Socio-Geographical Analysis of the Territorial Organization of the Cultural Sphere in the Odesa Region

Problem Statement and Purpose. At the present stage of development of Ukraine, the issue of spatial organization of the cultural sphere is becoming particularly important in connection with the implementation of administrative and territorial reform and the decentralization of power. However, this is accompanied by uneven financial capabilities, staffing and management experience, which deepens territorial imbalances and threatens to marginalize cultural life in rural areas. The purpose of the article is to identify spatial features of the organization of the cultural sphere in the Odesa region in the context of decentralization. Data & Methods. In the process of studying the territorial organization of the sphere of culture of the Odesa region, a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach was used, combining quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis, taking into account the spatial, social, institutional and functional characteristics of cultural infrastructure objects. The methodological basis of the study was the provisions of social geography, in particular regional, social and cultural geography, as well as the conceptual foundations of the spatial organization of social infrastructure. The information base consists of official statistical data of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the results of expert assessments and the current regulatory framework in the field of cultural policy and decentralization. Results. In the Odesa region, the cultural infrastructure is heterogeneous in its spatial location, which causes a significant differentiation in access to cultural services. One of the most problematic aspects of the spatial organization of the cultural environment of the Odesa region is the situation in rural territorial communities, where the cultural infrastructure is in a state of stagnation or even decline. In addition to the physical decline of infrastructure, the problem of personnel support is acute. In many villages, there are not enough qualified cultural workers, in particular librarians, circle leaders, and existing employees usually have non-core education or non-systematic training. A separate threat is the lack of digital and technological modernization. The typologization of the cultural infrastructure of the Odesa region by administrative-territorial units of the second level (districts) revealed a clearly defined territorial differentiation in the availability and quality of cultural services for the population. There are 3 levels of providing administrative districts with cultural infrastructure. In each of the districts, cultural institutions are allocated for the main ethnic groups. Thus, the socio-geographical analysis of the cultural infrastructure of the Odesa region revealed its high polarization, significant territorial differentiation and systemic challenges that require a comprehensive regional cultural policy focused on integration, equal access and innovation of the cultural space.