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The fate of the cultural sphere of Ukraine in the conditions of war

The war in Ukraine has far-reaching consequences for various aspects of Ukrainian life. One of the most vulnerable spheres is culture, which plays a key role in the formation of national identity, the preservation of historical memory and the development of society. It is cultural means, such as films, songs and festivals, that give Ukraine the opportunity to convey its ideological and political narratives to the whole world.

Many historical and cultural objects in eastern Ukraine were damaged or destroyed as a result of hostilities. As of 2024, 1,946 objects were damaged in the Russian Federation: 933 clubs, 695 libraries, 151 art education institutions, 113 museums and galleries, 38 theaters and cinemas, 13 parks, zoos and nature reserves, 13 circuses were destroyed. 3. Currently, shelling and destruction continue. The war resulted in the loss of many irreplaceable cultural artifacts of great historical and scientific value. In particular, valuable museum exhibits and archival documents were looted and taken to other countries.

Due to the economic crisis and reduced state funding, many cultural projects have been canceled or postponed indefinitely. This applies to both large national and local initiatives. The lack of resources and material support led to the fact that many artists were forced to look for other ways of earning, which negatively affected their creative activity. This led to the loss of specialists in local cultural institutions. In addition, many cultural figures were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in other regions of Ukraine or abroad. The movement of the population also affected the cultural sphere, as people, moving to other regions, brought their traditions and customs, which, on the one hand, promoted cultural exchange, and on the other hand, caused certain conflicts and misunderstandings.

As of May 2024, since the beginning of the invasion, the cultural sector of Ukraine has lost 18% of its employees, and 13% of cultural institutions in Ukraine have ceased operations altogether. Due to the difficult situation in the field of culture, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy seriously talked about the possibility of reducing the network of cultural institutions in connection with the decrease in the population of Ukraine due to the devastating war.

Taras Shevchenko, Deputy Minister of Culture for European Integration, at the all-Ukrainian forum “Culture during the war. Human capital” drew attention to the very bitter fact for the state that since the beginning of the invasion, the population of Ukraine has decreased from 40 million to 30 million. At the same time, the network of cultural institutions counts them almost 30 thousand. Because of this situation, the Ministry of Culture faced two difficult questions that still require long discussions and additional consultations – is it better to modernize cultural institutions, or is it necessary to reduce them? After all, if the number of the population decreases sharply, then the network of cultural institutions cannot remain at its current level. Previously, almost every village had its own libraries and clubs, but after the war, unfortunately, most of these institutions were destroyed, the rural population began to decrease, turning into refugees and IDPs, and the villages turned into a deserted wasteland.

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A huge challenge for the field of professional culture is the outflow of talents. The best Ukrainian talents in most cases remain in the leading European countries. In order to create incentives to return to Ukraine after victory, the state needs to develop a completely new model of remuneration in the cultural sector. As of today, the sphere of culture is one of the lowest paid. The field of culture does not attract workers, and only people who have a passion for the development of cultural activities and do not imagine existence outside of this sphere go to work here.

In order to improve the cultural sphere, the Ukrainian Cultural Fund undertook this task, which provided project financing for the development of cultural institutions. European funds also allocate grant aid and provide support to cultural figures of Ukraine who have left the country. After our diplomats reported to international partners that about 70%-80% of cultural workers remained in Ukraine and support should be provided in our country, benefactors immediately reoriented their financial assistance.

The Ukrainian Cultural Fund has a planned funding of 20 million US dollars in the field of culture, and the Ukrainian Book Institute – approximately 10 million US dollars. And the “Creative Europe” fund allocated another 5 million euros to our country to support culture within Ukraine. It is especially necessary to develop the sphere of culture in the de-occupied territories, where the aggressors methodically destroyed everything related to Ukraine. The occupiers almost completely wipe out all references to Ukraine in the occupied territories. Therefore, our state faces a difficult challenge of filling the information space of the territories liberated from the invaders with Ukrainian books, songs, films and other native products.

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The reduction of cultural institutions in Ukraine will have multifaceted consequences that will affect the social, economic and political spheres.

  • The lack of cultural platforms for international exchange can lead to the strengthening of negative stereotypes about Ukraine in the international arena. Curtailment of cultural initiatives may make it difficult to promote a positive image of the country abroad. In addition, the decline of cultural institutions weakens Ukraine’s ability to use cultural diplomacy to achieve its geopolitical goals.
  • Decrease in the availability of cultural services. Closing libraries, museums, theaters and other institutions can limit the population’s access to cultural events and educational resources. This, in turn, will affect the education and self-development of Ukrainians. Cultural institutions, particularly museums and theaters, are important tools of non-formal education that complement the school curriculum. Their reduction can limit the access of adults and children to cultural and educational resources, which will affect their overall development.
  • Loss of jobs. The reduction of cultural institutions leads to the dismissal of workers, such as librarians, artists, curators and administrators, which will negatively affect the economy of the state and the social condition of the population.
  • Increasing social vulnerability. Cultural institutions often serve as comfortable places for communication, learning and support, their reduction can worsen the social well-being of citizens and increase the vulnerability of some segments of the population.
  • Threat to cultural heritage. The closure of museums and archives can lead to the loss of valuable cultural artifacts and historical documents, which can subsequently affect the preservation of cultural heritage and the level of awareness of citizens.
  • Decrease in tourist attractiveness. Ukraine may lose an important aspect of its tourist attraction, which will lead to a decrease in the flow of tourists and the corresponding income. Also, the lack of cultural objects reduces interest in visiting the country, which affects the economy of local communities.

Therefore, the destruction of the cultural sphere as a result of the war has significant consequences for both modern Ukrainian society and future generations, so it is extremely important to preserve it.

 

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