Cultural agenda in formation of population quality in Russia

The article is devoted to the analysis of the cultural component in the formation of the population quality in Russia. In this paper, on the basis of the data of sociological polls, an attempt is made to assess the modern cultural policy of Russia from the point of view of the formation of the human potential quality. Sociological polls show that the population of Russia as a whole is interested in getting to know cultural values, but only half of the respondents have a real opportunity to consume cultural goods. Among the main reasons explaining the impossibility of contact with the arts and culture, the respondents indicate the lack of money, time, and information. The article focuses on the negative consequences of cultural policy implementation in the context of institutional transformations in the field of culture associated with unification, optimization, commercialization, and culture measurement in the framework of the budgetary sector reform. Within the framework of performance-based budgeting, cultural institutions are financed not by the fact of their existence on the basis of the cost estimate, but according to the volume and quality of services provided according to a state (municipal) assignment. Instead of realizing a cultural mission, cultural institutions now fulfill the tasks facing the founder. As a result of unification, optimization, commercialization, and cultural measurement, the performance of cultural institutions is assessed in accordance with a business approach, meaning on the basis of quantitatively measurable indicators (number of events, number of consumers, amount of earned income). As a result, the specificity of cultural activities and the high social significance of cultural institutions are not taken into account. The paper pays attention to the problems of financial support of the cultural sphere at the expense of budgetary funds and also shows significant regional disparities in the financing of the cultural sphere in the regions of Russia. In addition, the article examines the consumption of cultural goods through the prism of household consumption expenditures