Shaping the Cultural Policy in the 20th–21st Centuries: Preconditions, Experience, Challenges

While celebrating 100 years anniversary of Lithuanian statehood, and counting already 14^th year of Lithuania’s EU membership, we feel invited to reflect on the main conditions of Lithuanian statehood, the motives, prerequisites and perspectives of its continuity. Culture played a pivotal role in the processes of (re)creation of Lithuanian state, therefore, it is natural to expect culture to receive a special status in the context of relationship between Lithuanian state and its citizens.

Starting with the first efforts to solidify the Independence in 1991, both Lithuanian society and its Governments were continuously declaring the necessity to reform the model of Lithuanian cultural policy.

Just as the other states of Eastern and Central Europe, which had restored democracy after the Cold War, Lithuania already for almost three decades has been trying to create political, legal and economical conditions for the new system of cultural policy that should meet the standards of Western European states. It tried and still tries to reorganize, modernize and decentralize the government of culture, networks of cultural institutions, develop and perfect its legal basis, to make it adequate for dealing with the new challenges of 21^st  century.

Thus, in an attempt to foster discussion about the past, present and possible future development of Lithuanian and European cultural policies, an international workshop on cultural policy

“Shaping the Cultural Policy in the 20th–21st Centuries: Preconditions, Experience, Challenges“ is organised at the premises of Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, Vilnius, Gedimino pr. 42, the hall of J. Karosas.

Program of the workshop

February 15, Thursday

13.00 Presentation of the conclusions of a study of the attempts to reshape Lithuanian cultural policy “Creation of Lithuanian model of cultural policy. Analysis of the perspective of shaping Lithuanian cultural policy”. Speakers: Rasius Makselis, Rūta Stanevičiūtė, Elona Bajorinienė.

13.45 Reflections on the present situation of Lithuanian cultural policy, difficulties, opportunities and challenges of its development. Speakers: Skaidra Trilupaitytė, Vaidas Jauniškis.

14.45 Sharing experiences and insights about the development of cultural policies in European countries and elsewhere. Speaker: Ragnar Siil (Creativity Lab Agency).

15.15–16.00 Coffee break

16.00 Sharing experiences and insights about the development of cultural policies in European countries and elsewhere. Speaker: Tsveta Andreeva (European Cultural Foundation).

16.45–18.00 Open discussion about trends of development of cultural policy in 21^st c., about new challenges related to the demographic risks, migration, rising dangers to the freedom of speech, propaganda, and other issues. Discussion about the possible vision of the future of cultural policy in Lithuania and Europe, possible wishful principles and methods of its transformation.