The process of policy creation in the field of creativity and culture aimed at young people in Montenegro includes various institutions and cooperation mechanisms, emphasizing the key role of the Government and administration. This cooperation is realized in order to provide comprehensive support to creative and cultural activities for young people.

The Government of Montenegro, through the Ministry of Culture and Media, plays a key role in defining policies in the field of culture and creativity. This ministry establishes strategic guidelines and laws that regulate the field of culture in the country. Also, the Ministry of Education has a significant role in supporting the creativity of young people, especially through the education system. It has the capacity to direct educational programs towards cultural and creative aspects, including art, music and theatre.

It is important to note that funds and grants are essential for supporting youth-oriented projects in the field of culture. For example, in 2023, the Ministry of Culture and Media of Montenegro created for the first time a special open call line intended for children and young people, the value of which was 100 thousand euros.

The Ministry of Culture and Media has invited all legal entities registered in Montenegro for the performance of cultural activities and natural persons residing in the country, who have capacities and experience in this field, to apply for projects and programs that would contribute to the realization of the priorities determined by the competition. The analysis of the culture and arts sector identified problems, such as the lack of quality cultural content for children and young people, as well as insufficient financial resources allocated for cultural activities intended for them.

The goal of this open call is to encourage potential applicants to apply for projects and programs that expand existing cultural content, with a special emphasis on the interests and needs of children and young people, and ways to empower young people through the release of their creative potential, either independently or in cooperation with local communities.

Furthermore, this competition specifically promotes projects and programs that encourage values such as peer solidarity, suppression of peer violence, empathy, inclusiveness, innovation, critical thinking about the risks of virtualization, as well as valuing and getting to know cultural heritage. It also strives to encourage the development of creativity of children and young people in order to improve their mental health and maturation through culture.

The strategic goal of this open call is to build bridges between the bearers of cultural activities and children and young people, with a focus on the affirmation and protection of their rights in relation to access to culture and freedom of artistic creation. This goal is achieved through a series of sub-goals, including the provision of quality cultural content whose main users are children and young people, the inclusion of children and young people in the existing programs of cultural institutions, the provision of support for the development of creativity in children and young people, and their active participation in the creation of program and project content. Also, this competition promotes mobility and the exchange of cultural content throughout the territory of Montenegro.

Finally, the target groups of this competition include children up to 14 years old, adolescents and young people from 14 to 28 years old, including vulnerable and marginalized categories. JAVNI KONKURS za sufinansiranje projekata/programa u oblasti kulture i umjetnosti pod naz.

Governance

In Montenegro, as in many other countries, the development and support of young people in the field of culture and creativity play a key role in shaping the cultural scene and contribute to the richness of cultural heritage. Despite the changes in the political arena, key actors in the government of Montenegro strive to support young talents and creative initiatives.

The main actors in the field of youth in the field of culture and creativity in Montenegro:

The Ministry of Culture and Media of Montenegro has a key role in promoting and developing culture and art in the country. Through various programs and initiatives, the Ministry of Culture and Media provides support to young artists and creatives, as well as organizations dealing with cultural projects. In addition, the Ministry of Culture and Media works to preserve cultural heritage and promote cultural diversity. Ministarstvo kulture i medija (www.gov.me)

The Ministry of Sports and Youth of Montenegro plays an important role in the creation of policies and programs that support young people in the field of culture and creativity. Although sport is often singled out as a priority in the department of this ministry, support for young artists and creatives also has its place in a series of initiatives related to young people. Ministarstvo sporta i mladih (www.gov.me)

The National Council for Culture monitors and analyzes the state of culture in Montenegro, provides guidelines for the creation and determination of cultural policy, makes proposals for the development and improvement of certain areas and activities of culture, gives opinions, remarks and suggestions on strategic documents and cultural development programs, proposes measures for the improvement of interdepartmental cooperation (science, education, urban planning, tourism, environmental protection, etc.), considers the state of international cultural cooperation and the presentation of Montenegrin culture and proposes measures for their improvement. Predlog odluke o obrazovanju Nacionalnog savjeta za kulturu (www.gov.me)

Local governments play an important role in creating policies for young people in the field of culture and creativity because they are the most accessible to young people and best understand their needs and potentials. Several key roles of local governments in this context:

Development of cultural programs and manifestations: Local governments organize cultural programs, exhibitions, concerts and festivals aimed at young people. These events not only provide an opportunity for young people to showcase their talents, but also to connect with the audience and other artists.

Support for cultural organizations and youth associations: Local authorities provide financial support and infrastructure for organizations and associations of young artists in the form of subsidies and co-financing programs.

Promotion of local cultural heritage: Local authorities implement projects that promote local cultural heritage and traditions such as exhibitions, workshops and events that preserve and promote traditional artistic expressions.

All these actors work together to create a favorable environment for the development of young talents in the field of culture and creativity in Montenegro. Through joint efforts, they support and promote the richness of creative expressions and cultural values among young people.

Cross-sectoral cooperation

Speaking of cross-sectoral cooperation, the analysis of the situation in the Strategy for Youth 2023 - 2027 of the Ministry of Sports and Youth indicates that the poor position of young people in Montenegro is clearly reflected in unequal opportunities for their development and realization of their full potential, in discrimination, inequality in fulfilling their needs and realizing rights, and endangered mental health and well-being. Also, young people often have a lack of opportunities to spend quality free time and develop creativity.

The key to full implementation of youth policy lies in functional cooperation between different sectors. Youth policy is an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral public policy, the success of which depends on the coordination between different subjects both within the sector and between sectors. Coordination represents one of the main principles and challenges for the successful implementation of youth policy. Intersectoral cooperation and coordination, based on the principles of good governance, increase efficiency, democracy and openness, while simultaneously contributing to the establishment of internal control mechanisms and ensuring a high level of social responsibility.

Different sectors are responsible for different aspects affecting young people. However, in order to really improve the position of young people, it is crucial to involve young people in the development of measures that concern them. This will enable the development of measures and activities to directly address the challenges faced by young people, with the simultaneous synchronization and coordination of all sectors. The goal of the challenge analysis, with a focus on improving the position of young people, is not only the identification of key problems, but also the identification of challenges that are not covered by existing strategies and sectoral policies. Through intersectoral cooperation, the implementation of those challenges can directly contribute to improving the position of young people.

International organisations and partners: Through various international programs and cooperation with other countries, Montenegro also receives support for the development of culture and creativity. This includes sharing experiences, creating opportunities for international promotion and supporting young artists to connect with colleagues from other countries. 

Montenegro is member of many associations, funds and organisations from the field of culture and creativity with special supporting measures for young artists: Creative Europe; TRADUKI; Eurimages; European Film promotion, Biennale of Young Artists of Europe and the Mediterranean; Forum of Slavic Cultures; Anna Lindh Foundation, etc. All of these programmes, together with the ones where Montenegrin cultural institutions are direct participants and partners from the field of music, theatre, dance and cinematography, have specific calls for the support of young creative authors. In addition, the Ministry of Culture and Media provides support for significant international events and exhibitions such as the Art Biennale in Venice, Cite des Arts Paris, art markets and others.