East – Strong Culture Traditions

Visitors from the Nordic Countries to former socialist countries, often say that the cultural sector can inspire their cities more than any other municipal sector or activity. Cultural activities, performances and institutions are very often at a very high quality level, and the citizens are often deeply engaged in cultural matters.

One reason for this tradition is that culture was cherished as a means to keep the cultural identity against the communist system. But the communist system also supported culture in a rather high degree. People working in the cultural sector had a higher status than their counterparts in the western countries.

Many Houses of Culture were built during the communist regime, even in small communities. They played, and still play, an important role as a framework for all kinds of cultural activity.

The strong cultural tradition is prevailing today in the former communist countries, even if the western McDonald's-culture has spread and gained very much terrain in the last years. The situation in culture can be described as rather bright. The years immediately after the independence were to some degree dominated by technical problems, like renovating the Houses of Culture and putting a new organisation in place, but now the efforts can again be more concentrated on the activities.

The tendency during the last years has been that various local cultural organisations have gained in importance on the expense of activities organised by the Houses of Culture. People organise activities by own initiative. Cultural organisations have been created in various fields, and the authorities do not dominate culture any more in the same degree.

The cultural expressions differ somewhat in the former communist countries and the Nordic countries. The "classical" culture, like art exhibitions, poetry, theatre, folk dancing and choirs are relatively stronger in the east, compared to the Nordic Countries.

Side by side with these traditional cultural manifestations, there exists a strong avantgarde, absurd and surrealistic tradition in all post-communist countries. The Communist Party had difficulties controlling such cultural expressions and thus there was a relatively free cultural space. Also the kind of activity differ. Collective efforts are more common in the east, and often festivals engage many local residents as volunteers, especially in smaller communities.

The economic engagement of local authorities is difficult to compare, but 10-12 % of the municipal budgets in Estonia goes to the cultural sector.

Culture is not a very controversial political matter in municipalities -there is a rather strong consensus that culture is important. The future of municipal spending on culture is generally rather bright. There is, however, a tendency that support for special events and independent culture will grow, perhaps on the expenses of the activities organised by the Houses of Culture. The municipalities support the increasing role of NGO's. In this way more levels of the citizens are active in culture.

By Juhan Janusson

Valuable comments by:
Mr Jaan Löönik, Director, East Virumaa Local Authority Association, Estonia
Ms Karin Kazmierczak, Head of Culture Division, Gdansk
Ms Dalia Valanciutë, Foreign Relations Officer, Panevëzys