Bosnia and Herzegovina has adopted strategic frameworks that promote the development of the information society and digital infrastructure, which indirectly support young people’s creative and innovative use of new technologies.

The Policy for the Development of the Information Society in Bosnia and Herzegovina and related action plans aim to expand broadband internet access, improve digital skills, and encourage the use of ICT across education, culture and the creative economy. These measures provide the technological foundation for digital creativity in schools, universities, youth centers and cultural institutions.

By leveraging a combination of public budgets, EU funding, and international donor support, this initiative seeks to improve digital infrastructure and access to ICT tools while strengthening the digital competencies of citizens, including students, educators, and cultural professionals.

 At the state level, there is also the Policy of Electronic Communications of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2017-2021, which articulates a vision for a digital society based on knowledge and defines seven pillars of the ecosystem. 

This document identifies ecosystem players, describes their roles and how they are related, lists missing regulations, makes recommendations and proposes actionable measures to improve the current situation. The document also identifies major threats to the ecosystem, including the following: 

• the authorities’ indifference and irresponsiveness towards the ICT centric innovation ecosystem, and 

• a lack of financial support from government for ecosystem development; inadequate skills to qualify for and win EU funding. 

In 2023, public consultation process on the Draft Decision on the adoption of the Electronic Communications Sector Policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2023–2027 has been opened. 

New technologies in support of creativity and innovation

A nationwide Intersectoral Advisory Board has been established to support the digital transformation of education in Bosnia and Herzegovina under the UNICEF–ITU Giga initiative. Its mandate includes connecting all schools to the internet, enabling digital access to resources, and shaping policies for technological integration—especially benefiting youth in underserved communities. 

At Vogošća High School, pupils developed the Edu Tech Desk, a smart, mobile classroom desk with an integrated display. This initiative emerged from the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, a program supported by UNDP’s EGG2 project and funded by Norway, aimed at cultivating creativity and tech-based innovation among youth. 

Under the Erasmus+ framework, the Becoming Digitally Conscious initiative includes a social media campaign titled “Ambassadors of Healthy Digital Use”, led by youth changemakers. It promotes responsible tech use and digital ethics through training and workshops across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The EU4Digital and EU4Innovation related initiatives, supported by EU funds and coordinated with domestic institutions, promote innovation ecosystems and digital entrepreneurship. While not exclusively youth, or culture-focused, these programs provide young creatives with access to training in digital tools, innovation methodologies and applied technologies relevant to creative professions.

In addition, innovation hubs and digital laboratories established at public universities and science-technology parks (e.g. Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Mostar, Tuzla) offer young people opportunities to experiment with digital technologies such as graphic design software, 3D modelling, animation and audiovisual production.

Youth organizations and cultural institutions implement non-formal training programs supported by public or international funds that focus on creative digital skills, including digital storytelling, video and film production, new media art, interactive design and social media content creation.

Such initiatives are frequently supported through European Union Delegation, Creative Europe, Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC) and public calls for youth and culture projects coordinated by competent ministries. These programs strengthen young people’s capacity to apply technology creatively while developing teamwork, project management and innovation skills.

Facilitating access to culture through new technologies 

Public authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina support the digitalization of cultural heritage, improving young people’s access to culture through online platforms. Museums, libraries and archives, including national and entity-level institutions, increasingly develop digital catalogues, virtual exhibitions and online archives. These initiatives make cultural heritage more accessible to young audiences and encourage engagement with history, arts and science through digital means.

New legislation, the 2021 Law on Museum Activities of Republika Srpska, has made the digitalization of museum material mandatory. The Ministry of Education and Culture of RS has identified digitalization as a "strategic direction" to ensure that museum collections are left to future generations in a digital format.

In March 2025, the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina (NUBBiH) launched a major project titled "Digitalization of written cultural heritage from the funds of the National and University Library of Bosnia and Herzegovina." Supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Science, the project aimed to create a digital library of rare manuscripts and books to make them globally accessible to students and researchers.

In late 2023, the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ANUBiH) promoted the "Digitalization of ANUBiH Heritage" project. Its long-term goal is to provide services based on modern ICT to ensure cultural assets are accessible via a central digital portal.

A project titled "One Region, One Story, One Card," presented in April 2025, has been using EU support to digitally transform 18 museums across Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. The cross-border cooperation initiative includes AI-driven online presentations and electronic ticket systems to make museums more innovative and accessible to digital-native audiences.

Major cultural events and institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina increasingly use digital platforms and new media to reach young audiences. Film, music and arts festivals supported by public authorities incorporate online screenings and streaming, digital archives of artistic works, and interactive content via social media and mobile applications.

Pop-Up! Sarajevo is an annual student visual communications festival organized by the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo. Pop-Up! Sarajevo hosts exhibitions, workshops, and screenings focused on digital illustration, animation, motion design, and new media, fostering youth creativity through tech-driven arts. 

Sarajevo Youth Film Festival (OFF Sarajevo) is a prominent annual festival that celebrates youth filmmakers with a focus on youth-produced and themed short films, alongside educational masterclasses and networking events, including digital media and film production. 

SOS Design Festival is an influential design event organized by the Academy of Fine Arts and National Gallery. It combines lectures, workshops, exhibitions, and PechaKucha nights, introducing students to digital product design trends and encouraging tech-based creative expression. 

Europe House Sarajevo – Multimedia Cultural Hub is a multicultural center featuring a modern multimedia space equipped for new media production, libraries, and cultural events. It hosts initiatives like “Dealing with the Past”, combining digital storytelling and film to engage youth in cultural dialogue across the Western Balkans.

Public libraries and educational institutions supported by ministries of culture and education, including the above-mentioned Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, increasingly offer online access to books, academic resources and cultural materials, facilitating learning and creative inspiration for young people regardless of geographical location.

These digital services contribute to equal access to cultural content, lifelong learning, creative reuse of cultural materials for educational and artistic purposes.