The cultural sector, on the dependency of the Minister of Culture’s remit, as a means to respond to the challenge of participating in the National Plan Youth (approved by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 114-A/2018), has prepared in a participated and collaborative way its Sectorial Youth Plan. This Plan not only structures and monitors actions currently in development, but also assumes other actions that arise from synergies that result from new articulations between services and contemplates new actions.

Under the strategic lines of Portugal 2020, a number of initiatives for cultural activities and promotion of cultural heritage is currently planned or under development.

Economic and social stabilization programme (PEES) – measures in the area of culture as a response to the sars-cov-2 pandemic lockdown effects

During the State of Emergency period, the Government approved several measures to support both individuals and companies, cooperatives and associations operating within the cultural and artistic sector.

Support Lines for Professionals and Cultural Entities were operationalized wihtin the Economic and Social Stabilization Program (PEES) via online applications:

- Support line for Professional Artistic Entities (3 million euros);

- Support line for the Adaptation of Spaces and Cultural Equipment to the measures resulting from COVID-19 (750 thousand euros);

-  Additional Social Support line for professionals of Culture (34.3 million euros)

-    Rede Nacional de Bibliotecas Públicas, managed by Direção-Geral do Livro e das Bibliotecas (DGLAB), stands out as it aims to respond to the need of a territorial approach, especially in isolated areas with an emergent need for the diversification of the cultural offer, and the encouragement of reading practices, especially targeted at young people and students.

In addition to the traditional services offered by libraries, there is a bigger investment in the diversification of other services for the library user, which will allow for the promotion and development of skills in the field of digital literacy, in particular through the provision of technological equipment, Internet, and its role in the support to employment, education, tourism and social inclusion policies.

-    Plano Nacional de Leitura results from a collaborative work between the Ministries of Culture and of Education, Science, Technology and Higher Education, still focused on promoting and diversifying reading habits and provide new initiatives and active implementation of existing measures, intending to reach as many schools as possible.

-    National Arts Plan will bring to the school context an increasing number of initiatives that contribute to the enrichment of the school curriculum, creating essential opportunities and experiences for the development of competencies, raising the awareness of the different artistic and cultural expressions and highlighting the importance of arts and culture as imperative elements for the personal, social and cultural development of the individual.