Latvia/ 5.2 Legislation on culture  

Latvia has introduced the following laws in the cultural sector:

1)    Laws setting out cultural policy frameworks

• Law on Cultural Institutions (1998);
• Copyright Law (2000);
• Law on Libraries (1998);
• Law on Museums (2006);
• Law on Archives (2011);
• Law on the Protection of Cultural Monuments (1992); and
• Law on Film(2010).

The aim of the Law on Cultural Institutions is to define the types of culture institutions in Latvia, sources of funding for these institutions and their economic activities, and state guarantees for the functioning of culture institutions. It sets out general cultural policy frameworks. General settings are defined also in the laws concerning particular art fields, such as the Law on Libraries and the Law on Museums. In 2010, the Law on Film was finally adopted.

A new Law on Archives came into force in 2011. It was followed by a major reform in the administration of public archives (see chapter 4.2.2).

2)    Laws establishing the operations, governing structures and procedures for financing cultural institutions (see also chapter 7.3)

• Law on the Realisation of the National Library (2003);
• Law on Latvian National Opera (2002);
• Legal Deposit Law (2006)
• Law on the National Library of Latvia (adopted in 1992, came into force 1993);
• Law on the Preservation and Protection of Riga's Historical Centre (2003); and
• Law on the Song and Dance Celebration (2005).

3)    Laws providing financing (see also chapter 5.1.3)

• Law on the State Culture Capital Foundation (adopted in 2003, came into force in 2004); and
• Law on the Service Pension of State and Local Government Professional Orchestra, Choir, Concert Organisation, Theatre and Circus Artists (2004, came into force in 2005).

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