Publications
30 Jul 2024

Download our Report: Cultural and Creative sectors in Ukraine: Resilience, Recovery, Integration with the EU

In the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Ukrainian cultural and creative sectors have faced unprecedented challenges. As the country navigates this period of unrest and transformation, understanding and supporting these sectors has become crucial. Recognising this need, the Cultural Relations Platform, in collaboration with the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport, and Culture of the European Commission, has undertaken a number of initiatives to analyse and address the evolving landscape of Ukrainian CCS.

The report “Cultural and Creative Sectors in Ukraine: Resilience, Recovery, and Integration with the EU” is the outcome of a series of activities conducted between January and April 2024, and provides an in-depth overview of the Ukrainian cultural and creative industries in the current context.

This publication builds on the mapping and needs assessment of cultural actors conducted in 2022, which laid the groundwork for understanding the impact of the war on the sector. Building on these insights, the 2024 project featured a multifaceted approach, including an online questionnaire reaching nearly 500 respondents, online meetings with CCS representatives, and a final workshop in Brussels. These efforts aimed at updating the recommendations for EU-Ukraine cultural cooperation and provide inputs for strategic actions related to culture and creative industries in Ukraine.

The report is structured around key thematic topics: social cohesion, regional development, economic growth, skills for resilience and recovery, and EU-Ukraine integration. These themes highlight the fundamental role of culture in Ukraine’s recovery and its potential for strengthening both Ukrainian and European cultural landscapes through sustained cooperation.

The collaborative approach facilitated a rich cross-sectoral dialogue, bringing together cultural actors with stakeholders from other fields, thus enriching the narrative around culture’s role in Ukraine’s recovery.

With this publication, we aim at offering an updated framework for understanding and strengthening the resilience and integration of Ukraine’s cultural and creative sectors, reasserting the EU’s commitment to fostering enhanced cultural cooperation and solidarity with Ukraine.