On December 13, the Moldovan government approved the draft law on the National Fund for Culture. It will become a new mechanism of financial support for the independent and private cultural sector in the arts and creative industries. The law fits into the National Action Plan for Moldova’s accession to the EU and is a priority of the Ministry of Culture for 2023.
The main mission of the fund is to finance projects that support contemporary creativity. The Fund will promote a good understanding of artistic phenomena and ensure public access to culture. The method of financing from the Fund’s sources will be approved by the Government.
Its resources will support cultural and publishing projects developed in six areas:
- initiatives of non-profit organizations in the cultural sector;
- publishing and translation activities;
- cultural magazines;
- the field of art, research, and analysis, including continuing professional training activities in the cultural domain;
- local cultural development programs;
- artistic and cultural residency and mobility programs.
The sources of formation of the fund will first come from the budget. The Culture Fund now accumulates all cultural and publishing programs and projects under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture, the total amount of which is 29.6 million lei. This amount is included in the draft law on the state budget for the year 2024. The Fund will be managed by the National Center for Art Education, which will be reorganized.