Jacques Chirac and his Influence on French Cultural Policy

The article treats the influence of Jacques Chirac, President of the Fifth Republic, on the French cultural policy during his first and second presidencies. It also analyses the president’s cultural preferences and their reflec-tion in the country’s cultural policy. The main attention is paid to the largest projects for the creation of new cul-tural institutions (The Musée du Quai Branly, Louvre-Lens, Louvre Abu Dhabi), and Chirac’s contribution to the conception of these projects as well as their implementation. The issues of the development of Chirac’s ideas about cultural equality and the so-called “primitive” art and their formation from the time of his leadership as the mayor of Paris to his second presidential term are touched upon. The article analyzes the testimonies of the president’s associates that speak about Chirac’s role in shaping the cultural and political course of his era.