Cultural policy in Poland (and around the world)

Cultural policy constitutes one of important elements of the functioning of a state. It has a major impact on citizens’ participation in culture, it guarantees preservation of cultural heritage for the future generations; it also refers to a specific social group – artists creating cultural works. The article analyses cultural policy in Poland after 1989. It presents the assumptions behind its definition and problems related to its interpretation. It examines the legal framework for cultural policy in our country and demonstrates the main stages of its development at the state level after 1989. The final part of the article contains a description of cultural policies in selected countries worldwide, highlighting how they differ in relation to the Polish example