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1. Main trends in young people's creativity and cultural participation

2. Main concepts

Main trends in young people's creativity and cultural participation

As of 2026, the new upcoming ‘National Youth Strategy 2030’ (Προσχέδιο Εθνικής Στρατηγικής για Νεολαία 2030) has incorporate the aspect of ‘culture’ in the strategic goal of improving the quality of learning and young people’s access to it. With a dedicated priority on strengthening youth interest and participation in culture, the strategy will focus on engaging and empowering young people’s cultural participation. 

The Youth Board of Cyprus as part of the national ‘Youth Initiatives' funding scheme practically supports the implementation of cultural activities such as music festivals, modern music concerts, photographic exhibitions, theatre performances, solo art exhibitions, youth festivals, local folk culture and philanthropic events. Refer to section 8.4 Reducing obstacles to young people’s access to culture for more information about the programme.

However, as stated by the young people themselves throughout the consultation process that took place for the purposes of drafting the ‘National Youth Strategy 2017-2022’, the main challenge to the activity of young people in forms of arts, such as painting, classical music, dance and movies, continues to be the lack of proper education.

In the Cypriot formal educational system, children with talent in music have the opportunity to attend public musical schools (Μουσικά Σχολεία) while the rest who are interested in other forms of arts can choose the specific sector (Fine Arts) during their upper secondary school attendance.

Additionally, through the programme ‘Schools as Cultural Ambassadors–Children as Cultural Ambassadors’ (Σχολεία Πρεσβευτές Πολιτισμού – Παιδιά Πρεσβευτές Πολιτισμού), developed by the Department of Contemporary Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, students are introduced and encouraged to participate in the field of culture. According to the Deputy Ministry’s ‘Strategic Plan 2026-2028’ (Στρατηγικός Σχεδιασμός 2026-2028), the programme was piloted in 15 schools across primary, secondary, and technical education during 2024/2025 school year. The programme is expected to be expanded to 30 schools in the 2025/2026 school year, with the participants of the piloting act as mentors to new participants. With a thematic focus each year and dedicated educational material provided, the programme aims to integrate cultural education into students’ development and encourage creative expression and active participation.

Local authorities offer to citizens, including young people, the opportunity to participate in art classes on a very low cost, through the Open Schools of each Municipality in Cyprus (e.g. Open School Lakatamia, Larnaca Municipality Open School/Ανοιχτό Σχολείο Δήμου Λάρνακα, Limassol Municipal Open School, etc). 

The Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, also provides such classes to young people over 15 years of age (and to the general public), through the Adult Education Centers. The Centers’s action is further described in section 6.1 General context of Chapter 6 ‘Education and Training’. According to the ‘Annual Report 2024’ of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, during the school year 2023/2024, 17 150 adult citizens (including young people 15+) participated in the centers’ programmes.

The Statistical Service of the Republic of Cyprus does not keep records on the participation of young people aged 15-29 in the creative and cultural industry on a paid or voluntary basis. However, according to the Labour Force Survey 1999-2021 of the Statistical Service of Cyprus, 7 808 people in general have been working at the Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector of the economy in 2021, compared to 4 290 people in 2008. 

It is important to note that an increasing trend in young people’s participation in cultural clubs has been observed in the results of the 2024 annual survey for young people entitled 'Youth Barometer' (Νεοβαρόμετρα). The ‘Youth Barometer’ is a quantitative study conducted on an annual basis by the Youth Board of Cyprus in cooperation with a research centre, with the aim to investigate the needs, interests and views of young people aged 14-35 years old. According to the findings of the 5^th Youth Barometer in 2023 (5o Νεο-Βαρόμετρο) and the 6^th Youth Barometer in 2024 (6o Νεο-Βαρόμετρο), participation in cultural clubs rose from 12% to 14%, indicating a gradual increase in youth engagement in cultural activities.

Main concepts

There is no national legislation to conceptualise ‘access to culture’ nor ‘cultural heritage’.

However, these concepts are addressed in policy practice. As outlined in the ‘Strategic Plan 2026-2028’ (Στρατηγικός Σχεδιασμός 2026-2028) of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, key priorities include supporting contemporary cultural creation, promoting Cyprus as a regional cultural hub for both visitors and local and international creators, and strengthening the international visibility of Cypriot culture.

Also, ‘access to culture’ for young people is further advanced through the Department of Contemporary Culture, within its focus on cultural education and training.

Similarly, ‘cultural heritage’ is described through the ‘UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage’, which Cyprus signed in 1975. According to the convention, Cyprus considers as ‘cultural heritage’ the following:

• Monuments: architectural works, works of monumental sculpture and painting, elements or structures of an archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combinations of features, which are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science.

• Groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which, because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science.

• Sites: works of man or the combined works of nature and man, and areas including archaeological sites which are of outstanding universal value from the historical, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological point of view. Regarding creativity as a concept, the official documents and policies strictly connect it with entrepreneurship rather than creative expression.