National Culture Policy Guidelines 2006-2015
- to enhance the national identity and the consolidation of Latvian civil society, maintaining and creating shared national cultural values;
- to improve the cooperation between culture and the sectors of the economy to facilitate the diversity of Latvian culture and the sustainable development of a creative economy;
- to create an environment favourable towards the development of creative diversity and to stimulate excellence;
- to promote balanced development of culture processes and the accessibility of culture throughout Latvia, ensuring the right to good quality of life for all the inhabitants of the state;
- to develop and make full use of the potential of culture in the life long education of individuals, promoting the development of a knowledge society founded upon humanistic values;
- to facilitate dialogue and understanding between cultures and nations and to enrich the cultural life of Latvia by participating in international culture processes and cooperation networks; and
- to build upon knowledge and information technology base, develop result oriented culture governance and to facilitate the decentralisation of culture.
The National Culture Policy Guidelines were adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers in April 2006.
The Convention was used as a basis for these Guidelines and the Guidelines contains clear references to the Convention.
Action plan on the implementation of the Guidelines was elaborated for 2008 and 2009. Periodical Information reports about the implementation of the Guidelines are drafted regulary. State budget for culture is planned in accordance with the Guidlines. In 2009 the budget of the Ministry of Culture was EUR 135 371 224, in 2010 116 237 914, in 2011 131 078 981.
Challenges identified in the implementation of this measure: The main obstacle in the implementation of the Guidelines was the economic downturn. In 2009, there was a dramatic drop in public financing for culture. It was followed by an even deeper crisis in 2010 when the budget of the Ministry of Culture was reduced by 43% if compared to 2008. It was a great challenge to maintain the implementation of the objectives of the Guidlines at the same level as before the crisis.
The impact has been measured partially by preparing Periodical Information reports about the implementation of the Guidlines.