The ERICarts Institute...

...is an independent organisation which carries out comparative cultural research and cultural policy monitoring in co-operation with experts from over 40 European countries.

The Institute was created by the European Association of Cultural Researchers e.V. (ECURES, now ERICarts Network) in collaboration with  "Centres of Excellence" specialising in cultural research from different corners of Europe, including: Boekmanstichting (Amsterdam); FinEkvit, since 2011 replaced by CUPORE (Helsinki); Observatorio das Actividades Culturais (Lisbon) and Zentrum für Kulturforschung (Bonn). Their representatives formed the Board of Governors and made key decisions regarding the research programme and strategic direction of the Institute. The day to day management of the projects and research teams has been carried out by the central office located in Bonn, Germany.

In 2017, the Institute was reorganised and its office moved to Cologne. The European Association of Cultural Researchers regained full control of the Institute.

The ERICarts Institute is recognised as a certified non-profit organisation registered under German trade law (gGmbH).

 THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS

is the main decision making body of the Institute and is now again, following the reorganisation of the Institute in 2017, identical with the Board of the "ERICarts Network". The Board defines  the Institute's  research agenda and decides on its actions. Experts from institutional partners often participate in comparative research projects.

 THE RESEARCH TEAMS

are made up of individual experts who are invited to participate in the comparative research programme of the ERICarts Institute on a project to project basis. Together they form Research Teams which work in cooperation  to achieve a common goal. These experts come from a broad range of academic disciplines (e.g. political science, sociology, communication research, anthropology, etc.) and live in over 40 European countries.

This decentralised approach to research gives the ERICarts Institute an opportunity to bring ideas and research results from scientists whose work would otherwise be excluded due to, for example,  language barriers. Working with researchers "on the ground" enriches the research process and helps to  overcome misunderstandings inherent in comparative research.

THE MANAGEMENT TEAM

is the operational arm of the Institute and carries out the strategic vision of the Board of Governors. Members of the management team participate in all stages of the design and implementation of transnational comparative research projects and acts as the central office co-ordinating the work.

It maintains communication with researchers, policy makers, inter-governmental organisations and European institutions and organises project related conferences and workshops.