European Experience of Decentralisation and Integration of Cultural Heritage at the Present Stage

Abstract

The purpose of the work is the research and analysis of the European experience of the cultural heritage integration into the regional socio-cultural space at the present stage, including the distinguishing features and types of the Western models of the local municipality. The research methodology is based on the culturological analysis that helps to reveal the distinguishing characteristics of the regional cultural heritage integration model, to justify the social effectiveness of the innovative programs and projects founded on including the cultural heritage as a resource factor of the socio-cultural development of the territory. The descriptive method and sociological approach have been used for a better understanding of the methodology and projects that were developed and implemented in Europe, which allows finding out the character and peculiarities of setting the problem of cultural heritage in modern realities, to highlight the problem of using culture resource possibilities in the context of modernisation strategy of a city or a region. The scientific novelty lies in revealing the distinguishing features and content of the European approach to renovation and integration of the cultural heritage in modern socio-cultural context that is an effective tool of cultural policy in the conditions of a modernised environment, democracy, and market economy. Conclusions. Based on the analysis of the results of the survey, a series of policy documents and the model of Western local municipality, the author has proved that for many Europeans cultural heritage

remains an important value and resource of development that functions in healthcare system and integration of cultural-historical objects in many European countries. Meanwhile, integration of cultural and historical sites with the consideration of distinguishing features of the model of local municipality is more effective and suits modern socio-cultural context better than in post-soviet countries. The evidence of this fact is the comprehensive use of heritage site development, the privatisation practice of cultural monuments and the creation of tourists production and brands, the practice of national trusts and founds, subsidies from various sources, projects of state-private partnerships between city/town halls, cities/towns and investment groups, creative clusters, effective inventory and capitalisation of cultural sites beyond the political context.

Key words: Europe, cultural heritage, decentralisation, integration, vitalisation, regional development, local municipality model, creative cluster.