Since the decentralisation reforms initiated in the early 1980s by the French government under President François Mitterrand (1916–1996) and Prime Minister Pierre Mauroy (1928–2013), notably through the Defferre Acts of 1982–1983 led by Interior Minister Gaston Defferre (1910–1986), regional authorities have become major actors in the governance of culture in France. This so-called “Act I” of decentralisation was implemented primarily through Law no. 82-213 of 2 March 1982 on the rights and freedoms of communes, departments and regions, complemented by Law no. 83-8 of 7 January 1983 on the distribution of competences between the State and local authorities. It marked a major turning point in the organisation of the French state by abolishing prefectural tutelage over local authorities, establishing the region as a full territorial collectivity, and transferring significant competences—particularly in education, transport, and social action—to communes, departments and regions. These reforms strengthened the autonomy of elected local and regional councils and redefined the balance of power between the State and subnational levels of government.
The country is now divided into regions governed by directly elected regional councils, which exercise autonomous powers within the framework established by national law. While the state retains responsibility for defining overall cultural policy and ensuring national cohesion, regional authorities have progressively gained greater capacity to design and implement their own cultural strategies.
Regional authorities are responsible for defining and implementing their own cultural policies, often in partnership with the state and local authorities. Their interventions generally focus on regional cultural development, support for artistic creation, cultural infrastructure, vocational training in the cultural sector, and territorial accessibility to culture. Regions also play an increasing role in supporting the creative and cultural industries and in coordinating large-scale cultural projects at territorial level.
Cooperation between the state and regional authorities is largely organised through contractual agreements and co-financing arrangements. The Regional Directorates for Cultural Affairs (DRACs) act as the main interlocutors of regional councils in the implementation of shared cultural priorities.
Regional authorities have also established specialised cultural agencies and networks in areas such as performing arts, cinema, heritage and cultural observation. These bodies contribute to the coordination of cultural actors and the development of regional cultural strategies.
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