Central level

The central government is responsible for:

• The legal framework;
• External cultural policy;
• The protection of heritage of national relevance;
• The listing of cultural heritage;
• The protection of cultural goods;
• Artistic tuition, including the classification of schools, control over the activities and pedagogic functioning, competence in the field of higher education and diploma award;
• Libraries, including state libraries, national libraries, university libraries, specialised libraries;
• National museums;
• National archives, and
• Preventive archaeology (in coordination with local authorities)
• Implementing national plan for artistic and cultural education[1].

Regional and intermediate level

Regional authorities are responsible for:

• The protection of cultural heritage and monuments;
• The organisation and funding of regional museums;
• The conservation and enhancing of regional archives;
• The organisation and funding of the initial years of artistic vocational training.

Intermediate level

Departmental authorities are responsible for:

• The protection of cultural heritage and monuments;
• General inventory of cultural heritage (when delegated by the regions)
• Departmental archives;
• Departmental museums;
• Central lending library, and
• The departmental scheme of development of artistic training in the field of music, dance and drama.
• Preventive Archaeology
• Delivery of national policy measures and activities.

Local ​level

Municipal authorities are responsible for:

• Artistic teaching schools;
• Municipal archives;
• Municipal museums;
• Music academies, and
• Lending libraries.

Responsible ministries/bodies

Ministry of Culture

Sources

Code de l'Education [Code of Education], Article L216-2.

Code du Patrimoine [Code of Heritage]

Code général des collectivités territoriales [General code of Local Authorities], Articles L4221-1, L216-2. 

Culture Ministry portal. 

Ministry of Culture Budget 2019

[1] Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles (DRAC)