Kalmykia holds on work on creating legal, organizational and economic conditions for functioning of the cultural and artistic institutions, preservation and development of the traditional creativity, realization of the state cultural policy, oriented to the preservation of originality of ethnic cultures of peoples living in the republic.

The basis of the culture and arts is made by 3 theatres, the State Touring and Concert Institution "Kalmkoncert", 2 museums, 3 theatres, 175 libraries, 246 clubs, School of Arts, 33 children musical and arts schools, 5 professional dancing teams.

Very popular are the works of Kalmykia's writers, poets, playwrights. Creations of the People's Poet of Kalmykia D. Kugultinov are well known not only in Kalmykia and other regions of Russia but also in many world's countries.

There are 43 amateur troupes. Permanent search for new artistic forms and work methods becomes favorable for creating unusual programs, new forms of working with population: all the regions have chess amateur clubs, leisure clubs, etc.

One of the basic cultural fields is librarianship of Kalmykia. Its organization is kept by 383 libraries. In the system of the Ministry of Culture, Ethnic Policies and Religion there are 175 libraries, including Amur Sanan National Library, Republican Children's Library of N. Ochirov, Republican Special Library for the Blind and 172 regional, city and rural libraries united into 14 centralized library systems.

In the period 1996-2001 the federal and republican laws "On librarianship" è "On mandatory free copy of documents" were adopted.

The further prospective of the development of republic's librarianship is in the creation of unified librarian space, implementation of computer technologies for more complete service of users not only in the urban areas but also in the countryside.

Propaganda and popularization of traditional culture, promotion of the esthetic taste, attraction to the masterpieces of music and art classics is directed to the activity of professional theaters and companies.

In the period 1996 to 2002 the dancing companies "Tulpan" and "Oiraty" took part in many international folklore festivals in France, USA, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal. The National Theater took part in the International Theater Festival of Mongol Speaking Peoples and in the Theater Festival of the North Caucasus "Stage without Borders". In 2001-2002 a great success followed the performances of the State Chamber Chorus at the All-Russian Festival of Academic Music in Kislovodsk, at the International Festival "Christmas Music Meetings in Northern Palmyra" in St. Petersburg.

Such amateur companies as "Erdm", "Tsetseg", "Khadris", "Jangar", "Torga", etc. Also took part in the international and all-Russian festivals and contests.

The main storages of material and spiritual culture monuments are the State Museum of Visual Arts, Republic's Palmov Museum of Local Lore. They account for 56.5 thousands of stored items.

The priority in the scientific and exhibition work belong to the local regional studies, ethnic and national culture, folk craftsmanship, items of worship, iconography.

The ethnic originality of the region required new approaches to the traditional cultures of Kalmykia's peoples that fount a way to express this originality through their ethnic cultural centers. Since 1996 and to 2002 Kazakh, Korean, Kaucasus, Slavonic, Armenian ethnic cultural centers have been created in the republic. The work of such centers should become the foundation for civil understanding, peace, tolerance among people of different ethnic backgrounds living in the republic.

The cultural sector employs 2794 men. Among them there is a large number of people whose labor and talent made them deep respect and people's recognition. In the period 1996-2002 132 men were awarded with honored titles and state wards of the Republic of Kalmykia and Russian Federation. Among them: "Honored artists of Russia" V. Vaskin, O. Kikeev, N.Shinyaev, U. Badmaev, V. Ledjinov. "Honored arts worker of Russia" A. Tsebekov. "Honored actors of Russia" L. Kuleshova, A. Badmaeva, V. Tsebekov. "Honored worker of Russia" Kh. Baklanova, G. Erenjenova, F. Ivanov, etc.