The principles of democratization and decentralization of culture, support for cultural diversity and preservation of the national identity, which forms the basis of contemporary cultural policy, trace back to the main objectives of the cultural sphere of the First Republic of Georgia (1918-1921).
In the process of regaining independence in the 1990s, Georgia declared the continuity of the ideas of the First Republic. The first attempts at a theoretical generalization of the cultural practices of 1991-2001 and the adoption of a homogenous cultural policy document were made in 2001.
After a strongly centralized cultural management system (2003-2011), with local interventionist and entrepreneurial experiments, the expert methods used in 2013 marked a turning point in the development of cultural policy: the Commission for Cultural Policy Development produced a cultural policy concept based on the 2005 UNESCO Convention (although the concept has not been formally adopted).
Under the Decree N 303 of the Government of Georgia, a modern and long-term document stating the Georgian national cultural policy, “Culture Strategy 2025”, was approved on July 1, 2016 and provided such a strategic document for the first time in Georgian state history.
The strategy is an attempt to select a cultural policy model that will aid its systematic and sustainable development. It consists of the following elements:
- Strategic long-term planning
- Integrated approaches
- Mobilizing resources
- Monitoring
- Vision based on the balance of the global and local
The strategy development process was implemented in close cooperation with the European Union and was assessed positively by the European Union and the Council of Europe.
The Culture Strategy aims to define a long-term vision on the development of culture and the creative sector in order to underline their value for and importance to national identity, social unity and sustainable development of the country.
Based on the consultation, 8 main Strategic Goals were identified:
- Awareness Raising and Education
- Access to Culture and Cultural Diversity
- Culture and Other Key Areas
- Funding of Culture
- Cultural Infrastructure and New Technologies
- Creative Industries
- Internationalization of Culture
- Principles of the Governance of Culture
Achieving these goals will create an environment in which:
- The value of culture and creativity is recognized by society, and they are integrated into every level of education;
- Culture is accessible to every member of society, regardless of location, and cultural diversity is protected and maintained;
- Culture and creativity are seen as an integral part of the country’s development, which creates additional innovative opportunities to strengthen other sectors and contributes to the sustainability and well-being of Georgia;
- Cultural employment is attractive and adequately valued;
- Cultural infrastructure meets people’s needs and provides them with modern, high-quality products and services;
- Funding for culture is stable, and funding mechanisms are diverse and transparent;
- Cultural policy is research-based; an open and transparent political process involves professionals and a broad cross-section of society;
- Culture and creativity are important sources of jobs, economic growth, and innovation; contribute to a successful environment for individual creative expression.
2021-2024
In 2021, the Georgian Dream government reorganized the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth and in 2022, the Ministry declared the following goals in the State Budget:
- Public policy development and programme management in the culture, sport and youth field
- Infrastructure development
- Protection of cultural heritage and enhancement of the museum system
- Promotion of culture
During 2021 and 2022, the personnel policy of the new Ministry underwent significant changes, especially in the reorganization of the museum management system, which led to many lawsuits from the professional staff who had been dismissed. Since 2021, the Ministry is, in practice, pursuing a selective paternalistic policy and re-centralizing a system that has been relatively decentralized since 2012. No longer relevant are:
- Decentralization of cultural funding, creation of an independent Culture Fund;
- Transparency and “expert method” policies practiced in the years 2013-2018.
In 2023, the Youth Department was separated from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth and as of today it is the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
The sharply undemocratic working methods of the Ministry have caused protests by artists of different disciplines. The Ministry has been called the most hushed department.
Background
1950-1960 – Georgia is one of the republics of the Soviet Union, which was formed after the Soviet Russia occupied and annexed the First Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918-1921).
1964 – 1981 – the so-called stagnation of the Brezhnev period is characterized by the development of cultural infrastructure and the building of professional human resources. While the grip of Stalin’s totalitarian system (1929-1953) was loosening, conflict was brewing in Georgia between the communist system and supporters of Georgian national culture.
1974-1990 – the formation of a national liberation movement, which culminated in the violent suppression of anti-Soviet demonstrations by the Soviet army on April 9, 1989. During this period the national culture was redefined as the basis of national identity.
April 9, 1991 – the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of Georgia.
The post-Soviet period in the history and cultural development of Georgia is extremely complex:
The first stage (1991-1994) – a period of rebuilding an independent Georgian state characterized by contradictions and dramatic events. Changes were initiated in the framework of the persisting Soviet style system. The model of cultural policy chosen by the first national government was aimed at creating a separate Georgian policy for culture.
1991 -1992- the control lost over the South-Ossetian Autonomous Territory; the Tbilisi War; overthrow of the government of Gamsakhurdia.
1992-1994 – Edward Shevardnadze came to power (March 1992). A period of war in Abkhazia and devastation when the entire state policy was aimed at struggling against centrifugal trends and could not pursue a target-oriented cultural policy;
After the fall of Sukhumi (27.09.1993) 300 000 Georgian refugees were expelled from Abkhazia, where even today the Georgian cultural heritage is being systematically destroyed and the right of the Georgian population to receive education in their native language is being violated.
The second stage (1994-2003):
1994 -99 – a period of formation of state structures in the territory controlled by the state with a neutrally homogenous policy; formation of a presidential republic, adoption of the Constitution (1995), cooperation with the Council of Europe, UNESCO and other international organizations,
2000-2003 – a period anticipating the foundation of a decentralization policy. Support for the arts was the extent of the reach of state policies.
The third period (2003-2012):
23.11.2003 – Rose Revolution.
The third “revolutionary and post-revolutionary” (2003-2007) phase saw the recentralization of cultural policy development supported by legislative / constitutional changes and the extension and unification of the cultural infrastructure.
The period from 2008-2012 is marked by an intensification of centralized power, a weakening of self-governing institutions, self-censorship of the mass media and, consequently, a growth in the role of the state structures (Ministry of Culture and Cultural Heritage) in financing and administration of cultural policy.
August 2008 – The Russia-Georgia five-day war, which ended with the occupation of 20% of Georgian territory and the appearance of a new wave of refugees, provoked the use of culture as an image tool to demonstrate democratic values.
The fourth period (2012 – 2024) – The era of the Georgian Dream party:
2012-2014 – In the first period of the Georgian Dream’s ruling (the period of cohabitation of two political forces) the cultural policy was homogeneous.
In 2014, the EU-Georgia Association Agreement was signed.
2015-2017 – the first Culture Strategy 2025 was developed and adopted with EU participation.
2018-2020 -constitutional reforms and transition to a parliamentary republic, the sphere of culture was administered by a unified Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.
2021 – The Georgian Dream government reorganized the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.
2022-2024 – Emergence of anti-democratic and nepotistic tendencies in cultural policy.
2023 – On 8 November 2023, the European Commission issued an official recommendation to grant EU candidate status to Georgia, which was confirmed on 14 December 2023.
2024 – Adoption of the “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence” in May, suspension of the EU accession process. The problem of the legitimacy of the October 26 parliamentary elections.
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