Finnish cultural policy has been developed systematically since the sixties. The ensuing period marked a rapid growth in the cultural administration. In the nineties, the administrative structures have been streamlined again. Finnish cultural policy was reviewed by the Council of Europe in 1994. The European expert group found that Finland has a particularly strong cultural identity.
Finnish culture is characterised by a large number of institutions and highly organised activities.
The cultural provision is wide-ranging, and Finns take actively part in culture. The arts are supported by an extensive subsidy scheme and an effective copyright system. In the nineties the growth in cultural funding came to an end, and now services are increasingly being developed with private funding. The cultural policy of the nineties has highlighted the cultural dimensions of the information society, the utilisation of regional resources, multiculturalism, tolerance and international cooperation. Today, on the threshold of the 21st century, the focus is on creativity and the cultural industry.