The draft Law on the Basics of Culture will be submitted to the Seimas Culture

It envisages equal provision of cultural services, principles of freedom of creativity and expression.

According to S. Kairis, the preparation of the draft law on the foundations of cultural policy is one of the most important tasks of this term.

According to him, the current legal regulation lacks consistency, systematicity, established essential concepts and operating rules.

The project defines the purpose of cultural policy, establishes its general principles, and consolidates the principles of cultural policy.

According to the project, the main principles of cultural policy are cooperation, horizontality, respect for human creativity, accessibility of culture, internationality of culture, “respectful distance”, originality.

Particular importance is attached to the principle of horizontality, in order to encourage intersectoral and intersectoral cooperation, to strengthen cultural policy relations with other areas of public policy: environment, economy and innovation, finance, national defense, regional development, social security, transportation, health protection, education and science, justice , foreign policy and others.

The law proposes to clearly define and consolidate essential concepts in the field of culture, such as culture, cultural and creative competences, cultural institution, cultural heritage, cultural participant.

The project also determines the competence of the main institutions that form and implement cultural policy, the system of cultural participants, the relationship between state and municipal institutions in the implementation of cultural policy, and the improvement of the competences of cultural participants.

It is foreseen that national cultural institutions must take on the role of leaders in the areas entrusted to them, to ensure the long-term development of cultural policy implementation. The contribution of non-governmental organizations is also highlighted.

“Art creators ensure the vitality and relevance of culture, the continuity of cultural identity, by reflecting and creatively responding to emerging cultural and value challenges, changing geopolitical, economic, social and other circumstances,” the draft law states.

The Ministry of Culture hopes that following the law comes into force, the positive impact should be felt by various target groups.

At the moment, there is no Law on the Basics of Culture in Lithuania.