Coherent approach of public authorities from different fields towards the implementation of policies related to youth is crucial for the empowerment of young people related to the field of culture, education, innovations and other areas.
 

Synergies between public policies and programmes
 

National Cultural Development Program is connected to different national strategies targeting partially the field of culture, especially: 2019–2023 Strategy for Exercising the Rights of the Child; 2022–2027 Strategy for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities from Discrimination and the Promotion of Equality; 2019–2023 Strategy for Improving the Quality of Life of LGBTI People in Montenegro; 2019–2024 Smart Specialization Strategy of Montenegro; 2021–2025 National Strategy for Gender Equality.
 

While targeting all the mentioned important areas and topics, the National Program also stipulates cooperation and synergy activities between the sectors of culture, education, science and innovations, sports and youth, tourism.
 

During the conducted focus groups including various stakeholders, certain deficit cultural professions were identified. Consequently, the National program stipulates cooperation with the Ministry of Education to initiate educational programs targeting these deficient profiles inside cultural institutions, wherever deemed appropriate and warranted. Various measures for the achievement of these goals have been predicted: Initiating the introduction of study programs for deficient professions and culture-specific programs in higher education institutions (based on the analysis of personnel needs); development of educational programs - seminars, courses for transferring knowledge and skills between public, civil and private sector actors in culture; establishing a scholarship system for the education of future professionals in culture, revising/creating regulations and criteria;            Improving cooperation with the Center for Vocational Education for deficient craft and professional and technical occupations in culture (make-up artists, hair stylists, hairdressers, dressers, first camera assistants, assistant directors, lighting, sound technicians...).
 

Furthermore, the synergy activities amongst the sectors of culture and education can be of great importance for audience development, especially related to young people. Audience building predominantly involves targeting youngsters and young individuals as prospective long-term attendees of cultural programs. A necessary condition for this undertaking is the creation of connections between cultural and educational institutions. In accordance with the mentioned, the National Program foresees the initiation of the National Program of Art and Cultural Education by the competent ministries for the systematic connection of cultural and educational institutions at local and national level through cooperation protocols in which schools are obliged to visit cultural institutions, and cultural institutions to create programs that correspond to the curriculum. 
 

Additionally, synergy between the field of culture, especially creative industries, and research and innovation is of great importance for young people with innovative ideas, both in terms of financial support and improving the conditions for their capacity building. The National Program therefore stipulates the connection of these sectors through public calls for innovative projects from the field of creative industries and joint investment in infrastructure objects.
 

Partnerships between the culture and creative sectors, youth organisations and youth workers
 

The Ministry of Culture and media fosters cooperation between cultural stakeholders and youth associations through the support of initiatives and projects targeting young people.
 

Recently, the Regional Youth Cooperation Office with the support of the German Government launched a new project Western Balkans Youth Cultural Fund, targeting young cultural practitioners and CSOs working with youth and providing grants for their activities. Montenegro supported this project both financially and practically, thus providing our young people to apply for grants with their project ideas while networking with their peers from the region.
Moreover, there are many artistic and cultural festivals and events that target especially young people with the support of national authorities. The Ministry of Culture and Media has a special support line in terms of cultural and artistic creativity related to festivals and manifestations, many of which are aimed directly for young people in all cultural sectors: music, theatre, visual arts, cinematography, literature.
 

The National Program also stipulates direct cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and Youth, with special emphasis on the cooperation with local youth centers that have been established in several municipalities, in order to foster the cooperation between national authorities, cultural and youth organizations.