Aspen Institute Kyiv and the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine Hold “Business and Culture” Dialogue

On October 31, Aspen Institute Kyiv, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, held the “Business and Culture” dialogue, focusing on strengthening systematic cooperation between the public sector, businesses, and cultural institutions. Participants explored mechanisms for long-term partnerships and contributed to the development of the Brave for Culture platform concept.

The dialogue brought together representatives of cultural institutions, businesses, government, and the expert community. Discussions focused on how responsibility for cultural development can be shared among different stakeholders, what conditions are needed to build sustainable partnerships, and how cultural institutions can maintain their independence while working with the government and private sector.

The dialogue was built around the hypothesis that a systematic approach to developing cultural projects, strengthening mutual competencies, and facilitating connections between potential partners could lead to more effective and sustainable cooperation than supporting individual initiatives without a long-term strategy.

During two discussion sessions, participants examined this hypothesis through their professional experience and practical case studies. They explored what motivates businesses to invest in culture, the main barriers to cooperation, the mutual responsibilities of partners, and the government’s role in creating favorable conditions for cultural development.

The dialogue also included practical group work. Participants assessed the proposed partnership model from the perspectives of government, business, and the cultural sector, identified potential weaknesses, and developed possible solutions. This process helped highlight shared interests, identify differences in expectations, and outline issues requiring further discussion and alignment.

Reflecting on the dialogue, Tetiana Berezhna, Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy and Minister of Culture of Ukraine, emphasized the importance of shared responsibility for cultural development:

“One of the central questions of our meeting was how we share responsibility for culture among the national government, local authorities, businesses, and society. The state has clear obligations: to protect cultural heritage, ensure the preservation and study of museum collections, support arts education and cultural institutions, and guarantee people’s access to culture. During wartime, this responsibility is particularly significant. At the same time, cultural development requires the involvement of everyone who sees their future in Ukraine. I thank Aspen Institute Kyiv for organizing this dialogue and every participant for their thoughtful contributions to the discussion.”

As a result of the dialogue, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine received specific feedback and recommendations to inform the further development of the Brave for Culture concept. Several business representatives also expressed their willingness to join a working group that will help shape the future partnership mechanism.

The dialogue was moderated by Anton Drobovych, Head of the Center for Human Rights and War Memorialization at the Kyiv School of Economics, and Oleksandra Koltsova, author and producer.

The event was coordinated by Tetiana Filevska, Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine, and Olesia Kramarenko, Community Coordinator at Aspen Institute Kyiv.