Poland/ 1. Historical perspective: cultural policies and instruments  

One can identify two basic periods which characterise the development of Polish cultural policy in the last 60 years. Distinguishing features of the first period - real socialism - include limited sovereignty, a one-party system and a planned economy. The second period - liberal democracy and market economy - recovered Polish independence, introduced parliamentary democracy and principles for a market economy. 1989 is the watershed year that marked the shift between these two periods and the year when the first democratic parliamentary election was held in post-communist Poland.

Before 1989, cultural activities were organised under a system characterised by a high level of centralisation, institutionalisation and a monopoly of state property. Decisions made on the development of cultural activities were strongly politicised and the creative arts were under political censorship. The principles of cultural policy were created by both the Ministry of Culture and Arts and the Cultural Division of the Central Committee of the PZPR (Polish Communist Party). At the same time the growth rate of public cultural expenditure was higher than the growth rate of the GDP, which gave the state legitimacy to act in this field. The "Fund of Development for Culture" was established in 1982 as a means to secure this position. Between 1982 and 1989, expenditure on culture within the overall state budget rose from 1.25% to 1.81%. This relatively high level of public funding for culture enabled wider access to cultural goods and services and a feeling that professional stabilisation for artists working conditions was being achieved. 

After 1989, Poland underwent a process of political and economical transformation and the state re-established its new responsibilities with a social character. Those responsibilities were formulated in the introduction to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. Article 73 directly refers to the field of culture and states that everyone is granted the right of freedom of creation, to conduct scientific research and announce their results, freedom of education and use of cultural assets.

The new principles for organising and financing cultural activities were formulated in 1993 and presented in the governmental document entitled The Principles of State Cultural Policy. According to this document, the Polish government should:

• encourage the growth of democracy and the strengthening of civil society;
• make it easier for artists and institutions to convert to the market economy;
• protect the most precious cultural assets; and
• introduce and encourage legal solutions which facilitate the development of new forms of cultural activity.

Cultural policy should therefore achieve the following goals:

• decentralisation - shift competencies from the central administration to the provincial level, and from the provinces to the lower levels of administration: districts, municipalities and communes;
• provide public financial support for selected cultural institutions and crucial cultural events; and
• provide support for the development of non-public cultural institutions and funding mechanisms which could supplement the public funding of culture.

These goals are in support of the principles formulated in 1993. In 2003, efforts were made to prepare Poland for gaining access to EU funds, especially Structural Funds. In this context, emphasis has been placed on developing regional approaches to the development of culture. Cultural identity and the protection of national heritage have been given top priority since 2005. The year 2006 saw a continuation of a significant shift in the overall state policy related to heritage and establishment of a "historical policy" commenced during the previous year.

Polish parliamentary elections took place in Poland in October 2007 which brought the Platforma Obywatelska (Civic Platform) into power. For the first time in the history of Polish democracy, the issue of culture was included on the Prime Minister's agenda. Donald Tusk mentioned in his speech the need to re-define the priorities and rules of the state's cultural policy. Emphasis was placed on reconciliation of tradition with modernity and on reform of the organisation and financing of the cultural sector. On the 16 November 2007, the new Minister of Culture and National Heritage - Bogdan Zdrojewski - took up his post. The new minister began work on preparations to implement the necessary changes in legislation on culture, put forward by the creative circles as being indispensable to eliminate the barriers caused by current legal regulations. A decision has been made to prepare a wider reform of the whole financial system following a proposal presented at the Polish Culture Congress in 2009 (see  chapter 4.3).