The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania is the main coordinator of international cultural cooperation and culture internationalisation policy. In 2018, the Ministry of Culture adopted the Concept of the Culture Internationalisation Policy that defines the goal, objectives and evaluation indicators of the culture internalisation policy. According to the Concept, the goal of the culture internationalisation policy is to advance the internationalisation of Lithuanian culture in pursuance of the diversity of cultural expressions, enhance the quality and competitiveness of creative products and cultural services, and contribute to the development of an open and dynamic society that is able to perform in an ever-changing world.
The Ministry of Culture coordinates the interface of the culture internationalisation policy with the objectives of foreign and economic policy with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Economy and the Chancellery of the Government. The Minister of Culture also forms an Integrated Culture Internationalisation Policy Management Group that consists of 5-7 members.
The function of the representation of Lithuanian arts and culture abroad is performed by the Lithuanian Culture Institute. The institute organises and coordinates representational Lithuanian cultural programmes abroad; implements cooperative bilateral and multilateral exchanges as well as cultural programmes in Lithuania and abroad; works closely with and implements projects of the cultural attaches of the Republic of Lithuania in foreign countries; promotes Lithuanian literature abroad: consults and informs foreign publishers and translators on issues concerning Lithuanian literature; organises seminars for translators and publishers; organises presentations and creative sessions of Lithuanian writers abroad; administers a translation promotion programme; organises and administers the cultural events programme at the annual Vilnius Book Fair; coordinates Lithuania’s participation in the Creative Europe and Europe for Citizens programmes of the European Union; prepares and disseminates information about Lithuanian culture, artists and creative works; and produces informational publications that promote Lithuania’s art and culture.
Culture attachés working in diplomatic missions of Lithuania also represent Lithuanian arts and culture abroad. Currently, 11 cultural attachés work in the European Union, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Poland, Sweden, USA, Ukraine, UK and China. The Lithuanian Culture Institute helps to carry out their activities. The Institute partly coordinates the programmes of representing Lithuania through the attachés, administrates the funding allocated to the projects of those programmes, and provides other support as well. The main purpose of attaches’ activities is to help Lithuanian artists, cultural and creative institutions and companies to reach the international market, support professionals in the cultural and creative sectors while seeking long-term international cooperation and on the basis of their activity to present Lithuania and Lithuanian culture in foreign countries.
Several programmes of the Lithuanian Council for Culture are directly aimed at the promotion of the internationalisation of culture, e.g. the programmes supporting international mobility of artists, dissemination of Lithuanian culture and art abroad, organisation of international events, festivals, and contests, and participation of artists in important international events. Other programmes of the Council also fund a number of projects that are implemented abroad.
The Lithuanian Film Centre cooperates with Lithuanian and foreign film festival organisers, film industry fair organisers, and presents Lithuanian national and co-production films and the potential of Lithuanian film industry at festivals, film industry fairs, and other events. The Centre also informs film professionals and organisations about the EU programme “Creative Europe” (Media sub-programme).
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