Governance

General distribution of responsibilities

The BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs is the only ministry at the state level that directly coordinates the field of culture, while entities, cantonal ministries in FBiH and the competent service of BD BiH are responsible for implementing cultural policies. The establishment and implementation of cultural policy, and thus the development of cultural development strategies in the entities and BD BiH, are treated differently. In RS, it is under the jurisdiction of the entities, while in FBiH, each of ten cantons is responsible for certain cultural activities that exist on the territory of that canton. According to the arbitration decision, the BD BiH should directly apply the regulations of BiH, but in the absence of those regulations, it addresses issues in the field of culture with its own regulations. 

Main actors

State level

The BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs coordinates activities in the field of science and culture at the state level. This ministry cooperates with the entity ministries of culture and science and other relevant institutions to ensure the harmonization of cultural policies and standards. 

Building on the authority of the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs, the expert commissions at the BiH Council of Ministers has the authority to determine which projects will receive funds and to assess whether these projects meet criteria such as compliance with the BiH Cultural Policy Strategy, etc.

The Department for Science and Culture at the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs is responsible for coordinating activities with the competent entity authorities and for defining strategies at international level in the areas of science and culture. The Department bases its work on European documents and principles of international organisations in the field of science and culture, including the activities such as:

• Coordination and data exchange: establishing basic principles for coordinating activities.
• Harmonization of plans and strategies: harmonizing plans of entity authorities and defining strategies at the international level in the fields of science and culture.
• International obligations: participating in the work of international organizations in the field of science and ensuring the implementation of international obligations of BiH in this field, participating in the process of preparing international agreements/contracts in the field of science and culture.
• Monitoring the implementation of domestic agreements: basing its main work on European reform documents and principles of international associations in the field of science and culture; monitoring the implementation of domestic agreements and strategic documents in the field of science and proposing activities in this regard.
• Conventions and declarations: actively monitoring European integration processes and initiating their concretization; participating in the preparation of new and monitoring the implementation of adopted European conventions and declarations in its field.
• Participation in international bodies; preparing reports as well as participation of representatives of BiH in European and world conferences in the field of science and culture; leads and coordinates cooperation activities with appropriate organizations, bodies and agencies of the European Union and the United Nations, as well as with world associations in the field of science and culture.
• Funding science and culture monitors financial assistance programs of the European Union and world associations and initiates applications for them; collects and analyzes information and data on science and culture in the country.
• Promotion of science and culture serves advisory and other bodies established for science and culture at the state level; works to strengthen the promotion of science and culture as an important part of the overall socio-economic progress of the country and its status in Europe.

Entity level

In FBiH, the ministries responsible for science and culture are the ten cantonal ministries, coordinated by the FBiH Ministry of Culture and Sports and the FBiH Ministry of Education and Science. 

The FBiH Ministry of Culture and Sports performs administrative, professional and other tasks within the competence of the Federation related to the coordination of scientific and research activities in the field of protection and use of cultural and historical heritage, museums, archives, libraries, publishing, theaters, music, art and film, activities of institutions, associations, foundations and other legal entities in the field of art, culture, sports and youth, as well as other tasks established by law.

The Youth Department, established within the FBiH Ministry of Culture and Sports, performs tasks related to: the overall institutional mechanisms of government care for young people, cooperation and coordination of tasks with the youth sector and youth associations on research on the needs and issues of young people, as well as defining and proposing a FBiH youth policy, establishing and maintaining a comprehensive database on young people in cooperation with other institutions in FBiH, activities related to informing young people and strengthening the inclusion of young people in decision-making processes, defining, establishing and implementing action programs for young people in areas within the competence of the Ministry, planning special funds for the adoption of the Budget for the execution of tasks arising from the FBiH Youth Law (Official Gazette of FBiH, No: 36/10), monitoring the implementation of existing programs in the field of youth at the FBiH level, coordinating international cooperation which relationship and on youth, determination of training and certification procedures for youth officers, preparation of analyses, reports, information, studies, programs, plans, assessments and other professional, informative, planning, documentation and analytical materials in the field of youth, professional processing of system solutions of importance for young people, and performs other tasks in order to protect the interests of young people. 

In RS, the RS Ministry of Education and Culture has a central role in the creation and implementation of cultural policies, regulations and programs, and the RS Ministry for Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education. 

The Ministry of Education and Culture performs administrative and other professional tasks in the field of culture related to:

• Protection and use of cultural-historical heritage and natural heritage,
• Museum, archive, librarian, publishing, theater, music, art, film and entertainment activities,
• Organizations and associations of citizens in the field of art and culture, technical culture;
• Maintaining the registry of public media,
• Preparation of programs and agreements on cultural cooperation in accordance with the RS Constitution and the BiH Constitution,
• Providing information through the media and other forms of information about their work and performing other tasks in accordance with the law and other regulations of RS and BiH.

BD BiH

The Brčko District BiH has a Department for economic development, sports and culture, which is responsible for cultural policies and services in the territory of the District. Department performs all tasks from the scope of work related to theaters, galleries, libraries, cultural associations, events, sports and tourism, as well as other tasks under the jurisdiction determined by law and other regulations.

Cantonal level

When it comes to cantons, the following ministries are responsible for the implementation of programs in the field of culture:

• Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of the Una-Sana Canton
• Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Posavina Canton
• Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth of the Tuzla Canton
• Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Zenica-Doboj Canton  

Ministry of Education, Youth, Science, Culture and Sports of the Bosnian-PodrinjeCanton 

• Ministry of Education, Science, Youth, Culture and Sports of the Central Bosnian Canton
• Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton
• Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Western Herzegovina Canton 
• Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Sarajevo Canton
• Ministry of Science, Education, Culture and Sports of the Canton 10

Local level

Municipalities and cities have certain competencies in the field of culture.

Cultural institutions

Cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and specialized institutions, operate within the framework defined by the entity and cantonal ministries of culture.

Cross-sectoral cooperation

When it comes to intersectoral cooperation, it mainly refers to the provision of financial support to lower levels of government or public institutions. The BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs announces an annual open call for the allocation of grant funds for the purpose of Assistance in the Co-financing of Cultural Institutions in BiH and a competition for the allocation of grant support for International Cultural Cooperation. Municipalities and cities establish public cultural institutions which are financed from the founder's budget.