On this page

1. Existence of a national strategy

2. Scope and contents

3. Responsible authority for the implementation of the strategy

4. Revisions/updates

Existence of a national strategy

One of the eight fields of action of the National Youth Strategy is Creativity and Culture. The National Youth Strategy was adopted in May 2017 by the Council of Ministers and it covers the period from 2017 until 2022.

Scope and contents

The Strategy states that, Culture is recognised as a major contributor to the advancement of creativeness in young people, which is considered tremendously beneficial for the whole of the society both on economic and social aspects.

The development of arts and cultural activities is one of the most important means of expression for young people in Cyprus. Therefore, the Strategy targets to the promotion of the following goals and objectives:

Goal 1: Creation of opportunities for easy access and equal participation in arts and culture;

Goal 2: Creation of opportunities for the development of artistic creativity.

The priorities of the National Youth Strategy for achieving the above targets are the following:

1. Ensure equal access to cultural institutions (e.g., theatres, museums a.o.) and programmes for all young people; 
2. Promote and support the professional development of young artists;
3. Encourage the development of new methods of cultural expression and artistic creation;
4. Create more places where young people can develop their talent and express themselves creatively (accessible to people with disabilities);
5. Enhance education and training for young professionals in culture;
6. Promote youth interaction on cultural issues with other countries;
7. Develop cooperation with youth, sports and culture institutions from other countries in order to exchange good practices in dealing with youth issues;
8. Give young people opportunities for participation in local, regional or national actions.

Responsible authority for the implementation of the strategy

The national coordinator for the drafting, implementation and monitoring of the National Youth Strategy is the Youth Board of Cyprus (YBC). For the implementation of the Strategy, a Cross-sectorial Working Group on Youth is established to ensure constant coordination and close cooperation among all governmental institutions that deal with youth issues. The Cross-sectorial Working Group has developed two 3-year Action Plans (2017-2019 & 2020-2022) and the first Progress Report 2017-2019 of the National Youth Strategy.

Revisions/updates

The National Youth Strategy for 2017-2022 is the newest policy document and the first in its kind at national level. Before the National Youth Strategy, there was no other policy document concerning youth in culture and creativity nor the broader sector of culture. The Strategy has not undergone any revisions since 2017. The second National Youth Strategy 2030 is expected to be finalized in 2024.