Culture: A public good.

Culture must be treated as a public good - accessible to all, protected from censorship, and supported as a foundation of democratic society.

Painting: “Poppies” by Lazar Ličenoski, Museum of Contemporary Arts in Skopje.

Culture must be treated as a public good - accessible to all, protected from censorship, and supported as a foundation of democratic society 🏛🎭

In Eastern Europe, where democratic institutions are often fragile and untrustworthy, it is particularly important. It shapes the public discourse despite the unfriendly systems. A strong, publicly supported cultural sector enables pluralism, intercultural dialogue, and critical thinking - all being the pillars of democratic societies. Thus, public investment in culture is an investment in democracy and the well-being of citizens.

Yet for decades, culture has been treated by the states as secondary, and depending on the market logic or as a government’s tool to shape public discourse. It resulted in chronic underfinancing, precarity of artists and inequalities in access to culture. High ticket prices, concentration of institutions in big cities and lack of cultural infrastructure outside exclude large parts of society from cultural life. When cultural life is accessible only to those who can afford it, it reinforces divisions. It should not be like that! Culture is a public good!

💚In the coming weeks, we will share more postulates in the specific policy areas.