The independent cultural sector has been affected by several structural problems, especially in post-socialist countries. One of the many problems is related to the mechanism of cultural funding. We aim to achieve sustainability of cultural organizations and civil society initiatives, ultimately ensuring a plurality of voices from the participation of the third sector in the cultural sphere. To make it possible we need to rethink and revise ineffective or opaque models.
Belarus’ sphere of culture and arts faces serious challenges in this regard. It has experienced severe repression, and many cultural figures have lost their jobs, been banned from their profession, or have been forced to leave Belarus.
In January-March 2022, the Belarusian Council for Culture, with the support of the Danish Cultural Institute through the New Democracy Fund program and in cooperation with partners Coalition of the Independent Cultural Sector of Moldova (Moldova) and CuMa Lab (Georgia), as well as the Belarusian PEN, held a series of seminars to present and discuss cultural policy models of several Eastern European countries under the title Inclusive Cultural Policies, Open Institutions and Transparent Funding Mechanisms for Culture in Eastern Neighborhood Region.
Belarusian experts, with the participation of the international NGO EuroBelarus and Forum Civ, created this analytical document. It is based on the results of the international seminars and the documents elaborated by foreign experts.
