Poland
The central state administration in Poland is the principal actor formulating
cultural policy objectives and funding principles. Changes in public responsibility
for cultural institutions are connected with the administrative reforms
of 1991 and 1999. The State remains the founding body of national cultural
institutions.
National Theatre, National Opera, State Art Gallery "Zacheta",
Centre of Contemporary Art, the Royal Castle in Warsaw, the Royal Castle
of Wawel are some examples of national institutions crucial for the development
of the Polish culture. Local authorities have recently acquired an important
role in cultural policy.
The autonomy and independence given to the local governments and to the
non-governmental organisations allowed them to create their own development
strategies.
The Ministry of Culture is a governmental
body responsible for the field of legislation, mapping the state cultural
policy and monitoring its implementation, as well as observing ongoing
changes in the system and finding new solutions in the sphere of financing
sources for the cultural sector.
The core Ministerial tasks are to set the legal, financial and programme
frameworks to encourage the development of culture at the national level.
The Ministry is not involved in the direct management of culture, although
it offers financial support to cultural events of a regional or local
character.
Other bodies responsible for cultural policy are the Culture and Media
Committees of the Sejm and the Senate (two chambers of the Parliament).
The Committees have several tasks, such as the development of artistic
creativity, promoting culture, protection of cultural heritage, development
of the media sector and cultural co-operation with other countries.
The Polish model of financing culture does not differ from the one functioning
in other European countries: the public sector is the major but not the
only patron of culture and the arts; private patronage should be seen
as a supplementary source of financing for culture.
While there are several support schemes for individual, direct support
for creative artists is still quite limited. The Creativity Promotion
Fund (Fundusz Promocji Twórczosci) is the State fund which purpose
is to support creators.
There are three schemes for individual artists provided by the Ministry:
6 month and one year stipends (salary supplements); Fund to Support Artistic
Creation (funding comes from income generated on sales of artworks with
expired copyrights, so-called "dead hand" funds) and Stipend
Exchange Programme in the framework of bilateral international agreements
(these stipends are funded by the host country).
For more information on Polish culture:
The Ministry of Culture
The Adam Mickiewicz Institute
The National Centre for Culture
The Book Institute
The International Cultural Centre
The Chopin Information Centre
State Archives
National Cultural sites
