User talk:Editor

Editor's Question Corner

General questions re. editing

Editor's notes

Harmonious cultural development across the whole country known as poli-centrical cultural development is a basic cultural policy that has been in place for decades. All municipalities (210) are responsible for local cultural life but larger ones (25) have an additional obligation, as traditional cultural centres, to ensure the operation of those cultural institutions of broader importance (see chapter 5.1.2). Until now, the state helped them by funding these institutions (40 - mainly theatres, museums and cultural centres) from the state budget, even though they are part of the municipal cultural infrastructure (see chapter 5.1.2). In order to assure common standards in the field of librarianship, museums, monument protection and archives, these fields are regulated as uniform public services. Thus municipalities (210) have legal responsibilities for local museums and all public libraries as public services, while monument protection and archives are primarily the responsibility of the state.

Local communities are independent self-government bodies. Therefore they can adopt their own rules and procedures to execute their responsibilities for culture. If they don't use this discretion they have to follow mutatis mutandis the provisions for state authorities. Ministry of Culture records show that from 2003, local cultural administrations employed the equivalent of 63 full time workers: in smaller communities (40), responsibility for culture rests with directors of local administrations, secretaries of communities or mayors. Only 13 communities have at least one employee dedicated entirely to culture, and only the capital has a separate Department for Culture with 15 employees. The second biggest city Maribor has a cultural administration of 4 people. Fifteen years ago, in the period of self management of cultural communities, the number of professional staff almost doubled. Therefore, the process of successful decentralisation interrelates the capacity building of local administration to take over responsibility for local cultural development. Until now this responsibility has been carried out in a reluctant manner out of the fear that without adequate local budgets and other prerogatives, local authorities cannot be trusted to take proper care of cultural institutions.