Governance

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the governance of policies related to creativity and culture aimed at young people is shaped by the country’s complex and decentralized political system. Policymaking responsibility is distributed among multiple levels of government, reflecting the constitutional arrangement of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At the state level, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the central governmental authority responsible for coordinating cultural policy, including aspects that relate to culture and, by extension, young people’s cultural participation. Within this Ministry, the Department for Science and Culture works on coordinating activities with entity authorities, harmonizing cultural strategies, fulfilling international obligations, and developing frameworks for cooperation among levels of government. While the Ministry of Civil Affairs holds coordination authority at the state level, cultural policy and youth policies are primarily implemented at the entity and sub-entity (cantonal and municipal) levels. In addition to the coordination at the state level, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina also cooperates with the entity ministries of culture and science and other relevant institutions to ensure the harmonization of cultural policies and standards across the country. 

Within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports plays a key public role in youth policy governance and coordinates activities between the ten cantonal ministries responsible for culture. It also houses a Culture Department tasked with institutional mechanisms related to coordination and development of cultural activities. Various bodies including the cantonal ministries of culture have competencies for certain cultural activities. 

In Republika Srpska, cultural policy and governance are centrally administered at the entity level and fall under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Culture, in contrast to the more decentralized system in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Ministry of Education and Culture has a central role in creating and implementing cultural policies, regulations, and programs, along with the Ministry for Scientific and Technological Development, Higher Education, and Information Society of Republika Srpska. So, Republika Srpska has a distinct governance model where cultural policy is entity-driven, strategic frameworks like the “Strategy for the Development of Culture of Republika Srpska until 2030” guide long-term objectives, and ministries coordinate programming, funding calls, and heritage protection in alignment with regional identity and administrative structures.

The Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina addresses cultural governance through its own services due to the absence of a unified national framework. The lack of a unified national youth or cultural strategy reflects this fragmentation, which complicates coherence in policy formulation and execution. Within the Government of the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is 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.

Municipalities and cities have certain competencies in the field of culture, while cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and specialized institutions, operate within the framework defined by the entity and cantonal ministries of culture.

In addition to public actors, non-public stakeholders are active in youth culture governance. Civil society organizations such as the Institute for Youth Development KULT participate in dialogue with authorities, contribute to strategy development, and provide expertise on youth needs.

Cross-sectoral cooperation

Cross-sectoral cooperation in Bosnia and Herzegovina between authorities involved in culture, youth, education, and related sectors is often informal and based on ad-hoc mechanisms rather than structured institutional frameworks. The absence of a common national youth law or national youth strategy at the state level means that cooperation across ministries and entities depends largely on intergovernmental working groups and strategic platforms.

Within the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, cross-sectoral mechanisms have been established through interdepartmental working groups tasked with drafting youth strategic documents. Representatives from ministries of culture, labor, health, education, justice, and social policy, along with youth councils and civil society, participate in these bodies to shape comprehensive youth strategies, demonstrating a horizontal cooperation model aimed at integrating youth needs across policy sectors.

At the state level, while formal cross-ministerial structures specifically for youth culture governance are lacking, the Ministry of Civil Affairs’ Department for Science and Culture works in cooperation with entity ministries and international organizations to align activities and fulfill cultural obligations under international treaties. These frameworks implicitly require cross-sectoral engagement, such as in cultural heritage, international cultural cooperation, and youth mobility programs.

Intersectoral cooperation also includes the provision of financial support to lower levels of government or public institutions. The Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Civil Affairs announces an annual open call for the allocation of grant funds for the purpose of Co-financing Culture Projects Bosnia and Herzegovina 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.