public institutions. At the same time, the Commission for Artistic Arrangements was launched to accompany clients and artists in public tenders.
Equally important was the implementation of Recommendation No. 31, the establishment of a management plan for the UNESCO World Heritage site "Luxembourg Old Town and its Fortifications". In July 2024, UNESCO officially adopted the Periodic Report on the state of the site, and Luxembourg itself was praised as a "leader and example" in the conservation of historic urban landscapes. In honour of the 30th anniversary of the World Heritage listing, an inclusive virtual tour of the casemates of the Citadel of Saint-Esprit was presented and the partial opening of the citadel to the public from Easter 2025 was announced.
