After reestablishment of state independence country's future development strategy has been reviewed and determined and a new phase of Azerbaijan Culture Policy development has started. Fundamental principles of modem Azerbaijan cultural policy developing in all-European framework are even cultural development of center and regions, elimination of culture and art monopoly and democratization. To implement all these things successfully quite wide legislation base is already available. Laws "On Culture", "Protection of Historical and Cultural monuments", "Museums", "Cinematography", "Publishing", "Legal Protection of Azerbaijan Folklore Patterns" , etc have been adopted and this process is going on. Scope of funds allocated for culture, art and mass media is increasing from year to year and on average makes 2,5 % of the state budget. Using world positive experience active work is carried out to find alternative finance sources and to attract international financial groups, national and foreign non-government organizations, and business circles to the field development. Three-stage (primary, secondary and higher) culture and art education sponsored mainly by the state budget is available in the Republic. At present the Republic has 274 children's music, drawing and art schools providing primary music, art and choreography education. There are 11 music schools, 3 cultural enlightenment colleges, art college and Choreography school training specialists on culture and art. Baku Musical Academy, Azerbaijan National Conservatory, Azerbaijan State Culture, Art University and Azerbaijan State Painting Academy train specialists with higher education.
Protection of cultural heritage of Azerbaijan is very important. Official list of Azerbaijan monuments incorporates 6.308 historical monuments such as world famous Azikh cave (lower Paleolith), Taghlar, Gazaka cave camps (mustye and upper Paleolith), unique Gobustan monuments with more than 10 thousand different rock carvings, Maiden Tower built in 7-6 centuries according to scientific data. They include world significant 21 architecture monuments, 44 archeology monuments, monumental and landscape architecture monuments, decorative applied art monuments (historical stone statues). The world community is aware that 20 % of Azerbaijan territory has been invaded by Armenia and number of refugees and displaced people from the occupied territories reaches 1 million. Residential buildings, industrial and agriculture sites and also lots of cultural monuments remained on the occupied territories. Khudafarin bridges (VII-XII centuries) with 1 land 15 passes, Ganzasar and Khudavand temples (both of them refer to XIIII century) in Kalbajar Region, Mausoleum in Dorbatli village of Aghdam Region (1314), 5 architecture and 7 archeology monuments, libraries, museums, musical and painting schools, painting galleries and also Shusha City Preserve where Azerbaijan music originates from are among them.
The Republic has a museum fond including 1 million 200 thousand exhibits. Azerbaijan State Art Museum named after R.Mustafayev Azerbaijan Carpet and Applied Folk Art Museum, Azerbaijan State History Museum, "Shirvanshahlar Palace" State Architecture Historical Memorial Complex, Azerbaijan Music Culture State Museum, Azerbaijan Literature Museum named after Nizami are of special interest for visitors. First libraries were available on the territory of Azerbaijan when the first states started to appear. In the Middle Ages various palaces, religious, scientific and private libraries were available. At present the Azerbaijan Republic has about 10 thousand libraries. The largest of them are Azerbaijan National Library named after M.F.Akhundov and research libraries of National Academy of Sciences and Baku State University.
Since ancient times Azerbaijan traditional music culture has developed in two main directions: a) folklore, including labour, rite and folk songs, group dances and folk theater genres; b) professional music art immortalized by ashugs and singers performing) mughams, folk songs. In 2003 Azerbaijan mugam was included into UNESCO Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, Most of ancient folk applied arts (carpet weaving, stone carving, silk spinning, art of copper and goldsmiths, ornamentalism, etc ) still exist.
Singing and composing support are of great importance for modern cultural policy of Azerbaijan. At the beginning of XX century the great composer and enlightener, Uzeyir Hajibayov, contributed foundation of Azerbaijan modem professional music through fusion of world music achievements with national traditions. Outstanding singer Bulbul founded Azerbaijan professional vocal school combining national style and Italian "belkanto". Formation and development of national symphonic music school is connected with Gara Garayev, Fikrat Amirov, Arif Malikov, Khayyam Mirzazade, Firangiz Alizade, etc. Azerbaijan performing school represented by pianists Farhad Badalbayli, Namig Sultanov, Murad Huseynov, Murad Adigozalov, opera singers Fidan Gasimova, Khuraman Gasimova, etc have gained international fame. There are enough concert halls in Baku, for example, a Palace named after Heydar Aliyev, Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Society, Chamber and Organ Music Hall, Hall of Baku Music Academy and other concert halls. State Symphonic Orchestra, State-Chamber Orchestra named after Gara Garayev, State Choir regularly perform interesting programs. International festivals, contests, anniversary parties and concerts devoted to significant events are arranged in the country. We collaborate closely with foreign countries, hold Culture Days, arrange tours of artists in the framework of cultural collaboration and receive groups and singers from other countries and provide them with high-level service.
Azerbaijan fine arts are famous for masters of miniature painting such as Sultan Muhammad, Mirza Ali Mirza, painters Gadim Irevani, Mir Movsum and others. XX century has given us such famous painters as Taghi Taghiyev, Mikayil Abdullayev, Boyukagha Mirzazade, Sattar Bahlulzade, Tahir Salahov, Togrul Narimanbayov, Rasim Babayev, Nadir Abdurahmanov. Nowadays Azerbaijan fine arts represent main art directions of the world practice. Realism, Primitivism, Expressionism, Abstractionism and other arts such as Land Art, Installation, Photography, Video Art, Action, Performance, etc, are developing in bur country. Exhibition Hall named after S. Bahlulzade, Icheri Sheher Art Exhibition Hall, Azerbaijan Republic State Picture Gallery, and galleries in Ganja, Shamakhi, Lankaran and in other cities are operating in our country. Council of Europe and UNESCO headquarters, USA, Australia, France, Turkey, Italy, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine, and other countries have held exhibitions based on abundant funds of these galleries.
Centuries-old folk theatre traditions enabled XIX century enlighteners of Azerbaijan to establish professional theatre. Plays of Mirza Fatali Akhundov have significantly contributed classic national dramatic art and creation of the secular theater in Azerbaijan. "Leyli and Mejnun" opera (1908) and "Arshin Ma[ Alan" operetta (1913) by outstanding composer, publicist and public figure, Uzeyir Hajibayov contributed creation of European musical theater genre in the East. Such outstanding playwrights as Jalil Mammadguluzade, Huseyn Javid, Jafar Jabbarii and remarkable actors, such as Huseyn Arablinski, Abbas Mirza Sharifzade, Sidqi Ruhulla, etc. stimulated development of the creation of professional theater. At present Ministry of Culture system has 26 state theaters: State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, 13 dramatic theaters, Musical Comedy Theater, Musical Dramatic Theater, Young Audience Theater, 5 puppet shows. Poetry Theater, Pantomime Theater and State Circus.
History of Azerbaijan national cinematography started in XIX century. In 1989 Baku Photographer A. Mishon drew a cine-painting of local documentary and comic game and the same year on August 2 demonstrated them to audience on the special cinema show. This day is considered birth date of national cinematography. On the whole since that day about 240 full-length films and more than 50 short-length films, about 1500 documentaries and approximately 100 cartoons, etc has been made in Azerbaijan. Despite shortage of financing resulted in decreasing of made Films our films keep participating in international festivals. For last 5-6 years a lot of Azerbaijan films have participated in international film festivals and have been awarded even by Grand Prix, At present analysis of situation in film production industry of Azerbaijan shows that private sector should be attracted to development of film industry. The country has already chosen market economies so world cinematography experience should be widely used.
Culture book has been available in Azerbaijan since ancient times. In B.C. period cuneiform was used on the territory of our Republic. In the first half of V century Alban alphabet was created. In middle ages hand-written books development has increased in Azerbaijan. Rewritten patterns of scientific and art works created by Azerbaijan authors including both their autographs and different handwritings have enriched world libraries. It is suffice to say that at present 792 patterns of “Xamsa” poems by Nizami Ganjavi and 800 pieces of art by Fizuli are kept and protected by world libraries and museums. One of the biggest cultural wealth of Azerbaijan which 1300 anniversary we celebrated in 2000 is "Kitabi-Dede-Gorgud" epic poem recorded in writing only in XV-XVI centuries. Its rare pattern is presented in Dresden and Vatican libraries. At present 85 printing and polygraphy enterprises are operating in Azerbaijan. Appropriate Decrees of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, have stimulated development of book printing. Foreign companies and international humanitarian funds operating in our country sponsor issuing of literature for children, alternative manuals for comprehensive schools, literature relating law, politics, economics, and translation.
International culture relationships are developing gradually. Particular cultural actions and tours and long term projects create good opportunities for cultural partnership. Besides of strengthening bilateral cultural relationships with many countries of the world multilateral cultural cooperation in framework of UNESCO, Council of Europe, TURKSOY, CIS Cultural Partnership Council is also developing.
Ancient and outstanding Azerbaijan culture has rich historical traditions, various structure and a large creative potential. Reforms aiming at developing all these areas and keeping our culture for future generations pay great attention on application of modem technologies to culture and art that provides big opportunities for international collaboration.
