In 2003, the development centre Democracy through Culture initiated the project Innovative Model of Local Development Using Cultural Resources Efficiently. This was done in partnership with the Council of Europe project 'Creating Cultural Capital' (CCC). CCC promotes European cultural diversity and creativity, providing local-level access to the means of cultural production and exchange in the context of the cultural industries and the global market.

By means of this project, Democracy through Culture assists central and local authorities in reforming the cultural sphere and improving the quality of management through the use of cultural resources in local development.

The shared project is funded by grants (60-70%), local budgets (10%), central budgets (5-10%), sponsors (5-10%), and the centre's own revenues (5-15%). There are currently plans to create a foundation which will support innovative initiatives and cultural development agencies.

http://www.cufer.net

Council of Europe - http://www.coe.int

Compendium - http://www.culturalpolicies.net

British Council/Ukraine - http://www.britishcouncil.org.ua

Swiss Cultural Programme/Ukraine - http://www.pro-helvetia.kiev.ua

Cultural Programme/ Pro Helvetia - http://www.pro-helvetia.ch

Ten Ukrainian regions were selected to participate in the project. Pilot cities and towns developed local cultural policies and laid the foundations for establishing local cultural development agencies as a new type of player in local community development. There are now a dozen creative teams at work locally, and some local councils have declared culture a key component of local development strategy.

Training workshops for local teams formed a central part of the project. A number of well-known international experts (from the UK, Belgium, France, Russia, Bulgaria, and Switzerland) participated in the workshops. The training focused on three main issues: cultural and information policy at local level; mapping of cultural resources and strategic planning; financing and budget policy.

Study tours in Sweden, Bosnia and Herzogovina, and Russia were also organised. A first follow-up with Swedish partners is due to take place in Ukraine in 2006.