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EACEA National Policies Platform
Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina

8. Creativity and Culture

8.10 Current debates and reforms

Last update: 22 February 2024

At the national level, there are currently no debates or discussions about potential reforms in the field of culture, and consequently, no initiatives to promote creativity among youth.

In FBiH, debates and reforms are mostly carried out at the cantonal levels. Currently, discussions are ongoing regarding the adoption of the Youth Policy of the Sarajevo Canton, the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton 2023-2028, and the Zenica-Doboj Canton 2024-2027. The last two strategies are also supported through the project Youth Retention Program in BiH - General Mobilization.

In BD BiH, where cultural administration is integrated into public administration, three national cultural societies organized a public debate in 2011. The discussion was focused on the development and adoption of cultural policy in accordance with the BD BiH Development Strategy. Criticizing the current model of cultural management in BD BiH, they concluded, among other things, that it is high time to adopt the law on public institutions and the law on public administration in order to enable the debureaucratization of culture, the operation of cultural institutions outside the public administration of BD BiH, and their autonomy.

Participatory development of local cultural development strategies would enable a more directed, efficient and fair distribution of existing public funds, which would be accompanied by clear and mutually agreed goals. Local authorities would move away from direct management and provision of resources for implementation and focus on providing guidelines, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of implementation, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness and outcomes of allocated funds, all with the aim of a higher degree of satisfaction of all actors in culture, and the public in general. Cultural institutions would assert their autonomy and play a more active role in the organizational aspects of local cultural life. At the same time, creative economies, creative industries and innovative ways of expression would receive support, which would enrich local communities, both culturally and economically.