President Approves List of Instructions Following the Presidential Council for Culture Meeting

President Vladimir Putin has approved a list of instructions following the meeting of the Presidential Council for Culture, held on March 25, 2026. The document was published on the official website of the President of Russia on June 26.

The list includes 14 instructions covering the development of cultural infrastructure, support for cultural institutions and the film industry, improvements to legal regulation, and the expansion of cultural and educational initiatives.

For the film and animation industry, one of the most significant instructions is addressed to the State Duma, the Government of the Russian Federation, and the Union of Cinematographers of Russia. They have been instructed to prepare draft federal legislation aimed at supporting the domestic film industry and regulating the distribution of foreign films. The proposed legislation is to be considered and adopted as a matter of priority, with a deadline of September 25, 2026.

Another group of instructions concerns the operating conditions of cultural and film organizations. The Ministry of Finance of Russia has been tasked with developing proposals for reduced land tax rates for land plots occupied and used by cultural and cinematographic organizations. The deadline for this work is September 1, 2026.

The Government of the Russian Federation, together with the Ministry of Justice, has also been instructed to examine the development of legal mechanisms that would allow cultural organizations to use works created by outstanding Russian authors in cases where rights holders unreasonably refuse permission or otherwise abuse their exclusive rights. A report on this matter is due by December 10, 2026.

In addition, the Government, in cooperation with regional authorities, has been instructed to continue implementing measures aimed at improving the infrastructure and technical capacity of cultural institutions and educational organizations in the fields of culture and the arts. The first progress report is due by December 1, 2026, with annual reporting thereafter.

The list also instructs the Ministry of Education of Russia and the constituent entities of the Russian Federation to ensure that the 100 best Soviet and Russian feature films are incorporated into the mandatory curriculum of lower and upper secondary education. The initiative also requires classroom discussions of these films in connection with relevant educational topics. The first report on implementation must be submitted by September 1, 2026.

Additional instructions cover the inclusion of state circuses in the Pushkin Card program, the development of theatre in the Far Eastern, North Caucasus, and Southern Federal Districts, support for educational institutions in the arts, modernization of cultural infrastructure, and the expansion of international cultural cooperation.