The center of cultural life of the rural population in 1985-1991 were houses of culture and clubs, which focused their attention on mass cultural, educational, ideological work, and the organization of leisure. The article analyzes the activities of these cultural institutions like centers of leisure and satisfaction of the cultural needs of the rural population of the Ukrainian SSR during the period of «perestroika». It was established that among the problems of club activities, the following prevailed: a decrease in the number of visitors, especially young people; weak material and technical base of many institutions due to the residual principle of financing culture; insufficient staffing; lack of a development strategy and youth motivation system; outdated methods and planning of cultural work, which reflected individual current tasks, without having comprehensive target settings. The problems of small clubs in small villages were growing. Most district culture houses, despite some positive examples, provided weak methodological and organizational assistance to village workers.

In the context of liberalization, among the ways to renew club work, the principles of self-activity, the expansion of self-government bodies (artistic and methodological councils, initiative groups), the democratization of activities, work with assets, the implementation of paid services, the introduction of targeted comprehensive programs, were considered. However, monitoring the activities of employees of cultural institutions showed the unpreparedness of the majority for qualitative changes in their work. This was prompted by a shortage of personnel, their turnover, low professional level, low wages, and the often indifferent attitude of the village leadership towards the sphere of culture.

The general development of the culture and leisure sector of the rural population of Ukraine showed an increase in problems, which rural cultural institutions tried to mask with «postscripts» and an increase in reporting statistics.

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