THE ACTION OF THE CERVANTES INSTITUTE IN A DEMOCRATIC SPAIN

Katerina Papaioannou
University of Patras, GREECE, papaioannou.kat@gmail.com

Abstract
The objective of the study is to highlight the action plan of Spain in order to further promote its cultural sector after the establishment of a democratic regime which followed Franco's death in 1975. Spain intended to prepare a comprehensive cultural plan with clear objectives and determine the means for achieving it. We focus on the decisive initiative of the establishment of the Cervantes Institute and discuss sectors of its action as well as how Spain expanded and exploited the strong potential of Cervantes Institute. Our aim is to investigate whether Spain, having started a new chapter in its political history, exploited the power of culture and implemented a new well-structured and active cultural strategy.

The Cervantes Institute was initially designed with an aim to map and accurately record the state of the Spanish language all over the world, to create access paths to native Spanish population in different countries and to connect with them gaining their alliance and support. The essence and work of the Cervantes Institute was certainly multidimensional and complex and was strongly based on the cultural strength of the Spanish language which formed an international, dynamic connection channel. However, there were several major organizational inefficiencies and drawbacks which the Cervantes Institute should overcome. After all, the successful implementation of the cultural policy incarnated by the Cervantes Institute was an important bet not only for the Institute but for the entire Spain, as well.

In this context, we present and analyze in detail how Spain designed and implemented a renovated cultural policy highlighting the crucial role of the Cervantes Institute and further discuss whether Spain eventually managed to achieve a leading role at an international level.

Keywords: Cultural policy, democratic Spain, Cervantes Institute.