Culture in the Government Action Programme: The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine presented a draft Action Programme containing 12 strategic initiatives
18 August 2025, 19:47
On 18 August, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and the Cabinet of Ministers presented a draft Government Action Programme containing proposals on key areas of government policy. The presentation was attended by members of parliament, relevant civil society organisations, experts and think tanks.
The Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy was represented at the event by Committee Chair Mykyta Poturaiev and his deputies Pavlo Sushko and Yevheniia Kravchuk.
One of the main priorities of government policy for 2025-2026 is culture. «Culture is a component of national security, because cultural heritage shapes our identity and unity even in the most difficult times,» wrote Tetyana Berezhna, Acting Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications.
The losses suffered by the Ukrainian cultural sector as a result of russian aggression are significant:
- over $4.1 billion in direct losses;
- 1,528 cultural heritage sites and 2,359 cultural infrastructure facilities have been damaged;
- potential losses in the tourism, creative industries and cultural education sectors are estimated at $29.3 billion.
For her part, Yevheniia Kravchuk noted that, in addition to culture, due attention should be paid to the information sphere, and a distinction should be made between information policy and strategic communications: «I would like to emphasise the important topic of information policy and strategic communications. We did not see separate KPIs in the Government's programme, but this issue must be in focus. Information policy is part of the media sphere and our European integration track, and in my opinion as the chair of the relevant subcommittee, it should remain within the Ministry of Culture. Strategic communications — One Voice, coordination between ministries and agencies — should logically be concentrated under the Cabinet of Ministers, directly under the leadership of the Prime Minister.»
Planned steps in the area of culture:
Protection of cultural heritage. Creation of the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund with targeted funding of at least UAH 500 million. By the end of the year, restoration of at least 10 objects and evacuation of another 80,000 museum items will begin.
Digitisation and monitoring. By 2026, it is planned to enter 100% of national heritage sites into the State Register, create an electronic museum fund system, and digitise at least 100,000 museum items.
Restoration of cultural infrastructure. There are plans to launch the CuRe: Culture for Recovery cultural restoration platform, which will be joined by at least 50 communities, with a particular focus on frontline territories.
Support for creative industries. Plans include a new grant programme for creative industries and strengthening institutional support through the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, the State Film Agency, and the Ukrainian Institute of Culture.
The sustainability of cultural institutions through the expansion of the list of paid services that cultural institutions can provide to increase their financial autonomy, as well as reform of their organisational and legal form, which will allow them to be more independent.
The development of patronage. The introduction of tax incentives to support cultural projects.
«Tetyana Berezhna rightly sees a close correlation between the development of culture and the economy. After all, creative industries are already creating jobs, opening new markets and shaping Ukraine's modern image in the world. It is important that the issue of heritage is also in focus,» commented Deputy Chair of the Committee Yevheniia Kravchuk.