Lithuania 4.2.1

Political documents setting out cultural policy frameworks or declarations of principle

 Law on the Fundamentals of Cultural Policy establishes the objective and tasks of cultural policy, the principles of cultural policy, the role of state and municipal institutions and agencies in formulating and/or implementing cultural policy, the relationship between municipal cultural policy and state cultural policy, the system of cultural participants, the role of national cultural institutions, non-governmental organizations, artists and artists’ organizations in cultural policy, as well as the development of competencies of cultural participants.

Laws establishing the scope, operation(s), governing structure(s) and procedures for funding cultural institutions

The Law on the Council for Culture (2012) (last edited in 2024) establishes the status, goals and functions of the Council and its general operating principles. The Law defines the Council as being a budget-financed institution under the Ministry of Culture and its main function is to finance culture and art programmes, distribute grants and other types of support to culture and art professionals, and monitor culture and art projects that are under implementation. The law was changed in 2021, as the Government decided to abolish the Culture Support Fund that had been administered by the Lithuanian Council for Culture (see chapter 2.1).

The Law on Cinema (2002) (last edited in 2019) establishes the principles of state governance and funding of film, the procedures of the distribution, screening and making public of movies through electronic communications channels and the regulation of the protection of cinematic heritage. In 2011, the amendments to the Law on Cinema included an article on the establishment of the Film Centre, a budget organisation under the Ministry of Culture. Since 2013, this institution has implemented the Lithuanian film policy and provides funding for the development and production of national films.

Laws relating to broadcasting and its regulation

The Law on the Provision of Information to the Public (1996) (last edition in 2025) sets up procedures of collecting, preparing, publishing and disseminating public information, establishes the rights, obligations and responsibilities of producers, media, journalists and institutions that regulate their activity. Article 28 regulates the activities of the Media Support Fund.

The Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information (2002) (last edition in 2024) establishes the criteria of the public information that has detrimental effect on minors’ physical, mental and moral development, the procedure of its publication and dissemination, and the rights, duties and liability of the producers, disseminators and owners of such information, as well as journalists and the institutions which regulate their activities.

The Law on the National Radio and Television (1996) (last edition in 2024) establishes the procedures of governance, operation, funding, reorganisation and liquidation of the Lithuanian National Radio and Television broadcasting company as well as its duties, rights, and responsibilities. The article 19 of the law also establishes the principles of LRT financing by fixing its share from certain sources: “amount of funds allocated to the LRT from the state budget each year is 1 per cent of the state budget and municipal budget revenue from personal income tax and 1.3 per cent from excise revenue actually received in the in the year before last”.

Laws referring to the “status of the artists” (employed or independent artists, media freelancers etc.)

The Law on the Status of Artists and Artists’ Organisations (1996) (last edition in 2019) establishes the basis and procedure for granting and abolishing the status of artist and artists’ organisations.

The Law on Professional Performing Arts (2004) (last edition in 2023) regulates the governance of professional performing arts, the system and operation of professional performing arts institutions, the financing of these institutions, the employment relations and social guarantees of employees of these institutions, as well as the management and use of the institutions’ property.

Table 27: International legal instruments implemented by Lithuania in the cultural field