Abstract:

The role of culture in the development of societies and their adjustment to the changing world is obvious. Culture requires policy as policy encourages the development of culture and facilitates its intergenerational transmission. Policy requires culture because the latter contributes to the establishment and maintenance of the former. Cultural policy is one of the issues of the state’s domestic policy. Today, cultural policy, which is responsible for the formation of spiritual values and moral norms in society, has become an integral part of the government policy.

UNESCO defines culture policy as a process of the government actions in the field of culture, which are carried out on the basis of certain principles and aimed at achieving specific objectives. The major subjects of cultural policy are society and the state, which share similar goals or, at least, their goals do not contradict each other. According to the majority of Russian scientists, culture policy constitutes a specific activity for regulating cultural life and affecting the personality in order to build a set of cultural values.

In Russia, the government cultural policy is done at the municipal level (districts), at the regional level (oblasts, krais, autonomous okrugs) and at the federal level. Cultural policy-making at the federal level encompasses the development and implementation of national projects and programs. Cultural policy at the regional level is carried out in line with the federal development strategy; however it takes into account the peculiarities of socio-economic development and cultural features of the region. Due to the development of civil society institutions, state cultural policy at the municipal level is playing an increasing role. 

The amount of funding for the cultural sector could indicate the level of priority of cultural policies in the macroeconomic policy of the state. In 1990-2010, the expenditure on culture, cinema and mass media accounted for 0.5-0.8% of GDP, and its share in the total expenditure from the consolidated budget of the Russian Federation was 2-2. 5%.