According to a new initiative by the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications, a reform of cultural institutions is planned for 2025-2030. A key goal is to enhance the autonomy of these institutions to improve their resilience in society.

Details of the strategy were shared by Halyna Hryhorenko, the First Deputy Minister, in an interview on Radio Culture.

"We aim to make culture more resilient. Our infrastructure, inherited from the Soviet Union, comprises over 30,000 institutions. Changes are necessary, as the system requires reforms to make state support and local community funding more effective", emphasized Hryhorenko.

She also pointed out that cultural institutions often face bureaucratic hurdles:

"Any attempts at innovation in cultural establishments are often blocked by excessive state control. This creates a lack of incentives for change".

Thus, one of the Ministry's key objectives is to "liberalize activities in the cultural sphere," which includes transforming the system of state management and support, as well as promoting the autonomy of cultural institutions.

To implement the strategy, investments from private sources will also be needed, which is why legislation on cultural patronage is being developed simultaneously.

About the Strategy Document

The document "Cultural Development Strategy 2025-2030," adopted on March 28, is considered the first comprehensive government document that regards culture as an essential element of national security and sustainable development in Ukraine.

As Hryhorenko notes, during the development of the strategy project, conferences were held in various cities across Ukraine, including Kharkiv, Odesa, Lviv, Vinnytsia, and Kyiv. Public sector proposals and independent organizations were also taken into account.

The new strategy outlines four main objectives:

• strengthening human capital through cultural initiatives;
• protecting, preserving, and enhancing cultural heritage and values;
• increasing the resilience of culture;
• integrating Ukrainian culture as an active participant in global cultural processes.

The first objective of the strategy emphasizes the openness of cultural institutions:

"Our cultural establishments should not only serve as libraries but also as spaces for social engagement and interaction with the community. Museums, for instance, should actively work on local identity and history, planning for the future based on our past".

Additionally, the Ministry is working on measures for the evacuation of cultural assets from frontline areas and the development of international connections.