The Ministry of Education has prepared a strategy for cultural policy up to 2020. It is intended to steer the Ministry’s action in the field over the coming years. The Ministry has never before had such a specific cultural strategy. In the field of culture the Ministry’s action has been informed by government policy; the Government’s cultural policy reports to Parliament; strategies and programmes relating to given cultural sectors; the state budget; action and economic plans; and the Ministry’s strategy. The most recent cultural policy report dates from 1993. The Government has not outlined its cultural policy since its 2003 resolution on Artist and Art Policy, which is still relevant and covers cultural policy extensively. The Government has adopted certain other instruments relating to cultural policy, such as the Architectural Policy Programme in 1998, the Government Resolution on design policy in 2000 and the National Strategy for Architectural Heritage in 2001. Various aspects of cultural policy have been or are being addressed in the library strategy, the audiovisual policy action plan, and the dance policy and visual arts programmes currently being devised.

Further, the Ministry’s cultural policy action is informed by policy lines concerning several administrative sectors, such as the Cultural Export Promotion Programme. These programmes and other documents outlining or steering cultural policy are still in effect and updated or revised according to need.

The viewpoint in this strategy for cultural policy 2020 is overarching and future-oriented. The further into the future one looks, the more general the observations become. Sudden, unforeseeable changes may take place over time, and therefore the strategy cannot be too detailed. On the other hand, cultural policy has a long development history, and possible changes in the operational environment and new  development challenges will be added elements in this continuum.

http://www.minedu.fi/OPM/Julkaisut/2009/Kulttuuripolitiikan_strategia_2020?lang=en