Adaptation of management models in the sphere of culture to the conditions of martial law: practices of the Dergachiv city territorial community (Kharkiv region)

Abstract

The article highlights the transformation of cultural institutions of the Dergachiv urban territorial community (Kharkiv region) during 2022-2025 - from the initial phase of the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation to the current post-crisis stage of recovery. New management functions of community cultural institutions are highlighted-humanitarian hubs, psychosocial spaces, shelters, online platforms, and centers of cultural diplomacy. The theoretical basis is the concepts of crisis public management, cluster approach, and humanitarian security. The empirical basis consists of semi-structured interviews with representatives of local government bodies and employees of cultural institutions, analysis of regulatory acts, and statistics on losses of cultural infrastructure. Examples of interdisciplinary cooperation, involvement of international assistance, integration of children into cultural processes, and strategic planning in the field of culture are analyzed. It has been proven that a systemic partnership between authorities, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions, and businesses increases the resilience of a territorial community, and cross-sectoral cluster initiatives improve the population’s access to cultural services even during wartime in front-line territorial communities, including the Dergachivsk urban territorial community of the Kharkiv region. It is shown how cultural institutions of the community have become not only a tool for preserving national identity but also for social cohesion and adaptation to extreme conditions. The experience of the Dergachivsk urban territorial community (hereinafter referred to as the Dergachivsk MTG) is a valuable example of the formation of a policy of cultural resilience in emergency and crisis situations. The article has theoretical and practical significance for further research into models of adaptation of the cultural sphere in war conditions, strategies for attracting international assistance and improving strategies for the socio-economic and cultural development of territorial communities, and mechanisms for the rapid restoration of cultural infrastructure at the stage of post-war reconstruction.