Ministry of Culture (Ukraine)

The origin of the Ukrainian ministry could be traced to the earliest creation of the General Secretariat of Ukraine where a department of culture was created in 1917 within the Secretariat of People's Education headed by Ivan Steshenko. It was created on same principles that existed during the Russian Empire where cultural life in Ukraine was administrated by the Russian Ministry of Enlightenment (see Ministry of National Education (Russian Empire)). In May 1918 there was established Ministry of People's Education and Arts headed by Mykola Vasylenko. Later there was Ministry of Art headed by Dmytro Antonovych (December 1918 - February 1919) that was disbanded soon after the Soviet invasion of Ukraine.

There also existed Ministry of Confessions that was first created during the government of Skoropadsky on April 30, 1918 and was at first headed by Mykola Vasylenko. After the fall of Skoropadsky government Ministry of Confessions (April 30, 1918 - December 14, 1918) was transformed into Administration of Cults at first and later into Ministry of Denomination (February 13, 1919) both headed by Ivan Lypa. One of the most noticeable ministers however was Ivan Ohiyenko.

With advancing Bolsheviks in Ukraine, there also was established the People's Commissariat of People's Education that took over most of culture life in Ukraine.

On 25 February 1919 by its decree, the Council of People's Commissariats of UkrSSR (CPC of UkrSSR) established Cinema Committee within its People's Commissariat of People's Education and registering all electro-theatres in Ukraine. On 19 February 1921 the CPC of UkrSSR issued statement obligating its People's Commissariat of People's Education to use all of artwork for purpose of communist agitation (propaganda). Previously by decree of 14 December 1920, the CPC of UkrSSR established Main Political and Educational Committee within its People's Commissariat of People's Education.

Another decree of CPC of UkrSSR of 11 March 1921 "About purchase for state museums museum valuables from private individuals" initiated creation of state museums which were previously "nationalised" by Bolsheviks "in the name of the Revolution" in form of simple expropriation. Along with that there was established All-Ukrainian Committee in Conservation of artworks, artifacts, and natural landmarks.

On 19 April 1921 CPC of UkrSSR issued decree "About peasants homes" (Ukrainian: селянські будинки, selyanski budynky) establishing centers of political education (propaganda) in rural areas.

On 22 November 1922, on efforts of people's commissar Hrynko, the Central Executive Committee of Ukraine adopted its statement "About enacting Code of Laws about People's Education" (Ukrainian: Про введення в дію Кодексу законів про народну освіту) which defined the network of cultural and art institutions, their framework of functioning, and mechanisms of administration.

Leadership

• Minister
• First Deputy
• Deputies
• Deputy-Chief of Aparat

Section in support of the Minister's performance

• Sector of informational-analytic work and communication with public

Sector of control and checks in execution of acts and orders of the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada, and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine as well as the orders of leadership

Sector of job-secrecy work

Sector of mobilization work and public security

Section of financial revisions and support of measures in the fight with corruption

• Sector for prevention and counter-action of corruption

Section of human resources and state service

Directory of legal support

• Section of legal expertise
• Section for the use of legislation
• Sector for conducting a claim work

Directory of Affairs

• Section for documents support and control
• Section for cooperation with Verkhovna Rada
• Sector for organization of access to the public information

Department in formation of the state policy in the sphere of culture, art, and education

• Directory of Arts
  • Section of musical art
  • Section of theatrical art
  • Section of monumental, artistic, and folk art
  • Sector of circus art
• Directory for strategical planning of cultural development and regional policy in the sphere of culture
  • Section of analysis and forecasting of activities in learning institutions
  • Section of analysis and forecasting of socio-cultural development of regions
  • Section of analysis and forecasting of libraries activities
  • Others;

• State Service of Cinematography
• State Service in control of transportation of cultural valuables over the State Border
• State Service in protection of the National Cultural Heritage
• State Service of Tourism and Resorts

The ministry also administers a network of museums, libraries, cultural centers, regional centers of folklore, national cultural heritage sites, various artistic education in schools and universities, has own research centers and institutions, promotes circus, musical and theatric arts in regions.

The ministry also maintains the registry of fixed landmarks of cultural heritage (national and local). On 11 December 2012 there were 4,719 such landmarks, 891 of national significance and the other 3,828 of local significance.[5]

Note: while most of the educational state institutions are administered by the Ministry of Education, most arts educational state institutions are administered by the Ministry of Culture.

• Cultural center of Ukraine in Russia
• Ukrainian cultural and information center in Sevastopol
• State agency in promotion of culture of Ukraine