Serbia/ 4.2 Specific policy issues and recent debates  

4.2.11 New technologies and digitalisation in the arts and culture

The Minister of Culture provides support to the digitalisation of relevant cultural policy information. One of the most important projects is the Internet publication of a GeoCultural Map of Serbia, produced by the Institute for Cultural Development.

Communication through the Internet has started but computer equipment is still lacking in most local public cultural institutions. Professionals in the cultural sector are encouraged to download application forms for project competitions through the Internet and the results of competitions are announced through the website of the Ministry or of the cities, etc.

Another problem is the overuse of existing telephone lines, even when an institution is technically well equipped. Very often, obtaining access to the Internet is difficult. A more systemic telecommunication policy is required so that new technologies can be used to facilitate cultural policy debates. The national strategy of switching from analogue to digital broadcasting has been adopted, and the "switch off" should be made on 17 June 2015.

Several heritage digitalisation programmes have recently been launched such as: HEREIN (digitalisation of tangible heritage), digitalisation of documents from the National Library (out of 2 million books, over 500 000 items have been digitalised) etc. The government appointed working group for digitalisation of heritage started to operate in the autumn of 2007.

An important project to reduce the "digital gap" is "Digital school", through which 2 910 schools have received 30 000 computers from the Ministry of Culture.

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