Technical assistance

The Technical Assistance (TA) will support the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and selected cultural institutions in advancing reforms to strengthen financial autonomy, improve governance, and enable diversified and sustainable financing, in line with the Strategy for the Development of Culture in Ukraine until 2030 and the Ukraine Facility Plan. The TA will apply an integrated approach combining analytical work, policy and regulatory support, institutional capacity strengthening, and the testing of adaptable organizational and financing models to ensure coherence between reform design and implementation.

The TA will establish a validated analytical baseline through a structured assessment of legal, financial, governance, and operational constraints affecting cultural institutions, leading to the prioritization of reform needs. Based on this evidence, it will support the preparation of feasible and legally compliant policy, regulatory, and legislative solutions, including technical assistance during drafting and stakeholder consultation processes.

In parallel, the TA will strengthen the managerial, financial, and operational capacities of selected cultural institutions, supporting the translation of policy reforms into improved institutional practice. Pilot initiatives will generate practical evidence on organizational and financing models that enhance institutional flexibility and financial resilience, with lessons learned informing policy refinement and sector-wide reform.

The mission will be implemented by a multidisciplinary team of international and national experts in cultural policy, public law, cultural financing, and institutional development. Under the Senior cultural policy expert leadership, the team will ensure analytical coherence, effective coordination with the Ministry of Culture, and the delivery of feasible, compliant, and sustainable reform outcomes.

Objectives of the technical assistance mission 

General objective of the mission

General objective: Strengthen the financial autonomy of cultural institutions, through regulatory and legislative adaptation, and capacity-building of key cultural institutions.

This objective will directly support the modernization of Ukraine's cultural sector, promote diversified and sustainable financing, and advance the implementation of the Strategy for the Development of Culture in Ukraine until 2030 under the Ukraine Facility Plan.

Specific objectives of the mission

·         Specific objective 1 (SO1): Evidence-Based problem mapping.

To systematically identify, analyze, and document structural, legal, financial, and managerial challenges faced by cultural institutions in achieving financial autonomy and diversified revenue generation.

·         Specific objective 2 (SO2): Policy & regulatory reform.

To develop and support the adoption of regulatory and legislative solutions addressing identified barriers to institutional autonomy, in line with the Strategy for the Development of Culture in Ukraine until 2030 and the Ukraine Facility Plan.

·        Specific objective 3 (SO3): Institutional capacity strengthening.

To enhance the managerial, financial, and operational capacities of selected cultural institutions to lawfully design, implement, and sustain revenue-generating activities.

·        Specific objective 4 (SO4): Model development and testing.

To develop, adapt, and pilot organisational, legal, and financing models that enable cultural institutions to operate with greater flexibility and financial resilience.

·        Specific Objective 5 (SO5): Stakeholder alignment and reform validation.

To ensure that proposed reforms and institutional models are validated through structured consultations with public authorities and cultural institutions.

Expected deliverables

Timetable logic:

·        Months 1-2 – March-April 2026: Evidence base established rapidly but rigorously

·        Months 3-5 – May-June-July 2026: Policy and regulatory solutions developed and validated

·        Months 6-8 – August-September-October 2026: Pilots implemented with focused technical assistance

·        Month 9 – November 2026: Results validated, consolidated, and transferred

Expected results

The TA will place particular emphasis on skills transfer, institutional learning, and documentation of processes and tools, ensuring that the results of the action are sustainable beyond its duration and can be replicated or scaled within the cultural sector.

At the end of the mission:

Specific objective 1 (SO1): Evidence-Based problem mapping.

Results under SO1:

·        Result 1.1 – Comprehensive mapping of institutional challenges: a structured, evidence-based mapping of legal, financial, governance, and operational constraints affecting cultural institutions is produced and validated.

·        Result 1.2 – Analytical baseline for reform: a consolidated analytical baseline is established, linking identified challenges to institutional performance, financial sustainability, and governance limitations.

·        Result 1.3 – Prioritisation of reform needs: priority reform areas and capacity gaps are identified and ranked based on impact, feasibility, and alignment with national reform objectives.

Specific objective 2 (SO2): Policy & regulatory reform.

Results under SO2:

·        Result 2.1 – Reform-oriented policy options developed: policy options addressing legal and regulatory barriers to financial autonomy and revenue diversification are developed, documented, and presented to relevant authorities.

·        Result 2.2 – Draft regulatory and legislative instruments prepared: concrete draft amendments to laws, by-laws, and regulatory acts enabling greater financial autonomy of cultural institutions are prepared and technically justified.

·        Result 2.3 – Alignment with national reform frameworks ensured: proposed regulatory and policy changes are aligned with the Strategy for the Development of Culture in Ukraine until 2030, the Ukraine Facility Plan, and ongoing public administration reforms.

Specific objective 3 (SO3): Institutional capacity strengthening.

Results under SO3:

·        Result 3.1 – Institutional capacity gaps identified: capacity gaps in governance, financial management, business planning, and compliance are identified for pilot cultural institutions.

·        Result 3.2 – Capacity development roadmaps established: tailored capacity-strengthening roadmaps are developed for each pilot institution, outlining short-, medium-, and long-term actions.

·        Result 3.3 – Improved readiness for revenue generation: pilot institutions demonstrate increased readiness to initiate and manage revenue-generating activities within existing legal and governance frameworks.

Specific objective 4 (SO4): Model development and testing

Results under SO4:

·        Result 4.1 – Viable organisational and financing models identified: a set of organisational-legal and financing models suitable for the Ukrainian cultural sector is identified and documented.

·        Result 4.2 – Pilot projects implemented: up to five pilot cultural institutions test adapted revenue-generating and operational models with targeted technical assistance.

·        Result 4.3 – Lessons learned from piloting documented: evidence on the effectiveness, risks, and scalability of piloted models is collected, analysed, and documented.

Specific Objective 5 (SO5): Stakeholder alignment and reform validation.

Results under SO5:

·        Result 5.1 – Stakeholder consultations conducted: targeted consultations with the Ministry of Culture, cultural institutions, and other stakeholders are conducted to validate findings and proposals.

·        Result 5.2 – Institutional ownership strengthened: key stakeholders demonstrate increased understanding and ownership of proposed regulatory and institutional reforms.

·        Result 5.3 – Feasibility and compliance ensured: final reform proposals and institutional models reflect legal feasibility, administrative capacity, and institutional realities.

Expected deliverables from International expert on cultural financial management & institutional models

In line with SO1 and SO4, the expert is expected to deliver:

·        Comparative review brief: Overview of EU and international cultural financing and governance models with transferable practices.

·        Financial diagnostic note: Analysis of financial constraints, funding structures, and barriers to revenue diversification.

·        Revenue diversification framework: Practical toolkit outlining feasible revenue streams and sustainability considerations.

·        Pilot advisory & Assessment note: Targeted recommendations for pilot institutions and summa ary of model testing results with scalability considerations.

Coordination

The team of experts will work under the supervision of the Senior cultural policy expert, in close coordination with the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine and other relevant national stakeholders. They will collaborate closely with international and national experts across policy, legal, financial, and institutional development areas to ensure methodological coherence and consistency of outputs. The team will also liaise with pilot institutions and other technical partners to ensure that analytical work, regulatory proposals, capacity-building activities, and pilot interventions are fully aligned and mutually reinforcing, guaranteeing the overall coherence and effectiveness of the TA mission.

The team is expected to include a combination of international and national experts, potentially including: an International expert on cultural financial management and Institutional Models; a National policy and legal expert; and Institutional development/Capacity-building experts. This composition ensures complementary expertise in cultural policy, public finance, regulatory reform, governance, and organisational transformation.

Required team profile

A team of experts is required to implement the project. This team should combine international expertise in cultural policy and financing, national legal and policy knowledge, and institutional development skills. They will ensure thorough problem analysis, legally sound reforms, operationally feasible pilot projects, and scalable results.

Within this team, the International expert on cultural financial management and institutional models will provide specialized knowledge on financing mechanisms, institutional autonomy models, and revenue diversification strategies. The expert will bring comparative international experience and assist in adapting best practices to the Ukrainian context. The detailed qualifications and requirements for this position are specified below.

International expert on cultural financial management & institutional models

Coverage of specific objectives:

·        SO1 – Problem mapping (financial and structural dimensions)

·        SO4 – Model development and testing

Key responsibilities:

·        Comparative analysis of EU cultural financing and governance models.

·        Identification of revenue diversification mechanisms.

·        Design of adaptable organisational and financing models.

·        Advisory support to pilot institutions on revenue-generating activities.

Duration: 40 days

Most cultural institutions in Ukraine rely on state or local budget financing, which provides a degree of stability but remains insufficient to ensure sustainable development and creates a high level of dependency on political and economic conditions at each governance level. Institutions funded locally face significant regional disparities, as their operational stability and development opportunities are shaped by the economic capacity and political priorities of the respective community or region. This dependence also affects governance: personnel appointments, strategic planning, and program decisions are often influenced by local political leadership rather than institutional needs.

Only a limited number of institutions supported by private investment or international partners can operate with greater independence and managerial flexibility. Overall, the sector lacks diversified, resilient financing mechanisms, underscoring the need for systemic reforms to reduce political vulnerability and strengthen institutional autonomy.

To address systemic constraints, the Ministry of Culture has developed an operational plan aligned with the national cultural strategy, where the liberalization of financing mechanisms is a key measure under Operational Objective 2: Institutional Reform of Cultural Institutions. This framework aims to reduce political dependence, diversify funding sources, and strengthen institutional governance.

Ukraine is advancing a major governance reform across its state-owned cultural institutions, introducing independent Supervisory Boards to strengthen transparency, accountability, and professional oversight. This shift, aligned with the Strategy for Cultural Development until 2030 and OECD corporate governance standards, aims to depoliticize management, improve the use of public funds, and modernize institutional leadership. By separating strategic supervision from daily operations, the reform seeks to make museums, theaters, and other cultural institutions more resilient, efficient, and aligned with European practices, an essential step for post-war recovery and sustainable sector development.

Continuing work on reforms, in November 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted an updated list of paid services that state and municipal cultural institutions are allowed to offer as of 1 January 2026. Under the new regulation, cultural institutions can expand revenue-generating activities by selling merchandise and publications online and offline, operating small cafés, digitizing collections, offering a wider range of media content, providing publishing services, and, where relevant, temporary accommodation and catering. Museums and libraries may also sell goods on commission and rent out equipment, spaces, or temporary structures for events and entrepreneurial activities.

These changes signal a shift toward greater flexibility and diversification of cultural institutions' revenue streams: they allow institutions to supplement public funding with earned income, modernize their services, and respond to demand in contemporary formats. The reform potentially increases financial sustainability, lessens dependence on public budgets, and empowers cultural organizations to explore hybrid financing models aligning well with broader aims to liberalize financing and make the sector more adaptive, resilient, and self-sustaining. These changes are essential to maintain accessibility, support recovery, and ensure sector resilience under wartime conditions and in the longer-term reconstruction period. Expertise France, with its established cooperation with Ukrainian cultural institutions and its strong network of partners, is well-positioned to support policy development and the drafting of regulations for these financing and governance innovations.

Required qualifications:

Education:

• Master's degree or equivalent in cultural economics, finance, public policy, or related field.

Professional experience :

• At least 7 years' experience in cultural financing, organizational development, or institutional autonomy in the public or non-profit sector.
• Experience in comparative analysis of international or EU cultural governance and financing systems.
• Experience providing technical assistance to institutions on financial and operational management.
• Knowledge of the Ukrainian public cultural sector would be a major asset.

Key 's kills:

• Strong knowledge of cultural financing mechanisms and institutional models.
• Ability to adapt international best practices to local contexts.
• Capacity to provide coaching and technical support to institutions.
• Analytical, methodological, and reporting skills.

Languages:

Fluency in English (written and spoken); knowledge of Ukrainian is an asset.

Application procedure

Interested candidates are invited to submit a complete technical and financial proposal including:

·         A technical note (1–2 pages) outlining their understanding of the assignment, proposed contribution, and relevant tools and expertise;

·         A financial proposal, indicating the proposed daily fee;

·         A detailed CV (maximum 6 pages) demonstrating relevant professional experience related to the scope of the mission.

Technical Evaluation Criteria (Desk review and/or Interview based)