Lithuania

Last update: October, 2025

The issue of cultural and creative industries appeared in the Lithuanian cultural sector in the 2000s. The definition and classification of the creative industries was discussed at a conference "Creative Industries: a European Opportunity" (2003) and during the forum "European Opportunity: Creative Industries for Regional Development" (2005), both held in Vilnius. In 2002, the Municipality of Vilnius City gave a right to use the old building complex of typography in the city centre to several performing arts NGO’s as well as individual artists. The building was named the Arts Printing House (Menų spaustuvė) and became the first infrastructural complex for creative industries in Lithuania.

In 2007, the Minister of Culture approved the first Strategy of Support and Development of the Creative Industries. The strategy defined the creative industries as activities that are based on the individual's creative abilities and talents and whose purpose and outcome is intellectual property, and which can create material wealth and workplaces. According to the strategy, the creative industries included crafts, architecture, design, film and video production, publishing, visual and applied arts, music, software and computer services, advertising, radio and television programming and broadcasting, advertising, and performing arts.

In 2008, the National Association of Creative and Cultural Industries was established. The association participates in culture and high education policy formation, offers recommendations concerning Government and EU financial investment programs and financial measures in support of the CCI sector, communicates the value of the CCI sector for the state economy and public welfare; collects the CCI related information, communicates the CCI related political news, promotes collaboration between science and entrepreneurship, stimulates innovation, creative partnerships, launches research and conducts trainings.

In 2009-2013, the Lithuanian Ministry of Economy implemented the programme of the development of the network of arts incubators funded by the EU structural funds. During the programme, the Ministry invested 22.24 million EUR and a total of 12 incubators were established. However, the 2017 study Ecosystem of Arts Incubators in Lithuania revealed a range of obstacles preventing their effective activity.

In 2023, the Lithuanian Parliament adopted the long-term national strategy Lithuania 2050. The strategy reflects a national vision and priorities for development as well as guidelines for their implementation (see chapter 1.1). In 2020, the Lithuanian Government adopted the National Development Plan of Lithuania for 2021-2030, which is the main planning document of state changes for the next 10 years. Innovativeness (creativity), together with sustainable development and equal opportunities, are considered the horizontal principles of the plan. Cultural and creative industries are mentioned in the 9th objective of the first goal: to increase the potential of cultural and creative industries and promote the development of new products and services based on creative content.

Table 16: Key indicators of Lithuanian Cultural Industries

Source: Eurostat

*From 2021, Eurostat expanded the cultural enterprises aggregate under the new European Business Statistics regulation to include C18, C3212, C322, G4761, G4762, G4763, M742, M743, N7722,  and 85.52 (cultural education). Pre-2021 data (the historical series cult_ent_h) don’t include those codes; hence, the figures were much lower.  

Last update: October, 2025

The publishing industry in Lithuania is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Council of Culture, and the Lithuanian Culture Institute. In 2014 - 2016, the Ministry of Culture implemented the first National Literature Programme that had five strategic directions: support of the creators of literature, reading promotion, strengthening the institutions operating in the field of literature and its dissemination, their cooperation and coordination, increasing the awareness of Lithuanian literature in the world, and facilitating the development and dissemination of children's and young people's literature. While implementing this programme, the Ministry established an advisory Council of Literature that acts as an expert and consultant in formulating and implementing the policy of literature and its dissemination to this day.

The Lithuanian Council for Culture supports literature and publishing through its programme for literature and individual grants for writers. The literature programme funds the following activities: 1) professional creation and its dissemination in Lithuania and abroad; 2) events; 3) accumulation of information (archiving, documentation) and its dissemination; 4) publishing; 5) professional criticism and analysis; 6) networking and mobility; 7) co-production; 8) development of mastery and education. In 2014-2025, the Council has financed 851 literature projects and allocated EUR 5 190 178 to them.  It also awarded 890 individual grants to writers, allocating nearly €3 million.

The Ministry of Culture encourages writers, translators and critics of literature with annual awards and premiums for the best works: the Armchair of the Translator of the Year (in cooperation with the Lithuanian PEN Centre), St. Jerome’s Prize (in cooperation with the Lithuanian Association of Literary Translators), as well as the Yotvingian Prize and the Young Yotvingian Prize (in cooperation with the Association “Druskininkai Poetic Fall”). Martynas Mažvydas Premium for merits to the Lithuanian language, history of writing and book art is awarded for the best research achievements in Lithuanian literature, language history, culture and book science.

The reading promotion is performed by the Ministry of Culture and state libraries. The first reading promotion programme was approved in 2006, and since then, it has been constantly updated. The programme supports various reading promotion initiatives and projects. The most popular of them is the election of the “Book of the Year” (organised by Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania), the “Top 12 Most Creative Books” competition (organised by the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore), the summer reading action “Reading challenge”, and the event “Lithuania Reads” (coordinated by the Lithuanian Publishers Association) organised on 7 May, the Press Recovery Day.

The Lithuanian Culture Institute implements the Translation Grant Programme that supports the translations of Lithuanian literature into foreign languages. The programme has been ongoing in Lithuania since 2001; it was first run by the public institution “Books from Lithuania”, but since 2010, the work has been continued by the Lithuanian Culture Institute. Over the 25 years since the establishment of the programme, it has supported the translation of  568 Lithuanian literary works into 53 languages. The Lithuanian Culture Institute also provides information about Lithuanian authors to foreign publishers, publishing and translation houses and organisations; organises presentations of Lithuanian writers’ books at international book fairs, creative symposiums, and other events.

The literature dissemination function is also performed by the international Vilnius Book Fair. The fair is the major event of the Lithuanian book publishing industry that has been organised since 1999. During the twenty-six years of its existence, Vilnius Book Fair has become the biggest and most important book fair in the Baltic States. It gives a possibility to evaluate the whole publishing market of Lithuania and the neighbouring countries, and to get to know new names of the literary world. The Fair is also the main meeting place of publishers, authors, and readers. Over 500 cultural events are held annually during the four opening days, and the Fair attracts more than 60 000 visitors. The main accent of the Fair is on books and cultural events, as well as on the possibility for authors to interact with their readers.

Data on Lithuanian books and the press publishing industry is provided by the National Library and the Official Statistics Portal. According to the National Library, in 2024, the number of publishers who have published at least one book, brochure or booklet was 481, although the number of publishing houses that actively operate in the Lithuanian publishing market is around 50. The Lithuanian Publishers Association, established in 1989, currently unites 56 active publishing houses as well as NGO’s mostly concentrating on specialised publishing. In 2024, Lithuania’s book publishers released 3 144 books with a total print run of 5 375 900 copies. The number of titles has changed little over the past 10 years—fluctuating around 3.1–3.5 thousand—while print runs have been declining. Meanwhile, the number of people who read is growing, as is the average number of books read. Over the past decade, the share of residents who read at least one printed book rose from 62% in 2014 to 69% in 2024. The average number of books read per resident changed from 7.4 in 2014 to 9.5 in 2024.

Table 17: Number of published titles of books and brochures by type and year

Source: Official Statistics Portal

Part of the Lithuanian publishing industry consists of the printed and electronic press. According to the data from the Official Statistics Portal and the media research company KANTAR, there has been a steady decline in publishing and reading of printed media over the last 10 years. According to the KANTAR data of 2023, at least one issue of a periodical was read by 68.6 % of the 15-74 years old Lithuanian population, and this is 15.4 % less than in 2013. The number of newspaper titles diminished almost in half, from 222 in 2015 to 120 in 2024. Annual circulation of newspapers copies diminished by more than half, from 97 650 in 2015 to 40 829 in 2024.

Table 18: The statistics of the Lithuanian printed media industry in 2015–2024

Source: Official Statistics Portal

Till 2023, the financial support for printed and electronic media had been allocated by the Press, Radio and Television Support Foundation. The Foundation implemented 6 funding programmes, 4 of which were related to the press industry: 1) periodicals of culture and art; 2) national periodical press; 3) regional periodical press; 4) the internet media. In 2024, the Press, Radio and Television Support Foundation was abolished, and its function was overtaken by the new Media Support Fund. The Fund provides state support through four programs: 1) cultural media and cultural periodicals; 2) regional media; 3) news, investigative, and educational journalism; 4) media in national minority languages and media for the Lithuanian diaspora. In 2024, the Media Support Fund had financed 329 projects and allocated EUR 5 931 380.

Table 19: Results of the funding competition of the Press, Radio and Television Support Foundation of 2017-2023

Source: The Press, Radio, and Television Support Foundation

In general, the Lithuanian publishing and press policy of the last 10 years is directed to the promotion of reading, creation of national literature and dissemination of Lithuanian literature abroad. From these three directions, the Lithuanian Cultural Policy Strategy 2030 emphasises the promotion of reading. The Strategy states that it is necessary to support a positive public attitude towards reading, to develop a culture of reading and to strengthen schoolchildren’s reading abilities through creative promotion of literature and books. 

Last update: October, 2025

Film

There are three main institutions that shape and implement Lithuanian film policy: the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, the Film Policy Council and the Lithuanian Film Centre.

While shaping and implementing the national cultural policy in the field of cinema, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania performs the following functions laid down in the Law on Cinema: 1) forms national film policy and prepares drafts of laws and other legal acts in the field of cinema; 2) analyses the trends of cinema development in the Republic of Lithuania and in foreign countries, initiates and drafts strategic planning documents in the field of cinema (concepts, strategies, programmes), and carries out the monitoring of implementation of these documents; 3) upon the assignment of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania or the Prime Minister, represents the Republic of Lithuania in foreign countries or international organisations; within its competence and in accordance with the established procedure maintains contacts with respective foreign institutions and international organisations and, in accordance with the procedure provided for by the Republic of Lithuania Law on International Treaties, concludes and implements the international treaties; 4) coordinates and controls the activities of the Lithuanian Film Centre under the Ministry of Culture.

The Ministry of Culture is consulted by the Film Policy Council. The Council is a collegiate and advisory institution under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, dealing with the issues of the Lithuanian film policy. Its goal is to address the key film policy issues and provide the Minister of Culture with proposals and conclusions concerning the strategic planning and measures of strengthening the field of cinema, development programmes and their aims and reached outcomes, state funding, preservation of film heritage, the drafting and/or improvement of legal acts governing the field of cinema, as well as other film related issues pointed out by the Minister of Culture.

The Lithuanian Film Centre is a state institution established in 2012 under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. The functions of the Film Centre are defined by the amendment on the Law on Film (2002) of 2011. According to the law, the Film Centre: 1) participates in the formation of State film policy; 2) implements State film policy and exercises the functions entrusted thereto in accordance with the Law and other legal acts; 3) organises film project tenders for State funding; 4) awards grants to film creators; 5) carries out activities of cinema education and dissemination of film culture; 6) collects and publishes information and statistics on Lithuanian cinema; 7) performs indexation of films according to the age limit of the audience for films intended to be shown in cinemas; 8) supervises the compliance of legal and natural persons with the requirements for the public showing of cinema and the procedure for registration of films in the Film Register; 9) collects film heritage and ensures its accessibility.

According to the data of Lithuanian Film Centre, in 2025, in the Lithuanian film industry there have been working 44 film production companies, 11 film production service companies, 11 professional associations, 3 local film offices, 18 film distributors, 21 cinemas, and 8 other companies that provide services of post-production, film montage, casting, camera rental, search for filming locations, sound recording and subtitling. Lithuanian and foreign films are featured in 13 Lithuanian film festivals and events.

Table 20: Facts and figures of the Lithuanian film industry 2015–2024

 Source: Lithuanian Film Centre

* Excluding festival admissions

After the restoration of independence in 1990, the Lithuanian film industry was one of the smallest in Europe. During the first decade of independence, only 25 domestic feature films were created, while during the second and third decades, about 250 films were created. The situation changed in 2012 with the establishment of the Lithuanian Film Centre, which became the main cinema financing institution.

Table 21: Total budget of the Lithuanian Film Centre in 2015–2024

Source: Lithuanian Film Centre

A positive impact on the Lithuanian film industry was made by the Film Tax Incentive that came into effect in January 2014 as a new policy measure to foster local and foreign film production in Lithuania. The incentive is regulated by Article 17² of the Lithuanian Law on Corporate Income Tax (2001), which supplements the Law with the provision about the reduction of taxable income due to funds granted free of charge for the production of a film or a part thereof (see chapter 4.1.4). The incentive is available for feature films, TV films, documentaries and animated films. The scheme involves a foreign production company, a Lithuanian production company, a local business company providing financial support for the production and the Lithuanian Film Centre that administers the scheme. The foreign production company can save up to 30 % of its Lithuanian production costs, while the local business is motivated to invest in film production by a profit tax break.

In the period of 2014-2024, 561 productions have benefited from the Lithuanian Film Tax Incentive by getting a total of EUR 107.8 million in investment for film production. The scheme was used by 111 foreign films, 106 co-productions, and 344 national films. Investments for film production were granted by 368 local companies in amounts ranging from 1000 to over 1.6 million euros. In 2024, Lithuanian business companies invested more than 18 million euros through this scheme.

After these two political steps – the establishment of the Lithuanian Film Centre in 2012 and the introduction of the tax incentive in 2014 – the production of domestic films increased in Lithuania by almost 50 per cent compared to the period of 2009–2011. However, in 2020 and 2021, the number of films made has decreased due to the constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Table 22: Domestics Films produced in 2011–2024

 Source: Lithuanian Film Centre

Radio and Television

According to the data of the Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission, in 2025, there were 127 TV and radio companies in Lithuania: 26 broadcast TV programmes, 3 of them broadcast TV online, 12 also re-broadcast TV, and 2 also broadcast radio programmes;  37 companies broadcast only radio; 34 companies re-broadcast TV, 4 of them also re-broadcast radio; 2 companies broadcast on the Internet only; 8 companies provide on-demand audiovisual media services only; 19 companies provided on-demand audiovisual media services using video-sharing platforms (see chapter 2.5.3 for more about media policy and content).

Till 2023, the financial support for domestic programmes of radio, television and other sectors of the Lithuanian audiovisual industry was provided through the Press, Radio and Television Support Foundation. The Foundation implemented 6 funding programmes, 2 of which were related to the radio and TV. In 2024, the Press, Radio and Television Support Foundation was abolished, and its function was overtaken by the new Media Support Fund. The newly established Fund provides state support through four programs: 1) cultural media and cultural periodicals; 2) regional media; 3) news, investigative, and educational journalism; 4) media in national minority languages and media for the Lithuanian diaspora. In 2024, the Media Support Fund had financed 329 projects and allocated EUR 5 931 380.

Table 23: Fund allocation of the Press, Radio and Television Support Foundation in 2017–2023

Source: The Press, Radio, and Television Support Foundation

Last update: October, 2025

There is no systematic policy on the music industry in Lithuania. The Lithuanian Ministry for Culture shapes and supports only national or state music organisations that are seen as a part of the performing arts sector (see chapter 3.3 for more information). The popular music industry, its value chain and ecosystem are not analysed, shaped or supported by any state institution. Nevertheless, there are some important public initiatives that aim to systematise the information about the Lithuanian music industry and disseminate it abroad. One of them is Music Information Centre Lithuania (MICL). The Centre was set up in February 1996 as the information and publishing branch of the Lithuanian Composers' Union. In 1998, it became a member of the International Association of Music Information Centres. From 2001, the centre has been functioning as a public body (its founder being the Lithuanian Composers' Union) that realises recordings of Lithuanian composers and publishes the scores of their work, accumulates and updates information on them in a database, catalogues and archives their compositions.

In 2006, the Centre began to implement the project Music Lithuania, which aimed to represent the Lithuanian music industry at international music expos. Since then, the Centre organises Lithuania’s national stands at international music industry expos, disseminates and promotes compilations of music, coordinates concerts of music by Lithuanian composers and performers abroad, as well as presents information on various musical genres on its website.

The online database of MICL contains information on Lithuanian composers, songwriters, improvisers, sound artists and performers (with more than 400 profiles with catalogues of compositions and / or a discography). The Manuscripts Archive consists of the scores and individual instrument parts of orchestral, chamber and choral classical and contemporary works by Lithuanian composers (with almost 6 000 original manuscripts or copies of them). The Sound Archive consists of classical and contemporary music by Lithuanian composers (more than 7 600 unreleased recordings and about 2300 releases). The library holds published scores (almost 5 000 works), as well as books, periodicals, photographs, etc.

The other public organisation of the Lithuanian music industry is the Lithuanian Music Business Association, which was established in 2015. It unites several companies of management and event organisation from the music industry and seeks to encourage and support cooperation between their members in order to achieve common goals in the fields of education, export and lobbying. The main project of the Association is an international showcase festival and conference on innovations and new opportunities in the music industry (What’s Next in Music?), organised annually together with Arts Fabric “Loftas”.

Despite the lack of a systematic policy of the music industry in Lithuania, there is a huge number of music composers and performers that take part in 45 regularly occurring music festivals. Lithuanian cities and villages regularly host about 18 classical music festivals, 11 jazz, 11 folk, 5 pop rock and 5 electronic music festivals. Some of them are partly funded by municipalities, the Lithuanian Council for Culture or private sponsors.

Lithuanian municipalities have orchestras, jazz bands and folk ensembles that are financed on regular basis. Music projects are regularly funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture, which also has a grant programme for individual music performers and composers.

Lithuanian music creators and performers also earn income from copyright. Three organisations work in this area: LATGA, AGATA, and AVAKA. LATGA (Lietuvos autorių teisių gynimo asociacijos agentūra) is Lithuania’s collective management organization for authors’ copyright. It represents creators of music (composers and lyricists), literature, visual arts, drama and more. LATGA licenses uses like public performance, broadcasting, online communication, reproduction (including reprography) and sync, then collects and distributes royalties to authors. It also administers the private-copying levy for authors and maintains work registrations so users can actually identify and clear rights. Beyond collections, LATGA does policy and education to keep copyright rules usable in real life.

AGATA is Lithuania’s collective management organisation for neighbouring rights—it represents recording artists (performers) and phonogram producers (labels). It licenses the public use of recorded music (in shops, venues, radio/TV, etc.) and collects the statutory remuneration from users. The money is then distributed to rightsholders according to verified usage data and legal rules. AGATA also administers private-copying levies and provides practical guidance to businesses on lawful music use.

AVAKA (Audiovizualinių kūrinių autorių teisių asociacija) is Lithuania’s collective management organisation for audiovisual authors— film/TV directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, and other creators of screen works. It licenses the secondary use of audiovisual content (broadcast, cable retransmission, public communication, copying, etc.) and collects/distributes royalties to those authors. AVAKA also manages the authors’ share of the private-copying levy and negotiates tariffs with broadcasters, platforms, and venues. They handle repertoire data and claims so rightsholders actually get paid for real-world uses.

Table 24: AGATA – collected royalties for the public use of music (per issued VAT invoices)

Source: AGATA activity reports, LATGA activity reports

Last update: October, 2025

Design

Design policy in Lithuania is shaped and implemented by two Ministries: the Ministry of Economy and Innovation and the Ministry of Culture. The Ministry of Culture supervises various cultural initiatives of the design sector and copyright. The Ministry of Economy and Innovation is responsible for design export and the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises.

The financial support for the design sector is provided by several institutions. The Council for Culture provides funding for various projects of design and other design-related initiatives, such as publications, events, education, and festivals, and supports individual designers with grants. The Council also administers the project “Design wings” that aims to bring together “talent, knowledge and expertise to create competitive design solutions based on the principles of digital, innovation and circular economy, small and medium-sized enterprises of design”. A total of EUR 3 176 470 has been allocated to fund the project for 2024–2028.

The Ministry of Economy and Innovation funds design through its Agency for Innovation.  This is a national innovation agency that provides free services for clients from the business, science and public sectors, interested in possibilities to develop strong cooperation relations with international partners and get financial support for research and innovation projects. It funds certain design work (especially eco-design and exhibition stand design). There is also a financial institution ILTE, which works like a national development bank and provides loans and guarantees to businesses, including to design studios or for project costs related to design.

Despite various financing sources and two Ministries that are concerned with design, the Lithuanian policy of design is not systematic and has been quite neglected for a long time. Until 2015, Lithuania had no design policy strategy, although there were some “bottom-up” initiatives aimed at preparing such a strategy. For example, in 2008, Vilnius Academy of Art commissioned the study The Complex Development of Lithuanian Design, which was conducted by the international design research team Mollerup Designlab. The study provided the development plan of the Lithuanian design sector for seven years, which was presented to the Ministry of Education. However, the plan was not adopted.

In 2014, the Design Innovation Centre of Vilnius Academy of Art conducted a feasibility study of the development of the Lithuanian design sector. One of the recommendations of the study was a proposal to establish a national Design Council, whose long-term activities would include the maintenance of communication between public authorities, business companies, design agencies, and educational institutions, as well as consultation about the design policy.

In 2015, on the basis of the above-mentioned study, the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture adopted the Guidelines for the Development of Architecture and Design. The document established five development guidelines: 1) to strengthen informal education in architecture and design, and to increase literacy of the general public and professionals in architecture and design; 2) to develop the science and knowledge transfer by promoting innovation in architecture and design; 3) to strengthen cooperation between different sectors of society; 4) to increase the visibility of design in society and to raise the awareness of the influence of design on the social and economic development of the country and its impact on innovation; 5) to increase the visibility of architecture in society and to raise the awareness of the influence of architecture on the sustainable urban development, quality of life, environmental protection and the economy.

In 2019, the  Lithuanian Design Forum Association carried out a feasibility study about the establishment of the coordinating institution of the Lithuanian design sector. The study identified the main issues that hinder the development of an efficient ecosystem of design: under-representation of the sector at various levels; ill-matched functions of design institutions; miscommunication between different design sectors; and lack of cooperation and coordination of activities. Also, as it is stated in the study, Lithuania did not have a consistent Law on Design that would be appropriate for contemporary design understanding and improvement of the design sector’s performance. Although, Lithuanian Parliament had adopted the Law on Design in 2002, the Law dealt only with industrial design of products and lacked the definition of design in up-to-date terms consistent with contemporary models of design activities. The study proposed to establish a single central institution responsible for coordinating the design sector – the Lithuanian Design Office.

In 2019, the first step towards the consistent design policy was taken - the Ministry of Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania established a joint unit - the Design Council. The task of the Council is to contribute to the development of a long-term continuous design policy by submitting to the Minister of Culture and the Minister of Economy and Innovation proposals and recommendations on the issues concerning the strategic planning of design sector, programmes and measures of design development, priorities, and sources of public funding for design, protection of design heritage, strengthening of international competitiveness of Lithuanian design industry, etc.

Architecture

In 2001, Lithuania became a member of the Architects' Council of Europe (ACE) and began the process of organising its activities in compliance with European legislation on architecture and building policy. The activity of architects is regulated by the Law on Construction (1996), Law on Architects’ Chamber (2006) and the Law on Architecture (2017).

The policy of architecture is shaped and implemented in Lithuania by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Environment. The Ministry of Environment develops spatial planning, urban planning, architecture, and construction policy, organises, coordinates, and controls its implementation, as well as makes recommendations to municipalities in the field of architecture in the territories of municipalities. The Ministry of Culture protects and develops the immovable architectural, urban and ethno-cultural heritage. The most important political document prepared by the Ministry of Culture for architecture is the Guidelines for the Development of Architecture and Design (see above).

The Lithuanian Council for Culture funds projects of architecture under its special programme. The Council provides funding for the following activities: 1) professional creation and its dissemination in Lithuania and abroad; 2) events; 3) accumulation of information (archiving, documentation) and its dissemination; 4) publishing; 5) professional criticism and analysis; 6) networking and mobility; 7) co-production; 8) mastery development and education. In 2020–2024, the Council allocated 1 016 091 EUR for 88 projects of architecture and awarded 106 individual grants for architects.

The Architects' Chamber was founded in 2006. The objective of the Chamber’s activities is to ensure the transparency and quality of architectural activities, to oversee architect certification, recognition of qualifications, professional qualification development and compliance with professional ethics standards, to carry out monitoring of professional activities, to represent architects in dealings with state and self-governance institutions and other legal and natural persons at both the national and international level, to act as an expert in courts and other institutions on issues concerning the professional activities of architects, to satisfy and defend public interest related to architecture, and to resolve other related issues. In 2025, the Architects’ Chamber had 1 253 members and 12 439 architectural works registered in the Chamber’s database.

The Architects Association of Lithuania (AAL) (founded in 1924) is a voluntary NGO that unites the licensed architects of Lithuania. In 2025, AAL had 644 members, 538 of which have the status of artists. The organisation has 5 sections in 5 different cities.

On 22 November 2019, the Lithuanian Architects’ Chamber, AAL, the Architectural Fund and the International Kaunas Architecture Festival published a public letter appealing to the President, Prime Minister and other leading figures to establish the Lithuanian Centre of Architecture, which is a necessary institution to implement the Lithuanian national policy of architecture. The centre would document, collect, preserve, research and disseminate architectural works to the public and foreign visitors. In 2021, the Ministry of Culture carried out a feasibility study on the possibility of adapting the building of Kaunas Central Post Office to the needs of society. The building, designed by the famous Lithuanian architect Felix Vizbar (1880 – 1966), is one of the most prominent buildings of Kaunas’ modernist architecture of the interwar period. As of 2019, the building is no longer in use, as the Lithuanian Post has moved to another premises.  The authors of the feasibility study recommended establishing an Architectural Centre in the building that could present Lithuanian architecture and design. In 2022, the Ministry of Culture acquired the building and established the National Institute of Architecture, which will be housed in the building following its renovation in 2027.

Last update: October, 2025

The Lithuanian tourism industry is regulated by the Law on Tourism (1998). The Ministry of Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania is responsible for the policy of the development of tourism, resort and resort areas and the implementation of the functions of international cooperation in the field of tourism. The main objectives of the Ministry are as follows: to identify tourism development priorities, promote the development of competitive tourism products, reduce seasonality in tourism, and increase the number of tourists visiting Lithuania. The Tourism Policy Division of the Ministry is responsible for international agreements in the field of tourism as well as for maintaining relations with diplomatic missions of foreign countries and the Republic of Lithuania.

In 2018, the Lithuanian Government abolished the State Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Economy and Innovation and established a new public institution, Lithuania Travel (VšĮ ‘Keliauk Lietuvoje’), that started to work on 1 January 2019. The reform was made with the aim of separating tourism marketing and control functions. The new institution, Lithuania Travel, carries out marketing and tourism promotion functions and is responsible for raising the awareness of Lithuania as a tourism destination and for the development of inbound and local tourism. Lithuania Travel is subordinated to the Ministry of Economy and Innovation. The function of the supervision of tourism service providers that was also performed by the Department of Tourism was transferred to the State Consumer Rights Protection Authority. The authority is responsible for the supervision of tour operators, retailers, tour package sellers and accommodation providers, as well as for the representation of the interests of tourists in the event of an insolvency or bankruptcy of the tour operator.

Lithuania’s tourism strategy is set out in the document Lithuania’s Tourism Roadmap, approved by the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation in 2024. It sets out Lithuania’s tourism vision: “A sustainable and inclusive tourism sector that makes a significant contribution to Lithuania’s economy, is competitive in the region, and resilient to crises.” The main strategic target—the indicator for Task 1.12 under Strategic Goal 1 in the National Progress Plan—is to be achieved by 2030: to increase the share of gross value added created by the tourism sector in total gross value added to 4.47%. To achieve the strategic goal and implement the vision, actions are planned in line with the European Union’s Roadmap (Transition Pathway): the green transition, digital transition, sector resilience and governance, workforce and skills, and effective marketing.

By 2025, Lithuania’s tourism sector had largely recovered from COVID-19 restrictions. The number of tourists slightly exceeded the 2019 level (+1.7%), however, almost entirely due to domestic travellers (+26% vs 2019), while foreign arrivals remained about a quarter lower (–25%). Overnight stays were close to—but still below—2019 (–3%): domestic nights hit a record high (+15%), whereas foreign nights were down by roughly a quarter (–25%). The average stay shortened from about 2.22 to 2.10 nights per tourist, driven by shorter domestic trips.

Table 25: Number of tourists in Lithuania in 2017–2024

Source: Lithuania Travel

Table 26: Number of overnight stays in 2017–2024

Source: Lithuania Travel