Management practices
PAHN is a centre of expertise for Norwegian performing arts, managing grant schemes for the export and industry initiatives of Norwegian professional performing arts, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture. PAHN administers all grant schemes and development opportunities schemes in accordance with the Public Administration Act and the Freedom of Information Act, and all artistic decisions are made in consultation with appointed external expert committees.
1.0 Application processes:
All PAHN's grant schemes or offers to participate in international trade missions or projects, are administered through open application processes. Organisations or artist who wish to participate and take part in our projects, must actively apply. We strive to inform broadly about our schemes, to make sure that everyone can apply for participation and grants.
According to the Public Administration Act (chapters 3 – 11), PAHN has a duty to provide guidance and answer questions, and everyone can contact us by email or phone.
Our communication channels are mainly www.pahn.no and our newsletter. Newsletter recipients will receive all information about our grant schemes and development opportunities.
2.0 Selection processes:
All artistic decisions at PAHN are made in consultation with appointed external expert committees. In some cases, we also consult with relevant partners, where PAHN selects representatives for the various expert committees. Broad and varied representation is a goal for all committees. Participants in committees are made public at the time of allocation. All expert committees work by processes governed by the principle of majority, but consensus in decision-making processes is ideal. In case of disagreement, the members will vote, and if the voting is evenly split, the director of PAHN, as the committee chair, has the casting vote, according to the cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Consensus in all artistic decisions is an expressed goal.
3.0 Impartiality:
PAHN has strict requirements for impartiality for our employees, board members, and expert committee members. The performing arts field is a small field, with tight knit and close relationships. In addition, PAHN staff may also have freelance assignments outside of the organisation. Therefore, it is crucial for us to have clear guidelines for impartiality issues for our employees and our representatives in our expert committees, in our decision-making processes and activities. PAHN’s rules for impartiality are based on the Public Administration Act's rules, but have made certain adjustments for our operations (in accordance with the agreement/contract with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
3.1 Rules of impartiality:
Employees and representatives in expert committees/board members are unsuitable to make decisions or vote:
a) when they are a party in the case
b) when they are a close relative of a party
c) when they lead or hold a leading position in, or are a member of the board of an organisation that is a party in the case
3.2 Impartiality due to discretion
Employees/representatives in expert committees/board members are disqualified from preparing the basis for a decision or making a decision in a case when there are other particular circumstances that are likely to undermine confidence in their impartiality; among other things, consideration should be given to whether the decision in the case could involve a particular advantage, loss, or inconvenience for them or someone they have a close personal connection with. Consideration should also be given to whether a party has raised an objection to their impartiality.
3.3 Decision on impartiality in expert committees
Representatives in expert committees, including the committee chair, are obliged to assess their own impartiality before the process begins. The committee always makes an impartiality assessment if needed. The person whose impartiality is being assessed, will step aside while the rest of the committee decides on the matter.
If an impartiality issue is raised by a third party against a member of the expert committee, the matter is submitted to the committee. If an impartiality issue is raised by a third party against the director of PAHN as committee chair, the issue of impartiality is addressed by PAHN’s board.
Representatives in the expert committee are obliged to withdraw from the handling of the case where impartiality arises. The person concerned must leave the room while the case is being discussed and decided.
4. Duty of confidentiality and loyalty
Anyone receiving salary/fees from PAHN, in both short-term engagements and long-term positions, have a duty of confidentiality regarding business matters and cannot, in any form, disclose information about the matters they work on or become aware of during their work. This is stipulated in contracts with all parties. During their engagement, the employee cannot in any way – directly or indirectly – have any interest in business(es) that compete with the foundation's activities.
5. Anti-corruption
PAHN practices zero tolerance for financial misconduct. This applies to all employees, consultants, non-employed personnel, as well as partners, grant recipients, and others who benefit from our state support and in our management of the grant scheme.
This includes:
Organising our operations and internal control systems in such a way that financial misconduct is prevented and detected. See our guidelines for the management of grant schemes.
Clearly communicating zero tolerance for financial misconduct to all grant recipients.
Requiring that all those involved in projects receiving grant funds practice zero tolerance towards all forms of financial misconduct.
Notifying the Ministry of indications of financial misconduct that PAHN becomes aware of in relation to our activities.
Halting future payments and demanding full or partial repayment of funds if the grant recipient does not comply with the conditions for the grant, including if there is unsatisfactory accounting for the use of the funds or if financial misconduct has occurred.