General objectives

From France in 1962, the new state of Algeria joined the two components of its identity in its first 1963 Constitution, namely Arabism and Islamic identity, and to a lesser extent, Africanity. Subsequently, Amazigh was recognized as a pillar of the Algerian identity through nationalization -and not the officialisation- of the Amazigh language in the Constitution of 1996.

Officially, the state's objectives in culture were designed to protect and promote the wide variety of cultural and regional particularities of the Algerian people[1]. But in fact, the Algerians are invited to identify with a unique identity, frozen in the first founding text of the Algerian state, namely the Call of November 1, 1954[2], a call that has profoundly shaped the dominant ideology. This ideology, which defines the Algerianism by only two identity components, that is to say, Arabism and Islamic identity, does not accommodate the diversity of cultural expressions yet so dear to the official speeches. This paradox of obscuring aspects of the Algerian memory and emptying regional identities of their substance can not be maintained. The scar that separates the cultural regional expressions contributes to the same denial[3].

The promotion festival of the architecture of earth in EPAU, the Festival of the traditional dress at the Palace of Rais, or that of Imzad in Tamanrasset are all being showcased. Yet they confuse architecture, art, decorative arts and crafts, and thus contribute to freeze the cultural expressions of the people who wear them, lock them in a tradition, making it a difficult renewal or hybridization of genres: the folklore[4]. Folklorization is not just the elimination of the art dominated communities, but it proceeds to selecting or creating a popular devalution of art, insofar as it does not represent a "lifestyle" but the mundane everyday life[5].

This partly explains why Algeria has not yet ratified the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Cultural Diversity 2005, because its content undermines the cultural status quo situation maintained by the state since independence, to the extent that the agreement calls on the parties to create in their territory an environment which encourages individuals and social groups so that they can create, disseminate, access and distribute their own cultural expressions.

Without achieving a real break with the colonial cultural policy, the Algerian State now does not handle the diversity of cultural expressions of Algerian citizens well. And because it reproduces the same reflexes of hegemony, with varying intensities throughtout the years. For ten years, folklore, censorship, institutionalization, guardianship and systematic patronage are the main features of the state's course of action in culture.

Governance

The governance of the cultural sector in Algeria is based on a centralization of Cultural Affairs at the Ministry of Culture. It deploys, through its agencies, departments, centers and other organs under its direction, its hegemony over the area (see Figure 1 below).

At the regional level, the Ministry is represented by the Culture Directorates located in 48 provinces (prefectures) of the country. Structurally, the Directorates of culture include the departments responsible for culture in the wilayas and are organized into offices. They include four services that are of "Arts and Letters" and that of "Heritage". The director of culture is appointed by presidential decree on the proposal of the Ministry of Culture. The Directorates of Culture are funded directly by the Ministry of Culture. In 2014, the overall budget of the 48 directortes across the country amounted to about $ 22 million.

Moreover, legislation and cultural regulations permit the Ministry of Culture to define the statutes of bodies under its control, but also regulate the cultural and artistic activity as a whole.

The private cultural sector[6] has a very limited action and plays a minor role in the sector. Editing is the most widespread private activity. About 80 publishers working in the sector which is heavily subsidized by the state. With very limited distribution network (only 67 libraries identified through the national territory) and with very high book prices, the publishing industry would experience great difficulties without the state subsidies.

The independent cultural sector (associations, foundations, etc.) is still embryonic. Cultural and artistic associations receive only 0.2% of the overall budget for culture and are often inactive, particularly since the legislature has established rigid rules that gives limited space for cultural initiatives and independent arts[7].

Figure 1: The governance of the cultural sector in Algeria

• [1] « La prise en compte de la diversité culturelle, c’est-à-dire la défense et la promotion du patrimoine culturel constituent pour nous, une exigence de la démocratie. ». Propos de Mme Khalida Toumi, ministre de la culture entre 2002 et 2014. Discours à la sixième réunion régionale en vue de la promotion de la Convention pour la sauvegarde du patrimoine culturel immatériel.
• [2] Lire l’Appel ici (dernière consultation le 20.01.2014): http://www.el-mouradia.dz/francais/symbole/textes/1nov54.htm
• [3] Cazeaux M., 2013, « Algérie 2012 : célébrer l’Indépendance de l’Algérie sans les Algériens », dans L’Année du Maghreb, IX, 299-319.
• [4] Idem
• [5] Lavoie G., 1986, « Identité ethnique et folklorisation : le cas des Mongols de Chine », Anthropologie et Sociétés, Volume 10, numéro 2, p. 57-74.
• [6] Dans ce document, on entend par secteur culturel privé les entreprises privées (dotées d’un registre de commerce, telles que les SARL et les SA), et dont l’objectif principal est le profit.
• [7] « La machine de la législation et de la réglementation culturelle en Algérie s’épuise ». Interview avec Ammar Kessab. elwatan.com, 21.07.2013.