Azerbaijan

Last update: October, 2021

The Constitution (1995) guaranteed the right to participate in cultural life and use cultural institutions and values ensured by the Law on Culture (2012). The Law on Culture provides preferential use of cultural resources to low-income earners, people with disabilities, including children under 18 with disabilities, and war veterans according to the procedure established by the relevant executive authority (Article 14. “The right to use cultural institutions and cultural resources”). In this regard, the Procedure for Preferential Use of Cultural Resources by the Low-income Population, People with Disabilities, Including Children Under 18 with Disabilities, War Veterans were approved by the Cabinet of Ministers Decision No. 287 of August 20, 2015.

At present, preferential use of cultural resources for non-commercial purposes is carried out in state and municipal property and the territories of state reserves under the Ministry for Culture, the State Tourism Agency, Icheri Sheher State Historical-Architectural and Gala State Historical-Ethnographic Reserves. Access is provided for low-income families, people with disabilities, and children with disabilities under 18, and war veterans free of charge. Preferential use by these populations of cultural values protected or displayed in privately owned cultural institutions is foreseen by mutual agreement. The list of people covered by the privileged use and the relevant documents are placed on display at state- and municipal-owned cultural institution that protect or displays cultural property.

At the same time, the use of cultural resources in the state and municipal-owned cultural institutions must be carried out in accordance with their historical and artistic purpose. Therefore, the use of cultural property incompatible with its historical and artistic purpose, copying cultural property and their use for tourism, excursion, and advertising purposes without the owner or user's consent is not allowed.

Since 2007, The Ministry for Culture has also initiated special programmes to broaden and promote participation in cultural life for different social strata. Targeted projects are implemented to simplify the population's access to cultural institutions and cultural spaces, the enjoyment of cultural resources by children and youth, and by informing the people about the cultural sphere. Free and favourable access to museums, reserves and monuments are allowed for all visitors on state official holidays, international museum and tourism days.

For instance, an "open day" is announcing on April 18th on the Day of Preservation of Historical Monuments, May 18th on the International Museum Day, September 27th on World Tourism Day, September 18th on Music Day, February 2nd on Youth Day and other historical days in museums across the country. At the same time, museums themselves also hold "open doors" initiatives. In addition, cultural institutions sometimes celebrate "open days" for sponsored charity projects. There are "open days" for children on certain days, and many schools are invited to these projects.  These measures are intended to raise the social consciousness and cohesion of citizens by activating participation in the cultural life of society.

Last update: October, 2021

The primary developmental trends over the last ten years, namely 2010, 2015 and 2019 (pre-pandemic year), show an approximately stable percentage of people who attended such cultural activities as theatres and libraries.

At the same time, there was a sharp increase in visits to cinemas in the indicated years. It is associated with an increase in cinema halls in all kinds of malls and other shopping centres.

There was a steady growth in the number of museum and concert visits, associated with the increased quality of services provided and the introduction of modern technologies.

However, the number of participants in cultural centres (clubs, houses of culture, etc.) and pupils in children’s music, art and painting schools is decreasing. In the case of club institutions this can be explained by a significant decrease in their number in recent years, while in the case of pupils in children’s music, art and painting schools, the decrease can be explained by an increase in the share of paid education.

Table 5: People who participated in or attended a certain cultural activity during the last 12 months in the Republic of Azerbaijan (in % of the population, over 3 available years)

Source(s): State Statistical Committee, 2021

Last update: October, 2021

Table 6: Household cultural expenditure by expenditure purpose, 2010 and 2020

Source(s): State Statistical Committee, 2021

Last update: October, 2021

The Ministry for Culture supports the amateur arts and people's creativity via a network of cultural houses, clubs, and relevant centres financed by the state or large enterprises. According to statistics for 2020, the total number of clubs funded by the state is 2 231, including 335 in urban places and 1 896 in rural locations. To a small extent, clubs belong to the State Oil Company (3), the Confederation of Trade Unions (7) and other organisations (28). The total number of seats in the clubs' auditoria and lecture halls is 307 370, or 31 per 1 000 population.

Cultural clubs and houses of culture provide a good background and conditions for club circles, amateur art groups and unions, clubs of interests and amateur associations, amateur art circles and collectives, technical creativity courses and classes, children's circles and collectives.

The activities of club-type cultural institutions have been restricted due to the introduction of a special quarantine regime in the country, starting from March 2020. Nevertheless, according to activity statistics at the end of the pre-pandemic year 2019, clubs under the system of the Ministry for Culture offered 4 398 different types of cultural leisure (hobby and amateur groups, creative circles and collectives, etc.) in which 45 000 active participants were involved.  From the total number of these types of activity:

• 1 075 were clubs of interest and amateur unions (involving 10.3 thousand people),
• 2 488 were clubs of amateurs art activities (26.6 thousand people),
• 835 were technical creation courses and classes (8.1 thousand people),
• 1 894 were child hobby groups and collectives (29.5 thousand people).

The number of events organised in creative and intangible cultural heritage club-type cultural institutions was 40 097 at the end of the pre-pandemic year 2019, including 22 147 concerts/performances, 5 216 spectacles/games, 1 760 festivals/competitions, 3 271 fairs/exhibitions, 1273 excursions/tours and 6 430 conferences/seminars. The total number of participants at these events was 3 811.7 thousand.

There has been a decrease in the number of cultural clubs over the last decade. This decrease was due to insufficient funding and the internal changes occurring within society, with a rethinking of the social role of such institutions.The primary debate regarding this system of houses and cultural centres revolves around their material and technical base and the state of buildings and infrastructure, which are often unsatisfactory and justifiably criticised by the population. The technical condition of club buildings under the system of the Ministry for Culture (at the end of 2020) is as follows: 811 club buildings, or 36.9% of the total number, need capital repairs; 80 of club buildings, or 3.6%, are in an emergency situation. The educational attainment of cultural and educational employees in clubs is also not satisfactory. Out of the 5 794 cultural and educational employees of clubs under the system of the Ministry for Culture in 2020, only 8.0% have attained higher education in culture and the arts, 8.1% have higher education outside of culture and the arts, and 11.0% have specialised secondary education in culture and the arts. 

In the decade, the Ministry for Culture had initiated the reorganisation of the cultural houses’ and community cultural clubs’ system, aiming to broaden social participation in cultural life in the current economic circumstances. However, there are emerging ideas to reconfigure this overall system, set aside non-working functions and develop new forms, serving as infrastructural units of intangible cultural heritage. City (town) centres of culture and their local-lore, folklore and artisanship branches serve this idea via attracting relevant experts, performers, collectives, research, NGOs and private structures.

The Ministry for Culture also has one circus, with 81 performances, which has audiences of 92 thousand (9 per 1 000 population) in 2019. The number of culture and recreation parks on the balance sheet of local executive authorities totalled 349 at the end of 2019. The number of cultural-recreational and health-sport activities in these parks numbered 1 336, of which 495 were for children.