culture as a priority: debates with candidates to the Lithuanian Parliament

On September 9, 2020 the National Association of Creative and Cultural Industries provided a stage for the representatives of the polical parties to gather for the Lithuanian Parliament election debates on creative industry and cultural policy issues. The call of the debates was “Culture as a Priority!” Representatives of the political parties which form the ruling coalition, as well as others participated in the debates. They were Vytautas Kernagis (Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrat Political Group), Romandas Žiubrys (Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union), Gintautas Paluckas (Lithuanian Social Democratic Party), Vidmantas Krikštaponis (Labour Party), Simonas Gentvilas (Lithuanian Liberal Movement), Ieva Pakarklytė (Freedom Party) and Artūras Zuokas (Freedom and Justice Party). The politicians discussed Lithuanian cultural policy issues – place of culture in the political programs, creative industry economy prospects, financial support opportunities and culture value effectivity, role of culture in social and economic wellbeing, state image and identity building, innovation growth, culture inclusion in health care system, society’s engagement in culture, the latter’s role in physical and mental health improvement and many other questions. 

The debates were organized by the National Association of Creative and Cultural Industries in cooperation with the Future Society Institute, Lithuanian Designers Association, AGATA, Lithuanian Dance Information Center, Cultural Periodicals Association and in partnership with “Fabula Hill+Knowlton Strategies”, “Dūmų fabrikas” and “BMK”. The debates can be viewed on the Lithuanian National Television.