To ensure the involvement of all relevant public authorities in all the sectors and at all levels, a multi-stakeholder consultation process was established for the preparation of the report. It involved the communication with relevant stakeholders and the collection of available data and information on the implementation measures. First part of the consultation process included the discussions on the level of the Ministry of Culture and Media, while the second stage included an online consultation process and data collection with stakeholders from different departments of the Ministry of Culture and Media, Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC), Office for Human Rights and Rights of National Minorities, and Office for Gender Equality. Due to special circumstances related to COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of consultation was done via digital means and through one-to-one meetings. Special consultation has been made with the foundation dedicated to civil society organizations in the field of contemporary culture and the arts (Kultura Nova Foundation), which included consultation process through digital means.
Cultural policy objectives in Croatia are centred around the principles of promoting identity and diversity, supporting creativity and participation in cultural life. Such cultural policy orientation reflects the main objectives of the Convention and provides for a solid basis for a number of new measures that supplement the existing policy instruments, that are oriented to:
• Fostering the artistic and cultural creativity;
• Supporting the programmes of cultural autonomy of national minorities;
• Supporting artistic production through providing the social security measures for freelance artists;
• Promoting international cultural cooperation and exchange, by creating infrastructure for promotion of Croatian arts and culture abroad, funding exchange programmes and artistic residencies, supporting international audio-visual cooperation, giving support for European cultural cooperation projects, and signing new bilateral cultural cooperation programmes;
• Supporting the enhancement of media pluralism, content diversity and media literacy through special funding for public, commercial and non-profit media;
• Fostering audience development, access to culture and cultural participation, especially for children and young people either through discounts for access to cultural institutions, or through specific support programmes;
• Safeguarding the local cultural infrastructure through support of digitalization of arthouse, small and regional cinemas;
• Encouraging the development of entrepreneurship in cultural and creative industries;
• Fostering contemporary artistic and cultural production through support for civil society organizations in contemporary culture and the arts.
Culture is recognized in the major strategic documents and action plans of other sectors, and there are a number of measures that address the objectives of the Convention. However, there is still a lack of better inter-ministerial communication, knowledge-sharing on the Convention, and there are obstacles in communication with cultural institutions and civil society organizations that hinders better implementation of these measures.
There are still many challenges ahead for better implementation of the Convention in Croatia: there is a need for raising awareness on the Convention; establishing better inter-ministerial cooperation in creation and execution of the projects related to the objectives of the Convention; there is a need for better collection of data for evidence-based policy making; as well as fostering better communication with civil society organizations and other cultural professionals on the implementation of the Convention. However, a number of measures introduced so far have created conditions for flourishing of the diversity of cultural expressions in Croatia.
