Azerbaijan/ 8.4 Amateur arts, cultural associations and community centres  

8.4.2 Cultural houses and community cultural clubs

There has been a decrease in the number of cultural clubs over the last years. This is not only due to the fact that many of the "nomadic" or so-called "mobile clubs" or "cultural tents" have shut down because of insufficient funding, but also to the internal changes occurring within society, increased social and political activity by the people, freedom of choice and freedom to develop one's own initiative.

Recently the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has initiated the process of reorganisation of the cultural houses and community cultural clubs system, aiming at broadening the platform of social participation in cultural life in the current economic circumstances. There are emerging ideas to reconfigure this broad system, to set aside non-working functions and develop new forms, serving as infrastructural units of Azerbaijani intangible cultural heritage, by creating -on this basis- a network of specialised culture houses, clubs, parks and relevant centres concentrated in folklore, craftsmanship or ethno culture and attracting relevant masters, performers, collectives, research, NGOs and private structures.

Table 12:   Number of clubs by years, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005-2007

Source:      State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 2008.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism is the main responsible central executive body for the functioning of the clubs, taking into consideration that the district club system is funded by local authorities. There are also a number of clubs within the Azerbaijan Trade Unions' Confederation.

Table 13:   Distribution of clubs by departmental division, 2000-2007

Source:      State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 2008.