Georgia

Last update: February, 2022

The main objective of cultural policy (before 2004) was the maintenance and support of a centralized system. The creation of a decentralized model and the redistribution of powers were supported only on a declarative level.

In the post-revolutionary period (since 2004), experiments with entrepreneurism and total privatization of the cultural industries began. However, against the background of modified legislation and the institutional model of centralization, the cultural policy pursued did not provide a systematic capital inflow, but was focused on the "blind" application of market logic to the cultural sphere. This strategy failed, both in terms of investor interest and in terms of development of institutions and infrastructure. In practical terms, the institutional reform had led to changes in legislation which resulted in a strengthening of the centralized system, and unification, instead of diversification.

The coalition "Georgian Dream", which won the parliamentary elections in October 2012, formed a new cabinet of ministers. Respectively, the new leadership of the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection started to develop a new strategy of cultural policy.

In 2016 the strategic document Culture Strategy 2025 was adopted. The formulation of the Strategic Goals and the sub-goals therein is of an integrative nature, which is an obvious innovation in the practice of cultural policy in Georgia. 8 Strategic Goals are:

1. Awareness Raising and Education
2. Access to Culture and Cultural Diversity
3. Culture and Other Key Areas
4. Funding of Culture
5. Cultural Infrastructure and New Technologies
6. Creative Industries
7. Internationalization of Culture
8. Principles of the Governance of Culture

Specific tasks (Chapter III: Sector-specific Tasks) are based on traditional forms of art and culture, such as:

• Cultural Heritage
• Cultural Tourism
• Libraries and Archives
• Museums
• Traditional Crafts
• Architecture
• Audio-visual sector
• Design
• Literature and Publishing
• Music
• Performing arts
• Visual arts
• Media and Broadcasting

This section of the document was based only on those expert opinions that were collected by the Ministry in the process of developing the Strategy (no strategies and full-scale research on the forms of art were available). Accordingly, the need for scientific, statistical research for the development of sub-strategies for each form of culture was declared.

The development of sub-strategies began with the implementation of the 2017-2018 Action Plan for Implementation of the Culture Strategy.

Despite a promising start, no significant steps have been taken towards strategy development and implementation in 2018-2021.

No changes were made in the culture funding model and diversification of financial resources, or in the implementation of the principle of “good governance” and full integration of culture in other industries in the context of sustainable development.

 The main goal of the government programme for 2021-2024 – “Towards Building a European State” (published in December 2020) is:

“To overcome the crisis created by the pandemic, thereby ensuring a rapid recovery and development of the economy to create a stable and secure environment for every citizen.”

The following was again declared in the field of culture: “State programmes and initiatives promoting the development of arts and culture will be continued and expanded in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the Culture Strategy through 2025. Legislation regulating the arts and culture will be improved, including legislation in the field of cultural heritage. A flexible arts and culture management model will be established, which will be approximated to European standards and an effective funding mechanism.”

2021-2024

However, after the pandemic, from 2021 onwards, we have observed a growing deviation from the principles declared in the Cultural Strategy 2025, which can be called a precursor to the anti-Western rhetoric and general policy of the ruling party especially manifested in 2024.

An important internal topic for discussion is the real policy of the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth, which formally adheres to the priorities stated in the Culture Strategy 2020-2025. However, the lack of transparency, the closed nature of the Ministry and the inadequacy of some decisions taken both in the reform of institutions and personnel policy, and, as a consequence, the de-professionalisation of the system, especially in the cultural heritage sphere, cause conflicting and mostly negative assessments from the professional community.

While implementing in practice a policy of recentralization, it actively reforms the sphere of cultural heritage in general and the National Museum of Georgia in particular ( in 2021-2022, the structure of the Georgian National Museum was fragmented and many professionals were fired), while not basing its decisions on expert methods and not taking into account best scientific practices. The mass dismissal of professionals from the system has caused controversy among the public and several lawsuits have been won against the Ministry related to the professional discrediting of dismissed scientists.

In 2021, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth of Georgia was recognized by the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information as the most closed. https://idfi.ge/ (2022) This trend intensified in the following years as well.

Debates about recentralization and selective paternalization, the unrealized diversification of funding for culture, and the failed Culture Fund are ongoing in the media and among NGOs. However, there is no effective influence on the shut-in Ministry. There are precedents of lawsuits against the Ministry that were successful for the plaintiffs.

Since all these changes are taking place within the framework of the rule of one political force, the Georgian Dream party, it can be said that the political vector of the ruling party has shifted significantly in an anti-democratic, pro-Russian direction. This is confirmed by both legislative changes (for example, the "Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence") and support for projects and ideas clearly directed against European values.

Accordingly, the repressions conducted by the Ministry of Culture have affected institutional independence, weakened public systems, and created  individual censorship.

In this context, the situation was aggravated for the top officials too - the humanitarians and art-managers have been replaced by law enforcers (Thea Tsulukiani, the lawyer and former Justice Minister, who is also Deputy Prime Minister under Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, former Minister of Interior, held the position of Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth in 2021-2024).

The Ministry's consistent repressive policy has affected all spheres of culture and art, with the film industry, writers and cultural heritage institutions particularly under pressure.

Before the parliamentary elections of 2024, representatives of the cultural sphere founded the public initiative “Culture for Democracy”, within the framework of which the “Declaration of Culture of Georgia” (19.08.2024) was created: "The crisis was precipitated by an authoritarian governance model, where decision-makers were selected based on party affiliation, with professionalism not considered a leading criterion. Consequently, we have witnessed restrictions on freedom of speech and expression, the principles of justice, accessibility, professionalism, research, and academic freedom. Additionally, the diversity of Georgian culture and pro-European cultural values, recognized by the Constitution of Georgia and international conventions signed by Georgia, have been neglected".  

The President of Georgia and the opposition parties that overcame the barrier do not recognize the results of the parliamentary elections on October 26, 2024 (27.10.2024) and demand an international investigation into election fraud.

Last update: February, 2022

Cultural rights in Georgian legislation are mainly reflected in the Constitution (1995), the Law on Culture (1997) and the Law on Copyright and Related Rights (1999).

According to Article 23, the Constitution of Georgia shall ensure the inviolability of intellectual property and creative freedom. Interference in creative activity or censorship in the creative sphere is not permissible. Placing a prohibition on the product of a creative work or on its distribution shall not be permissible, unless it violates the legal rights of others.

According to Article 34, "The state shall maintain the development of culture, unrestricted participation of citizens in cultural life, expression and enrichment of cultural origins, recognition of national and generic values and a deepening of international cultural relations. Each citizen of Georgia shall be obliged to protect and preserve the cultural heritage. The state shall protect cultural heritage by law."

According to Article 38, citizens of Georgia are equal in social, economic, cultural and political life regardless of national, ethnic, religious or linguistic origin. The freedom of citizens to use freely their native language and to develop their culture is safeguarded.

The Law on Culture establishes the principles of cultural activity and fundamental human rights and freedoms in the field of culture.  In particular, according to Article 4, the principles of cultural activity are:

• Freedom and total independence of cultural activity;
• Recognition of national and common values;
• Protection of intellectual property;
• Inadmissibility of monopoly in the field of culture;
• Accessibility and publicity of cultural and creative activity;
• Facilitating awareness and consolidation of cultural individuality by the citizens of Georgia;
• Humanism of cultural activity.

This law protects:

• The right to participate in cultural activity;
• Priority of workers in creative fields against the rights of other subjects of cultural activity
• The right to creative activity
• Freedom and independence of creative activity

(Interference in the creative process, censorship of creative activity, seizure of a creative work, and prohibition of its distribution shall be impermissible, except in the cases if it infringes on the rights and legal interests of any other person, stirs up national, ethnic, religious, or racial discord, preaches war and violence, or makes propaganda of pornography).

• The human right to cultural individuality
  • The right to enjoy cultural values
  • Art education (the unrestricted right to receive).
  • The property rights in the field of culture (all forms of property are recognized by the legislation of Georgia and shall be permitted in the field of culture. Everyone shall have a property right in the field of culture. The results of creative activity shall be under the ownership of the creator, except as provided for by the legislation of Georgia).
  • The right to creation of an organization, institution, association, creative union, other non-governmental union and enterprise in the field of culture
  • The right to take the results of one’s own creative activity to a foreign country.

The Law also defines the obligation of a citizen in the field of culture “to respect and protect the principles and norms in the field of culture provided for by the legislation of Georgia.”

The Law also defines the scope of authority of state government bodies in the field of culture. In particular, the state shall:

Protect:

• Human rights and freedoms in the field of culture, including the right to use the creative and intellectual potential by disabled persons;
• Accessibility of cultural activity, cultural valuables and values;
• Cultural heritage objects and history and culture monuments of Georgia.

Facilitate:

• Defining the state cultural policy and programmes through allocations from the budget and other funds;
• Establishing the procedure of disposal of cultural values and ensuring accessibility;
  • Equity participation in funding cultural non-governmental organizations;
  • Charity and sponsorship;
  • Supporting creative workers;
  • Fighting against monopoly in the field of creation and distribution of cultural valuables

Strategic Goal 1. “Access to Culture and Cultural Diversity” of Culture Strategy 2025 also refers to the right to cultural diversity, free expression and interaction between different cultures. Examples of the institutionalization of norms of professional ethics can be found in the charters of professional societies and associations. An example of this is the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics, which sets ethical standards in the media.

2021-2024

Declared rights and ethical norms have been repeatedly violated by the Ministry of Culture. Most of the complaints filed against the Ministry have been upheld by the court (see chapter 2.1.)

In this context, a new reality has emerged in Georgia following the adoption of the "Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence" in May 2024. According to representatives of the NGO and media sectors, as well as international experts, the existing democratic norms are being revised, reviewed, or replaced by new undemocratic norms. This presents a significant obstacle to Georgia's path toward integration with the European Union. This law creates significant barriers to the development of the NGO and media sectors. It imposes substantial restrictions by labelling any organization that receives more than 20% of its annual income from foreign sources as under foreign influence. Notably, this includes funding from international organizations, such as UNESCO.

Last update: February, 2022

The Georgian Law on Culture defines two categories of workers:

• Creative worker - a natural person, engaged in creating, rehabilitating or interpreting cultural valuables;
• Culture worker - a natural person, engaged in an activity in the field of culture;

The rights of this category of workers are protected by the Constitution and this law:

• Citizens of Georgia shall be equal in cultural life, whatever their national  or ethnic origin, religion, language, disability or another feature; 
• The rights of creative workers related to cultural and creative activity shall have priority over the rights of other subjects of cultural activity - the State and a legal person. The rights of a natural person shall be realized on the basis of the legislation of Georgia in the field and the international obligations of Georgia
• Everyone shall have the right to creative activity of any kind, according to one’s own interests and skills.

Article 31 of the Law defines the labour relations and social protection of workers of culture:

• The labour relations of the workers of culture shall be regulated by the labour legislation of Georgia.
• The amount of author royalties and the procedure and time of its payment shall be defined by a contract made with the author, according to the applicable legislation.
• The State shall ensure the social protection of cultural workers, according to the legislation of Georgia.
• The minimum salary of workers of culture shall exceed the average amount of salary of workers of organizations financed from the state budget in Georgia.

The latter provision is declarative and does not apply in reality.

There is no term “free artist” in Georgian legislation and, consequently, there is no law on the status of a free artist, which would define the socioeconomic status of this category, its obligation to the state (special social security, health insurance, etc.).

Nevertheless, at the legislative level, creative freedom and equality of access to culture are generally safeguarded:

• The relevant international legal norms are shared and in force;
• The legislation on copyright and related rights is applicable and harmonized with international norms.
• The existing national legislative framework in the field of culture generally addresses the issue of protection of creative freedom, access to culture and participation in the creation and dissemination of culture in general.
• There is legislation governing creative and trade unions:
• Law on Creative Workers and Creative Unions ( 08/06/1999/ №2059). Under the Law on Creative Workers and Creative Unions, Article 8, paragraph 1, a creative worker may be a person with an independent profession, or may work on the basis of an employment contract or other kind of agreement. The social insurance and pension provision of a creative worker are based on the appropriate legislative acts of Georgia. The Law On Creative Workers and Creative Unions establishes the legal status of a creative worker and a creative union, and the procedures for the creation of a union, its activities and its reorganization and liquidation. This Law shall apply to all creative workers, all creative unions and their branches (local organizations) registered in Georgia under the procedures established by legislation.  It is noteworthy that the law provides the definition of the creative worker, literary and artistic work, creative union, creative group, etc.  According to the law, the creative worker is defined as follows: a natural person whose intellectual and creative activity has resulted in the creation of literary and artistic work or their interpretation.
• Law of Georgia on Trade Unions, 2 April 1997. №617- IIs.  Under this law, artists have the right to associate in art unions or in professional organizations to represent and protect their interests; social protection is enforced under the law Law on Creative Workers and Creative Unions, 02.04.1997 №617– IIs Article 8, paragraph 2, social insurance and pension provision of a creative worker are based on the appropriate legislative acts of Georgia.)

The Trade Union of Creative Workers exists under the Trade Union umbrella.

Traditional Creative Unions operating in Georgia

• Writers' Union of Georgia (created in1932)
• Composers' Union of Georgia (created in1932)
• Artists' Union of Georgia (created in1933)
• Architects' Union of Georgia (created in1934)
• Union of Theatre Workers of Georgia (created in 1945)
• Union of Journalists of Georgia (created in1959)
• Union of Cinema Workers of Georgia (created in1961)
• Designers' Union of Georgia (created in1987)

Creative unions like other nongovernmental nonprofit associations and unions are eligible to participate in the target competition of the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth. There are also practices of financing various projects by municipalities.

Despite the existence of creative and trade unions, it is not a practice in Georgia to agree on the terms of collective agreements or other types of agreements with the client through the unions. There is no system of employment, or any other supportive regulations with the unions. Also, there is no precedent for monitoring the effectiveness of trade organizations.

The state has developed support programmes and LEPLs for both direct (state awards, scholarships, travel grants) and indirect promotions.

An example of direct support is the Culture Promotion Programme, under which the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth has held various competitions in 2021.

A special programme of state awards in literature, art and architecture as well as a programme for the support of gifted children and teenagers is underway in Georgia.

Creative workers awards: Order of Honor; Medal of Honor.

These awards are given for exclusive achievements in various fields of culture and art. The candidates are nominated by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth. Decisions on awards are made by the State Committee for Honor Awards at the President’s Administration.

The Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth gives awards in drama and music – for vocal ensembles, opera and pop singers and folklorists.

Notable awards are instituted by private organizations

• “Saba” - an annual literary award founded in 2003
• “Duruji” – an annual theatre prize initiated and founded in 2008.

Two institutions have been established for the protection of the copyright of cultural workers and artists: LEPL Sakpatenti and the NNLE Georgian Copyright Association;

Mobility support, in addition to the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth, is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Science, under which the International Centre for Education was established in 2014. It provides scholarships for Georgian citizens wishing to study abroad (including in the field of culture) http://iec.gov.ge/.

Creative freedom, cultural activities and the creation, production and distribution of cultural products and services are free from censorship and/or other restrictive systems.

According to a study conducted within the framework of the European Union-Eastern Partnership Culture and Creativity Programme UNESCO CULTURE FOR DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS/Georgia’s Analytical and Technical Report, the indicator of freedom of self-determination in Georgia is quite high: "Freedom of Self-Determination - Georgia’s final result is 8.5/10, with 10 representing the situation in which individuals believe that there is ‘a great deal of freedom of choice and control’ and 1 being ‘no freedom of choice and control.“                                                                                     

Source:  https://www.culturepartnership.eu/en/article/cdis-georgia

There is no system of independent art boards that provides direct support for creative freedom. There is no registration of artists at risk in the field of culture and, consequently, no monitoring of their protection and no practice of recording precedents of restriction of creative freedom.

2023-2024

YTA union drafted the law on the Status of the Artist supported by the UNESCO-Aschberg Programme for Artists and Cultural Professionals.

The Draft law aimed at protecting and promoting artistic freedom and the status of the artist, is guided by the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and the 1980 Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist.

In 2024 the final draft law on the Status of the Artist, as well as supplementary legislation, has been prepared and presented to the Parliament of Georgia, in accordance with Article 105 of the Parliamentary Regulations of Georgia. The issue was coordinated with the Culture Committee of Georgia.

Nevertheless, the draft law has not yet been discussed.

Last update: February, 2022

The Georgian government has switched to an electronic management system, which has further refined in the context of remote management and services during Covid-19.

The work on the digital programme of the cultural heritage management system started in 1999 (The first project of applying GIS was implemented in 1999-2000).

Significant work has been done over the years to digitize the allocations of the National Film Fund, the National Library and the National Museum.

The strategic goals of the Culture Strategy 2025, approved in 2016, include “Cultural Infrastructure and New Technologies”:

Goal: The infrastructure of culture is developed, necessary professional environment is provided and the application of new technologies is ensured.

5.2 Objective: The development and effective application of new technologies and the integration of culture into the digital realm contributes to the strengthening of the cultural sector, intensification of creative processes, and the creation of innovative products and services.

Tasks:

In accordance with the Culture Strategy 2025 priority “Improvement of Cultural Governance” the following was created in 2017:

• www.egmc.gov.ge
• Institutional support for innovative ecosystem is provided by: The Board of Research and Innovation of Georgia (founded on 03/02/2015. It represents a consultative body to the Government of Georgia, designed to support the development of science, research and innovations).
• Strategy “Innovative Georgia 2020”, 2016 https://idfi.ge/public/upload/IDFI/2020/Qashibadze2.pdf
• Law of Georgia on Innovations, adopted 22^nd of June 2016, N5501-IIs.

Significant shifts in the development of new technologies started in 2014; Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency was established at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. www.gita.gov.ge

The mission of this Agency is to create an ecosystem required for the development of innovations and technologies in Georgia; to promote the commercialization of knowledge and innovation; to encourage the use of innovations and technologies in all fields of the economy; to create an environment for growth in the export of innovations and high-tech products and to develop a high-speed internet network nationwide.

Computerization:

1. To develop the use of internet and computer skills for the regional population; the Agency launched the project “Computer for Everyone”.
2. Providing computers to students and young people in the regions at a discounted price.
3. The project is implemented together with the company Intel.

The first research and technology park and a network of innovation laboratories were created

In 2014, on the basis of three universities jointly collaborating with the private sector, 3 laboratories were created to conduct teaching in:

• Programming for mobile platforms
• Creating computer games
• Computer graphics and visual effects

All labs are equipped with modern techniques. Laboratory staff have undergone additional training, and laboratories are involved in skills competitions organized by the Agency and in creating startup companies.

The Agency works both with the private and educational sectors to continue the development of innovation laboratories on the basis of other educational institutions.

In 2021, Georgia's Innovation and Technology Agency and Catapult Georgia (Catapult Ventures, one of the leading Silicon Valley venture funds) signed a partnership agreement, according to which Catapult Georgia will invest $ 50 million in Georgian technology and innovation startups.

In 2024, with the support of the European Union, the Georgia Innovation and Technology Agency - GITA launched various programmes. In particular:

• IT employment programme, which gives both novice and experienced IT specialists an opportunity to improve their qualifications and start their career in the global or regional IT market.
• Georgian Innovation and Technology Agency’s (GITA) International Certification Programme within the framework of the EU-funded project “Do IT with the EU” - the goal of the EU-funded project is to train qualified IT specialists in Georgia and increase their competitiveness in the global digital market.
• Technology Transfer Programme”, which aims to promote commercialization of scientific projects that meet market needs.
• Innovation and Technology Camp for Students - the programme includes holding an innovation and technology camp for students in Batumi city within the framework of the World Bank project “National Innovation Ecosystem”, organized by the Georgian Innovation and Technology Agency.

The training programme for 3,000 IT specialists is ongoing. Within the framework of the project “National Innovation Ecosystem” (GENIE), the Georgian Agency of Innovation and Technology continues to train qualified personnel in the most in demand and highly paid professions in the market - in a total of 45 directions. (Courses: programming, project management, game/mobile development, AI, design, cybersecurity, blockchain, networking, virtualization and others).

GITA provides training in remote IT support, VOIP, Front-End, Java, Python, PHP, Android, iOS programming, IT projects and their quality management, and cybersecurity.

Within the framework of GITA-2020, a graphic design course was implemented in the regions of Georgia.

GITA and the GeoLab project: Since 2018, GeoLab, with the support of GITA, has been implementing new technology training programmes in Tbilisi and the regions of Georgia.

Training programme for online learning: GITA also implements the “How to Create a Startup” project across Georgia.

The number of organizations working in the field of new technologies is growing every year. An important role in this was played by the Georgian Artificial Intelligence Association (GAIA) founded in December 2023.  https://www.aiassociation.ge/

GAIA's mission is to accelerate Georgia's economic development by promoting the best use of AI by society and business. The association works to spread education about artificial intelligence and supports the academic, private, and public sectors in the introduction and development of AI technologies.

GAIA has three working directions - Knowledge Sharing, Awareness Raising and Advocacy; Support of Businesses and Startups and Development of Georgian Artificial Intelligence. In all three directions, GAIA cooperates with association members and partners from the private and public sectors, academia, civil society and media.

Speak for Georgia is a joint project of GAIA and Common Voice Georgia, supporting data collection for the development of the Georgian Speech-to-Text model.

GAIA works with government agencies, community groups, businesses and donors to ensure Georgia has an AI strategy and a vision for its development and adoption.

Last update: February, 2022

During the past 30 years, as a result of conflicts with the separatist authorities of the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic and former South-Ossetian Autonomous District (the Inner Kartli), a new group has been formed in the population - IDP (internally displaced persons). Currently, there are 286 643 IDPs officially registered, of which 275 096 (95.97%) are from Abkhazia and 11 546 (4.0%) from the former South Ossetian Autonomous District (the Inner Kartli). Following the Russian - Georgian conflict in August, 2008, a new stream of IDP has emerged from so-called South Ossetia, the historical Shida (Internal) Kartli, the region Samachablo and from Kodori (a mountain part of the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic) and from other Georgian cities and villages. This raised the number of IDP's by an additional 192 000 persons. The total number of IDP's is now estimated at almost 500 000. 

The state assistance to IDPs is minimal, which causes social discontent of both IDPs and other residents. Since the integration of IDPs in other regions has been difficult due to unemployment and inflation, the idea of social integrity is unsteady. Against this background, the focus of government and public attention is directed to the territorial integrity of the country, the protection of constitutional laws, of IDP's and of minorities.

Following the Russian-Georgian conflict in August 2008, voluntary assistance and donations by nongovernmental and trade organizations to support IDP's increased to help address their material needs and psychological rehabilitation.

We may only assume (as there is no special research or debates thereof) that culture is (not) used as an instrument for reinforcement of social cohesion. At the same time the concept of national integrity has ever been supported by the national culture and the national culture has been the basic parameter of the national identity.

Therefore, Georgia for the first time institutionalizes access to culture and declares social issues in the context of cultural policy.

The Culture Strategy 2025 also envisages ensuring access to culture for IDPs as well as social integration and employment through the cultural industries:

"2.2. Objective: All members of the society, including vulnerable groups, youth and minorities are actively engaged in cultural life and have access to cultural infrastructure and resources.

Tasks:

• Organize cultural and creative projects, initiatives, events and campaigns and support access to appropriate spaces/facilities in order to reinvigorate the contribution of vulnerable groups, youth and minorities to cultural life;
• Support the development of specially adopted media programmes in order to contribute to the integration of vulnerable and minority groups into the general public;
• Elaborate incentive measures for students representing disability groups, refugees, IDP's, residents of occupied territories, repatriates and socially vulnerable citizens, in order to ensure their access to cultural studies;
• Support and encourage cultural institutions, organizations and the businesses, including on the legislative level, in order to provide people with disabilities, socially vulnerable groups, refugees, IDPs, residents of occupied territories with special services (e.g. lower price tickets, free entrance, informational meetings, etc.) and employment opportunities;
• Support the engagement of children and youth groups representing refugees and IDPs, repatriates and Georgian citizens residing in occupied territories and abroad in different cultural projects in order to ensure their integration with local coevals;
• Support cultural initiatives of minorities and enhance their knowledge of the Georgian language in order to ensure they have a fair part in the country’s cultural life;
• Ensure that principles of gender equality are taken into account during the planning and implementation of cultural policy, and use the potential of culture to foster gender equality."

Recently, the issues of social cohesion are considered by the government in the context of integration of all layers of youth – representatives of national minorities, urban and rural residents. The main participants of the process are governmental structures. For example, the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs of Georgia (operated in this format until 2016) effectively is engaged in the planning of such programmes. The working process is implemented in close cooperation with youth organizations, international organizations and various public institutions. Many human rights NGOs use creative projects and art forms for social advertising and promotion of anti-discrimination policies, and educational activities to raise awareness and promote tolerance, etc.

Last update: February, 2022

There is a tradition of active public debates in Georgia, especially in the context of a polarized political environment. Culture often becomes a victim of political mainstreaming. At the same time, the importance of the social aspects of culture is largely understood and voiced by the professional community and the non-governmental sector.

The potential for significant social impact of culture is manifested in the development of cultural tourism and urban planning, creating a new habitat, especially in the historic part of cities.

The heavy interventionist urban policy in Georgia since the 2000s has become an important topic of public debates. The intensity and purposefulness of the debates have in some cases yielded positive results (for example the public and expert monitoring of the restoration-rehabilitation project of the Tbilisi ancient district - Gudiashvili Square).

A positive example of ensuring informed, transparent and participatory processes for the development of a policy of cultural expression diversity are the meetings organized by the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection in the process of creating the Culture Strategy in 2015-2016. Both the state and 36 NGOs that signed the Memorandum  “Creating a Culture  Policy Together”  actively supported the informed policy-making process. As a result, the issues of equal access to culture and the social aspects of culture have been reflected in this document.

An important place in the Culture Strategy 2025is allocated to the equal access by different groups to culture.  "2.1. Objective: Culture is made accessible to all, including the communities in mountainous regions, municipalities adjacent to the state borders, occupied territories and across the dividing lines of occupied territories."

Tasks:

The correlation of culture with social welfare and intersectoral cooperation is also reflected in the Third Goal of the Strategy: "Goal: Culture and creativity help other key areas to contribute in a wider sense to the State’s sustainable development and social well-being.

Objective: Regular cooperation among cultural professionals, public, civil and private sectors brings about more effective decision-making and problem-solving methods and results in a better quality of life."

Other documents which more or less reflect the aspects of the cultural impact of culture, serve this goal as well:

• The Georgian National Youth Policy Concept for 2020 – 2030 (7054-rs; 24/07/2020) in addition to various educational and social areas, includes support for youth cultural and creative activities (in frames of interest groups, clubs, hubs and summer camps).
• State Strategy for Civic Equality and Integration and Action Plan for 2015-2020 (1740; 01/09/2015) addresses the issues of preserving the culture of ethnic minorities and promoting a tolerant environment.
• The Law on Innovations (N5501-II dated 22.06.2016) is aimed at creating an environment conducive to the creative industries.
• The Georgian Tourism Strategy (2015) is a document focused on greater socialization and commercialization of cultural infrastructure, cultural heritage sites and cultural services.

Last update: February, 2022

Cultural sustainability is one of the goals of Georgia’s cultural policy. However, it is written only in the Culture Strategy 2025.

Other strategic documents of Georgia indirectly refer to culture. Recognition of its potential economic, social and environmental consequences is the achievement of the Ministry of Culture and the nongovernmental sector only.

"The Sustainable Development Goals National Document“

"The Sustainable Development Goals National Document depicts the priorities of the UN SDGs at the national level, aimed at promoting the implementation of SDGs and introduction of evidence-based national policy according to the 2030 agenda.

The Sustainable Development Goals National Document equally addresses the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental."

Socio-Economic Development Strategy of Georgia 2020

Socio-Economic Development Strategy of Georgia 2020 outlines the country’s economic development visions, where tourism is a part, which includes the use of cultural monuments and the sale of various cultural products; however, no direct vision is apparent in the context of cultural development.

The Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection has developed the "Culture Strategy 2025" (approved 30.06.2016), which includes the main indicators and trends in the field of culture. The purpose of the document is to establish an interagency coordination platform; on the basis of this Strategy the policy Goal s within the framework of the Strategy 2025 will be included in the policies of other Ministries (http://www.culturepolicy.gov.ge/getfile/29f126fc-420a-43f5-bcecadaf14f9d779/.aspx).

Consequently, since 2016 there is a sustainable coordination mechanism that is the basis for the development under the common umbrella of culture policy.

At the same time, there is an internal interdepartmental plan designed to provide the appropriate reflection of the trends specified in the policy document in the budgets and action plans of the Ministries.

• Interagency Action Plan for Implementation of the Culture Strategy for 2017-2018
  http://www.culturepolicy.gov.ge/CulturePoli/ActionPlan.aspx
• Action Plan for Equal Participation of Persons with Disabilities in Cultural Life for 2017-2018
  http://www.culturepolicy.gov.ge/CulturePoli/ActionPlan.aspx
• Roadmap for Developing Cultural and Creative Industries in Georgia 2016 – 2017. CREATIVE GEORGIA.
  http://creativegeorgia.ge/getattachment/Publications/Strategic_Documents/saqartveloshi-shemoqmedebiti-industriebis-ganvitar/Creative-Georgia-ENG-(1).pdf.aspx

These documents show that the society and state structures have already come to the understanding that a synergistic approach is necessary for the implementation of national sustainable development policies, taking into account the multifaceted resources of culture and their importance.

The Culture Strategy 2025 contains the 3^rd strategic Goal: Culture and Other Key Areas.

The expected result of this Goal is: culture and creativity will contribute to various areas and the sustainable development of the country and the well-being of society, in general.

"Goal: Culture and creativity help other key areas to contribute in a wider sense to the State’s sustainable development and social well-being.

Objective: Culture is integrated into the development policies of different sectors, different government agencies and municipalities based on regular consultations between the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia and other important agencies and stakeholders.

Tasks:

• Raise the awareness of policy-makers and other key stakeholders about the cultural spill-overs on and the economic impact;
• Taking into view the crucial role of culture with regard to economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, integrate culture into policy planning documents on the national, sectoral and regional levels, and into other policy sectors;
• Create a platform for regular consultations between policy-makers of culture and other agencies, which shall ensure their involvement in the policy-planning processes from its initial stages;
• Develop joint initiatives and programmes between the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia and other agencies, in order to enforce the development of the national economy and contribute to a wider international recognition

Last update: February, 2022

The problem in Georgian cultural policy is not having a paradigmatic approach to culture in whole or in part, but understanding the essence of a "cultural" component of the cultural good and its significance in a long-term strategy.

Moreover, culture is becoming increasingly important as a tool of the political and economic power of the elite: In Georgian cultural policy a significant, fast emerging class of political and financial elites is implanting the ideology of a "consumption" policy. This naturally reflects on cultural consumption and participation. In Georgia, cultural consumption is a field for further manipulation of a well-established political PR system. The best illustration of this is the architecture of the "new" Georgia beginning from the presidential palace to the cultural complex on Rike in Tbilisi, as well as the pseudo-rehabilitation projects such as the Rabat complex in Akhaltsikhe. In the long term, the implementation of such a policy through manipulating consumption in order to ease the government will result in an even more rapid decline in public taste.

Cultural consumption is differentiated

Consumption is changing at the expense of diversification and stratification of society; an increase is forming in the gap between the elite and the majority of the population which stays near the poverty line. However, the emergence of a middle class slowly occurs, albeit at the expense of the bureaucracy.

Over the past 30 years (1990 to 2020), no surveys and other systematic studies have been conducted in the culture area; there are no accurate data on culture from the State Department of Statistics. However, we can say that there is an empirically revealed correlation between income level, education level and intensity of cultural consumption.

It is obvious that the public, the majority of which is near the poverty line, cannot participate to the full extent in the process of creation and consumption of the cultural product; for the same reason it is impossible for the majority of the public to provide adequate care for the privately-owned cultural heritage that damages the common cultural landscape and heritage. All these factors provoke impunity for the political and economic elites, which have lobbied for and implemented such projects as "The New Life of Old Tbilisi", which resulted in the unqualified reconstruction and restoration of historic districts and was a futile waste of budgetary funds.

Cultural consumption is also differentiated according to the place of residence: the lowest traditionally remains in the countryside, where the cultural infrastructure is poorly developed. Therefore, the general political task of ensuring equal access to culture and leveling participation in cultural life remains relevant throughout the country. The tools for solving this problem may be the Internet. The level of cultural consumption and nature of participation vary under the effect of such factors as, for example, the economic crisis, under which the free services provided by public institutions become more attractive. "Domestic consumption of culture" is also growing (use of the Internet and the option of downloading, often illegally, various cultural and artistic content).

The main problems and challenges that were identified during the development of the Culture Strategy 2025:

• Information deficit on the role of culture and its economic potential;
• Education programme flaws - culture and creativity are inadequately reflected in the education stages;
• Culture is not equally available to all members of the community. Cultural diversity is not adequately protected and developed;
• Culture and creativity are not integrated into the policies of other fields and there is no great awareness of its contribution;
• There are no relevant social guarantees for cultural workers and their remuneration is low;
• Cultural infrastructure and its material-technical base are underdeveloped;
• Budgetary funding of culture is poor and alternative sources of funding are not developed;
• Cultural governance at central or municipal levels can to be improved;
• Surveys and statistical data are scarce;
• The legislative base and mechanisms for promoting integration into the international space of culture are to be improved

        Source: Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection (2016)

One of the priorities of the Strategy was to create a new model of culture financing. In 2016, the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection formulated the idea of a ​​financial sustainability package, which includes the following:

• Exemption of real assets used in the creative, artistic and scientific research activities (theatres, centres, museum, etc.) from property tax;
• Exemption of the activities implemented in the cultural field under the state order from value added tax;
• Exemption of royalties, cash and other awards paid by the state from income tax;
• Charity Law and voluntary 1% initiative;
• Drafting the law on state pensions, which means the possibility of retaining pensions for persons employed in artistic organizations;
• Transferring a part of lottery revenues to the cultural sphere.
• As of December 2021, this package has not been, however, realized.

Summary

• The openness of public cultural policy does not always meet European standards;
• The decision-making system and indicators are not always clear (especially since 2021);
• Underdevelopment of civil society: the lack of responsibility and involvement in the protection of cultural heritage, urban planning matters, etc.
• The legislation remains unbalanced:
  • The primary issues are to improve the legislative framework in the field of cultural heritage, especially in the context of decentralization and self-government reform, and the Concordat.
  • Over the past 15 years, the representatives of culture have required the introduction of the Sponsorship Law as means of diversification of the financing of culture and legislative improvements for the delimitation of powers and the protection of regional and municipal sectors of culture. The central government was quite skeptical about this idea.

2021-2024

The last and most important challenges for Georgia, as well as for the world, was the crisis associated with the COVID 19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

During Covid 19, problems were identified in the legislative framework of Culture defining economic, social and labour rights, including the lack of free artist status; as a result, free artists are considered unemployed and the meagre state aid measures do not apply to them. A common problem has been the inability of the state to make quick and flexible decisions in force majeure situations. In particular: pandemics, lockdowns and strict bans have affected freelancers and representatives of non-state and private cultural institutions/enterprises most severely. However, the special governmental anti-crisis measures (programmes, funds, subsidies, tax exemptions, etc.) were not extended to them. With few exceptions, the lockdown has caused not only economic but significant socio-psychological damage to the field as a whole, and especially to members of the performing arts.

Also, the need for more digital development in the creative industries were identified.

For Georgia, both for the state and the people as a whole, the war in Ukraine has become a test of commitment to Euro-Atlantic integration, and at the same time of balanced hospitality due to the huge flow of Russian and Belarusian citizens crossing the border into Georgia. Such a flow is of great concern to the population and experts, since it is fraught with various risks, changing the demographic situation, especially in large cities, which consequently changes the cultural landscape as well.

In this context, a flexible and coherent national strategy for the preservation of cultural diversity, cultural correlation and social integration is particularly important.

Assistance to refugees from Ukraine is also an important issue. Both the state and the population, especially cultural actors, have worked to the greatest extent possible to provide assistance to Ukrainian citizens in Georgia; numerous cultural projects by NGOs and private initiatives are aimed at supporting them.

An important contribution by the Ministry of Education and Science was the opening of the Ukrainian language sector in schools for refugee children. The Ministry of Culture, Sport and Youth also intended  to support them - summer camps were run for Ukrainian children.

In the 2021-2024 policy of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the issue of cultural heritage protection remains a sensitive one. The unqualified personnel policy implemented in the National Museum and the Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation, failing  credible scientific evidence, led to the dramatic destruction of frescoes in the Gelati Monastery Complex, a monument inscribed on the UNESCO Cultural Heritage List. In addition, the decision of the Ministry of Culture and Sport of Georgia to transfer the management and supervision of the restoration process of the Gelati Monastery Complex to the Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia on the basis of the Concordat has created a perception in part of society that the secularization of the state is weak.

The origin of various religious buildings also remains a very sensitive issue.

It should be noted that by Decree No. 63 of the Government of Georgia a governmental commission was established to consider the issues stipulated by the constitutional agreement between the State of Georgia and the Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia, in the work of which the Culture Committee of the Parliament represented by its Chairman participated.  In particular, the Chairman of the Culture Committee of the Parliament is a member of two working groups - the working group on establishing a regime of care and preservation for church valuables stored in state museums and temples of historical significance, and the working group on establishing the origin of religious buildings.