Cultural policy is the laws and programs of the government of a country that regulate, protect, encourage and financially support the state's activities related to the arts and creativity, such as painting, sculpture, music, dance, literature and film production. It may include areas related to language, cultural heritage and diversity.
Origin
The idea of a state cultural policy was developed by UNESCO in the 1960s. It includes the government of the country, establishing processes, legal classifications, rules, legislation. And, of course, cultural institutions. For example, galleries, museums, libraries, opera houses and the like. It is they who promote cultural diversity and creative expression in various art forms.
Global Importance
Cultural policy varies from one country to another. It aims to improve the accessibility of art and creative activityfor citizens. And also to the promotion of artistic, musical, ethnic, sociolinguistic, literary and other expressions of the entire population of the state. In some countries, special attention is paid to the promotion of the heritage of indigenous peoples. For most of the twentieth century, many of the activities that made up the state's cultural policy in the 2010s were regulated under the heading "art policy".
Methods of implementation
Cultural policy can be carried out at the federal, regional or municipal levels. Examples of its development include many activities:
- funding music education or theater programs;
- holding art exhibitions sponsored by various corporations;
- creating legal codes;
- organization of political institutions, councils for the provision of arts, cultural institutions.
Theoretical approach
Socio-cultural policy, although it makes up a small percentage of the budget of even very developed countries, is a rather complex sector. This results in a huge and heterogeneous set of organizations and individuals. They are engaged in the creation, production, presentation, dissemination and preservation of aesthetic heritage, including entertainment activities, products and cultural artifacts. Cultural policy necessarily includes a wide range of activities. She enjoys public support. These include:
- Heritage andhistorical monuments.
- Botanical gardens, zoos, amusement parks, aquariums, arboretums.
- Museums and libraries.
- Public humanitarian programs.
- Performing arts, which includes: popular and folk music; ballroom and modern dances; circus performances; ballet; opera performances and musicals; scenic skills; radio and television; cinema.
- Fine arts, including painting, architecture, ceramics, sculpture, graphics, arts and crafts and photography.
Some governments place these cultural policy areas in other departments or ministries. For example, national parks are assigned to the Department of the Environment, while the Department of Education is given the social humanities.
Democratization of culture
Because culture is a public good, governments are implementing programs to promote its greater accessibility. Significant aesthetic works (sculptures, paintings) should be freely available to the general public, and not the prerogative of any social class or metropolitan area. National cultural policy does not take into account class conditions, place of residence or level of education of citizens.
Democratic state is not seen as pandering to the aesthetic preferences of a small group of people, however enlightened, or as an open infusion of political values into art. "Democratization" isa top-down approach involving certain forms of programming. They are considered a public good. Consequently, the foundations of state cultural policy are shaped in such a way as to demonstrate how the public interest is served.
Tasks
The goal of the democratization of culture is aesthetic enlightenment, the enhancement of human dignity and the development of education among all segments of the population. The dissemination of information is a key concept aimed at creating equal opportunities for all citizens participating in publicly organized and funded cultural events. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to make performances and exhibitions less expensive. Affordable art education will equalize the aesthetic possibilities of the broad masses. Particular attention should be paid to the tour of national institutions for performances in residential complexes, nursing homes, orphanages and workplaces.
Cultural policy and the arts have a strong connection. It consists of both pragmatics and deep philosophy. The cultural patronage of we althy individuals or corporations differs markedly from patronage in democratic governments. Private patrons are responsible only to themselves and are free to indulge their tastes and preferences. The state is responsible to the voters for its political decisions.
Elitism
Proponents of an elitist position claim that cultur althe policy emphasizes aesthetic quality as a determining criterion for state subvention. This view is supported by large organizations, successful artists, critics and a well-educated, we althy audience.
She insists that art and culture must reach a certain degree of sophistication, richness and perfection in order for human nature to flourish. At the same time, the state must ensure the entire process if people do not want or cannot do it themselves. Adherents of elitism are focused on supporting the creation, preservation and performance of canonical works, which are regarded as the best artistic products of society.
Populism
The populist stance favors the widespread dissemination of culture. This approach emphasizes a less traditional and more pluralistic view of artistic merit. He consciously strives for the development of cultural policy. With an emphasis on personal improvement, the populist stance places very limited boundaries between amateur and professional activities. The goal is to provide opportunities for those who are not in the professional mainstream. For example, while an elitist approach would support professional musicians, especially those with a classical background, a populist approach would support amateur and original singers.
Elitism is cultural democracy, and populism is the democratization of culture. There is a tendency to view these positions asmutually exclusive, not complementary.
Historical perspective of RF
In the 1990s in Russia there was a transition from the "Marxist-Leninist" ideology to the new cultural policy of the Russian Federation. The Communist Party made extensive use of education and enlightenment for its needs. This system was mainly formed in the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1940s, it evolved and emphasized the strengthening of historical identity. The system remained that way until the late 1980s, despite a few superficial changes. The foundations of the cultural policy of that time were:
- formation of a strict centralized system of management and ideological control;
- creation of a wide network of state cultural institutions with powerful educational influence;
- adoption of relevant regulations;
- supporting classical or high culture that was perceived as loyal or neutral in content.
In Soviet times
Priority was given to the instruments with the greatest potential for information dissemination: radio, cinema, press. Since the 1960s, the emphasis has been on television. The main task of the so-called "creative unions", covering the main forms of art, was the control of the artistic community and the intelligentsia. As well as organizing their professional activities in accordance with the needs of the Communist Party.
In 1953, the Ministry of Culture of the USSR was established. This isthere was a bureaucratic machine for managing the enlightenment of the country's citizens. Despite this, the national cultural life was multifaceted. And, most importantly, varied. The participation of the people in officially organized artistic events was a strategy of cultural policy.
After the "thaw"
In the 1950s and 1960s, Nikita Khrushchev's reforms and the so-called "thaw" raised aspirations for liberalism, including in the cultural life of the country. The changes that have taken place have slowed down in the era of "stagnation" under the rule of Leonid Brezhnev.
In the mid-1980s, Mikhail Gorbachev initiated real change by easing ideological pressure on the media and administrative control over cultural and educational institutions. Intelligentsia, artists, cultural figures became the most ardent supporters of "perestroika."
In the 90s
In 1990, the "Law on the Press and Other Mass Media" eliminated state censorship, thus proclaiming the abolition of ideological control. The basis of the state cultural policy was:
- Guaranteed freedom of expression.
- Heritage preservation and the network of public cultural institutions.
In June 1993, these goals were approved by the government of the Russian Federation. A federal program for the development and preservation of culture and art was founded. The state tended to reduce its participation in the cultural sphere. Hoping for independentactivities of cultural institutions. As well as market regulation and sponsorship. The latter was to develop in Russian cultural policy only in the 1990s, when problems were deeply felt in all aspects of life. A task has been formed to update the general legal framework in the area under study.
In the mid-1990s, work was carried out to prepare a report "On the national cultural policy of the state." He helped compare Russian priorities with those developed at the European level.
In 1997-1999, the Federal Program for the Development of Culture was created. Its goals were directed more towards prosperity than preservation, but the political and economic crisis did not allow this to be achieved. However, cultural life was varied. Public debate has centered on the tension between the high social status of art and the underfunding of the cultural sector. The budget for culture was cut. Consequently, the wages of persons working in its institutions have decreased. The fight for resources has become a top priority.
In 1999 there was a turn towards the stability of the cultural policy of the Russian Federation. However, public reverence for the quality of art has drastically declined. It has been replaced by mass entertainment, seen primarily as commercial activities.
2000s
On the eve of the 21st century, it was widely recognized by politicians that the control and enforcement of freedom of expression is not enough to support anddevelopment of the studied industry. Public discussions on the cultural policy of Russia were focused on two opposite poles:
- reducing the list of institutions and changing their legal status, including privatization;
- or expanding state support and performing important sociocultural functions.
Since 2003, the federal government, in the spirit of increasing the efficiency of budgetary spending, has taken the following measures:
- redistribution of responsibilities between three administrative levels - state, regional and local;
- introduce performance budgeting and expand competitive cash allocation;
- creating new legal forms for non-profit organizations to stimulate the institutional restructuring of the cultural sector;
- promote the development of public and private partnerships, privatization, restoration of religious organizations.
In 2004, the Russian government system was disbanded as part of an administrative reform. The executive power was organized at three federal levels: political (Ministry), controlling (supervisory service) and administrative (agency). As for responsibility, at different times the Ministry of Federal Culture could be responsible for tourism or the media. Management of the network of institutions was transferred to the regional and municipal (local) levels. Their funding depended on their respective budgets.
Features of the modern model
What is stated in the "Basic Law on Culture" (1992)? What are the nuances in it? The main thing is that the state cultural policy means both the principles and norms that guide the government in its actions to develop, disseminate and preserve the heritage. Its model is evolving from centralized management to more complex - commercial. New cultural policies have emerged, including local governments and private actors. General political and administrative measures are being taken:
- decentralization and accountability;
- support for cultural institutions and national heritage sites;
- development of contemporary art and media culture.
National Definition
The national understanding of culture is based on high respect for its fundamental social and ethical role. This idea was formed by the Russian intelligentsia, accepted as a cliché into the mass consciousness. For secular democrats, the main role of culture is understood as:
- symbolic social cohesion;
- formation of national ideas;
- providing the basis of spiritual and moral guidelines;
- the basis of the integrity of the nation.
Recently, at all official levels, culture and cultural heritage are considered as a single system of values. It underpins national identity, affects all sectors of society, and is a source of pride andpatriotism.
In the mass consciousness, culture is understood as a public good and public (state) responsibility. Mass media are used as its dissemination. The idea of taking away cultural institutions and monuments from the state and handing them over to private hands does not meet the broader understanding of the public and art professionals.
Goals
Cultural policy is designed to realize the constitutional rights of Russian citizens. What does it mean? The discussions that followed the presentations by national and European experts on Russia's cultural policy and its presentation to the Committee on Culture of the Council of Europe supported the development scenario. Which corresponded to the ideas and principles set out in the documents of UNESCO. At the official level, goals were formulated that emphasize the importance of classical culture and national traditions, creativity and security activities, access to art and art education.
Strategy 2020
In 2008, the Minister of Economy presented the "Concept for the long-term socio-economic development of the Russian Federation" (2008-2020) or "Strategy 2020". Her directions:
- ensure equal access to cultural values, services and arts education for all citizens of Russia;
- preservation and promotion of the ethnic heritage of Russia;
- ensure quality of service;
- promoting a positive image of Russia abroad;
- improvementadministrative, economic and legal mechanisms in the field of culture.
The government's "2020 Strategy" links innovation to massive investment in people. Capital is also needed for the general development of education, science and art. It also proposes milestones and related indicators for expanding and modernizing the network of public cultural institutions.
Culture RF
The target federal program "Culture of Russia" (2012-2018), accumulating funding for the most important events, declares the following goals:
- preservation of Russia's identity, equal access to cultural values, an opportunity for personal and spiritual development;
- ensure the quality and diversity of services, modernization of cultural institutions;
- Informatization of the industry;
- modernization of art education and training of specialists, taking into account the preservation of the Russian school;
- participation in cultural life, actualization of national creativity;
- increasing innovation potential;
- improving the quality and availability of tourism services: domestic and foreign;
- ensuring the sustainable development of culture and the arts.
General description of the system
The state is still the main actor of cultural policy in the Russian Federation, and the executive branch retains its key role in governance structures. The President of the Russian Federation is appointedminister in charge of the sector under study, and formulate the principles and priorities of national policy in the Parliament. The main advisory body is the Council for Culture and Art of the Russian Federation, founded in 1996. Its members are appointed by the president and include prominent cultural figures, artists and representatives of artists' unions. The Council should inform the head of state on issues of culture and art, ensure interaction with the creative community and cultural organizations. He also proposes candidates for state awards.
Members of the State Duma, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, lobby the interests and needs of the cultural sector, its specialists and institutions. There are special committees for culture, interethnic relations and information policy, which develop laws for parliamentary discussion.
The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation should provide regulations, manage state property and provide public services related to culture, art, cultural heritage, cinema, archives, authors' rights, related rights and tourism.
The Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications forms the state policy in the field of media, printing and processing of personal data.
