The Culture Ministry of Georgia announced that it will establish a national fund of culture, reported agenda.ge.

The fund’s objectives would include: creating a “public, transparent and fair” system of financing in the field of culture; enabling equal access to culture for citizens in remote provinces and locations adjacent to the occupied regions of Georgia, people with disabilities, minority groups and more; supporting the development of creative industries, promoting cultural tourism and events in the country; supporting Georgian artists in their participation in international fairs, festivals, competitions and creative platforms; and ensuring the awarding of grants and attraction of investment in the cultural field. The fund is set to launch in January 2020.

The establishment of the fund is part of a “large-scale complex reform and systemic changes” in the field of culture, the ministry said.

The Georgian cultural policy is envisaged in the “Culture Strategy 2025”, a document approved by the Georgian authorities in 2016. The strategy creation process was supported by EU institutions. The Council of Europe and the European Union evaluated the cooperation positively. The main principles of strategy are: publicity, civic participation and transparency.

The eight main strategic goals of the Georgian cultural policy are: awareness raising and education; access to culture and cultural diversity; promoting culture and other key areas; funding of culture; cultural infrastructure and new technologies; creative industries; internationalisation of culture; and establishing principles for the governance of culture. Following the culture strategy, two action plans were also developed by the government in order to implement the set goals. According to the action plan of 2018, the main priority areas in the Georgian cultural policy are: to start a gradual transition to the culture governance reform and a public funding model; to start the art education reform; to approve the cultural and natural heritage code; to develop the cultural infrastructure; and to rehabilitate cultural heritage monuments in the country.