European Experience of the Use of Grant Competitions as a Means of Supporting Culture from the Perspective of Institutional Reforms in Ukraine’s Cultural Sector

Abstract

The article offers an overview of the use of such policy instruments as grant competitions for public support of cultural and artistic projects in Poland. The overview includes grant-giving programs of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland, in particular, their priorities, the sources for funding cultural projects, and institutions operating the programs. From the perspective of European integration chosen by Ukraine nowadays, the article also reviews the recent attempts to introduce similar institutions and grant-giving policy instruments in this country. In particular, recent establishment and early activities of Ukrainian Cultural Foundation has been analysed. First, Polish public grant-giving institutions have accumulated massive experience of co-operation between the state and independent cultural sector. Second, the main source of funding for public grant-giving institutions in Poland is secured by law as a special targeted levy, while in Ukraine the amount of funds given to the Foundation is to be defined in the State Budget each year. Third, there is a remarkable support from EU funds in Poland. Ukraine, on the other hand, only recently became eligible for participation in Creative Europe program. Finally, there are several public institutions offering grants for cultural projects in Poland (Polish Book Institute, the Film Institute, the Theatre Institute, etc.) while in this country, Ukrainian Cultural Foundation is the only one that practically provides grants, not just promises to do so.