On April 16, 2026, an expanded meeting of the Board of the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Donetsk Regional State Administration was held remotely. The meeting was attended by: Deputy Head of the Regional State Administration Oleksandr Shevchenko; deputy heads of district state administrations and district military administrations; deputy heads of military administrations overseeing the cultural sector; as well as heads of cultural departments within the territorial communities of the Donetsk region and directors of museum institutions.
During the meeting, Deputy Head of the Regional State Administration Oleksandr Shevchenko drew attention to a number of pressing issues regarding the functioning of the cultural sector under martial law. In particular, in his remarks, he raised the issue of increasing salaries for art school teachers, emphasizing the importance of supporting educators. At the same time, the need for coordinated work among all responsible parties and the timely and high-quality fulfillment of assigned tasks was emphasized.
In accordance with the agenda, a number of pressing issues were considered.
The first issue concerned the organization of efforts to preserve the museum collections of the Museum Fund of Ukraine, which have been relocated to safer regions. During the discussion, attention was focused on compliance with requirements for the inventory of museum objects and the need to strengthen oversight of the relevant work.
The second issue concerned the progress and interim results of the regional local history project “Donetsk Region on the Map of Time.” Participants reviewed the results achieved, discussed the next stages of the project’s implementation, and its significance for preserving the region’s historical and cultural heritage.
The third item on the agenda was devoted to organizational measures and the level of readiness of the region’s local communities for the regional campaign “Donetsk Region in Embroidery.” The discussion focused on coordinating local efforts and ensuring an adequate level of preparation for the event.
Viktoria Tochena, Head of the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Regional State Administration, emphasized the importance of systematic cooperation with local communities, the timely provision of information, and the strict fulfillment of assigned tasks, particularly regarding the preservation of cultural heritage and the implementation of regional cultural initiatives.
Following the meeting, relevant protocol decisions were adopted, aimed at preserving local identity, national memory, and the activities of the region’s cultural institutions under martial law.