Introduction

1. The cultural mission statement of the municipality of Glarus Nord generally describes valid principles and guidelines for cultural policy and cultural promotion. It does not provide detailed and conclusive instructions for action. Cultural promotion requires—within the framework of formulated objectives—a certain degree of freedom. It must be flexible and able to react to current needs. Cultural developments interact with societal developments. Rigid specifications do not do justice to the complexity and dynamism of such developments.

2. The cultural life of a municipality the size of a city is an important locational factor. Cultural creation and cultural institutions are also important economic factors due to their indirect profitability. The same applies to the preservation and maintenance of our townscapes and cultural landscapes. A diverse cultural offering projects the image of a municipality both internally and externally. Culture creates identity, experiences, and communication opportunities. Glarus Nord boasts a diverse and high-quality cultural offering, some of which has a supra-regional reach. The goal of cultural policy is to maintain the existing level and to promote new, innovative cultural creation.

3. Culture cannot be mandated, but municipal measures can support and enable cultural awareness and creation. The Municipal Council of Glarus Nord therefore considers cultural promotion to be a necessary municipal task.

1. Cultural offerings are based on individual initiative and are aimed at all segments of the population. Village and community life, with its associations and projects, is supported through suitable structures. We are committed to preserving our cultural heritage and also promote the identity of Glarus Nord.

1. Culture is everything that allows the individual to orient themselves towards the world, society, and also their native heritage; everything that leads a person to better understand their situation, in order to be able to change it under certain circumstances (definition by the Council of Europe).

2. Culture (from Latin *cultura* "cultivation, care, agriculture," from *colere* "to cultivate, to revere, to till the field") is, in its broadest sense, everything that humans themselves creatively produce, in contrast to nature which they have not created and not altered. Cultural achievements include all formative transformations of a given material, such as in technology or the visual arts, but also intellectual constructs such as law, morality, religion, economy, and science (Wikipedia definition).

3. There is not just one culture. Rather, numerous cultures exist, each reflecting the particular relationship of a group of people to society. Glarus Nord has a high proportion of children and young people in its resident population. Cultural practice also means tolerance and understanding towards those who speak different languages, social cooperation, and active integration of diverse ways of life.

1. The cultural policy and cultural promotion of the municipality of Glarus Nord are based on the Constitution of the Canton of Glarus of May 1, 1988, particularly on Art. 40 Promotion of Culture; Adult Education; Youth Work, para. 1: "The Canton and the municipalities promote cultural, artistic, and scientific creation," as well as on the Municipal Charter of Glarus Nord of June 21, 2013, particularly on Art. 4 Tasks, para. 5: "The municipality takes measures to preserve and promote cultural life in the villages."

2. The Municipal Council bears overall responsibility for cultural policy and cultural promotion. The Social Affairs Department manages cultural matters on behalf of the Municipal Council. The Cultural Commission advises the Municipal Council and the department on cultural policy issues.

3. The municipality of Glarus Nord promotes and supports a diverse, vibrant cultural life. To this end, it creates the necessary conditions by assisting in the provision of spaces, venues, and infrastructures, and by providing financial and non-material contributions. Due to the settlement structure and the history of the relatively young municipality of Glarus Nord – having grown together from eight formerly independent municipalities – both village culture is maintained and strengthened, and the creation of a comprehensive, new "Glarus Nord Culture" is promoted.

1. To preserve and promote village culture with its diverse traditions, and especially the valuable activities of associations, corporations, and individuals, the Municipal Council has established Village Commissions. Currently, Village Commissions exist in Bilten, Niederurnen, Oberurnen, Näfels, Mollis, and Kerenzen, generally comprising three members, who are also appointed by the Municipal Council. The chairs of the Village Commissions meet regularly with the Head of Department. The rights and duties of the Village Commissions are regulated in terms of reference issued by the Municipal Council, which it can amend at any time. The Municipal Council is entitled to establish new Village Commissions if it deems it necessary (e.g., for each village in Kerenzen separately) or to dissolve Village Commissions if they fail to comply with or even violate their terms of reference.

2. To create a "Glarus-Nord Culture" with the fundamental idea of providing our active fellow citizens with an identity and home in the municipality of Glarus Nord, the Municipal Council has established a Culture Commission. The Culture Commission comprises at least five members; its secretariat is provided by the Social Affairs Department. The members are elected by the Municipal Council for four-year terms and should represent various specialized fields

a) Architecture;

b) Music;

c) Performing Arts;

d) Journalism;

e) Visual Arts (painting and graphics, sculpture).

3. To ensure communication between the authority, operational implementation, and financing, the Head of Department holds a seat on the Commission. The rights and duties of the Culture Commission are regulated in terms of reference issued by the Municipal Council, which it can amend at any time. To promote regional culture, the municipality supports the two cultural partners, Kulturforum Brandluft and Kulturbühne Lihn.

4. For the preservation and promotion of existing libraries in Bilten, Niederurnen, Oberurnen (currently a pure school library), Näfels (currently a pure school library), Mollis, and Kerenzen, the Library Commission is active, consisting of representatives from the individual libraries and the Head of Department. All library staff members are required to demonstrate appropriate training; the libraries utilize a shared electronic library program managed by the Niederurnen library.

5. As legal successor to the municipality of Mollis, the Glarus Nord Municipal Council takes over the Museum Commission of the Mollis Local Museum. Its members are also elected by the Municipal Council.

6. Furthermore, the Social Affairs Department is responsible for the organization and execution of festivities and events of all kinds, be it the Näfelser Fahrt, village fairs (Chilbenen), Christmas markets (Chlausmärkte), carnival (Fasnacht), or regional events, for example, on the premises of Mollis airfield.