To His Excellency the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda
To the Prime Minister-Designate of the Republic of Lithuania, Inga Ruginienė
To the Committee on Culture of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania
To the Board of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party

The National Association of Cultural and Creative Industries of Lithuania (KIK Lithuania), as a long-standing and trusted social partner of the state, is concerned about the ongoing changes within the leadership of the Ministry of Culture. We firmly believe that the future Minister of Culture should be well known to the cultural community and possess strong leadership, a clear vision, and a strategic approach to cultural policy development.

We believe that the candidate should have a well-defined set of competencies that would ensure a modern, forward-looking cultural policy capable of responding to national, international, and geopolitical challenges. KIK Lithuania therefore wishes to present recommendations regarding the competencies that we consider essential for a candidate for the position of Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania and for the team they will lead.

We recommend taking into account the candidate’s:

• Understanding of the cultural, social, environmental, and economic value of culture, the arts, and the cultural and creative industries (CCI);
• Understanding of their relationship with innovation, cultural education, national and societal resilience, regional development, and tourism;
• Understanding of the role, funding models, and challenges faced by cultural NGOs;
• Ability to ensure continuous dialogue between public institutions and the non-governmental sector, involving it in decision-making processes;
• Ability to ensure transparency and long-term sustainability in cultural funding;
• Strategic approach to cultural budget planning and the effective use of public resources;
• Ability to represent Lithuanian culture in international forums and formats;
• Commitment to strengthening cultural diplomacy and promoting the international visibility of Lithuanian creators.

The National Association of Cultural and Creative Industries of Lithuania (KIK Lithuania) emphasizes that a candidate for the position of Minister of Culture should not only be a leader with strong political and managerial capabilities, but also a person capable of understanding the entire cultural ecosystem — including independent creators, cultural and creative industries professionals, non-governmental organizations, international partners, patrons, and potential investors in the cultural sector.

The National Association of Cultural and Creative Industries of Lithuania (KIK Lithuania) respectfully invites His Excellency the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister to take these criteria into consideration when evaluating candidates for the position of Minister of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.