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In France, where governmental administration is traditionally centralized, the central government plays an important role in the promotion of culture as in other areas of administration. The Ministry of Culture and Communication (Minister de la Culture et de la Communication) is in charge of the integrative, comprehensive promotion of culture. (The Ministry was reorganized in October 1992 as the Ministry of National Education and Culture (Minister de l'Education Nationale et de la Culture); however, the cultural policies are described here in terms of the, former organization.) In addition to managing national cultural facilities and granting subsidies to art organizations, the policies of the Ministry of Culture and Communication extend broadly to the establishment and management of specialized facilities that foster artists, the provision art education in primary and secondary education and large scale restoration and repair of historic buildings.

The French Government has had a traditional deep concern for culture, and has laid a special emphasis on cultural policies in recent years. Goals are established for the creation of culture that will be enjoyable to the general public, for the elimination of geographic cultural inequalities (promotion of local culture) and for the fortification of France's cultural position with the support of television and other audio-visual industries. There has also been an increase in budget allotments for the promotion of culture. Large scale projects, such as the enlargement and rebuilding of museums and opera houses, took place especially during the latter half of the l980's, necessitating unprecedented expenditures in the area of culture. The 1992 budget of the Ministry of Culture and Communication, shown classified according to field in Table 1-4-7, amounted to 0.98% of the total government budget.

Local governments also put out considerable expenditures for culture. Cultural policies are being determined even at the municipal level.

A high level advisory committee concerned with' subsidies for art and culture was established upon the enactment of a 1987 law that dealt with this topic. Public and private funds are cooperating to carry out various cultural activities, as well. In recent years, enterprises are also playing an active role in the support of culture; in response, tax incentives and deductions are granted for contributions made to cultural activities.

Table 1-4-7 Budget of the Ministry of Culture and Communication