House of People's Arts

in the USSR, a state cultural institution providing organizational, methodological, and artistic guidance to amateur artists in state club institutions (palaces and houses of culture, clubs, and parks of culture and recreation). Houses of people’s arts are under the jurisdiction of republic ministries of culture, krai and oblast administrations of culture, and other similar agencies. In 1970 there were 175 houses of people’s arts in the USSR; the largest is the N. K. Krupskaia Central House of People’s Arts, which was set up in Moscow in 1936.

Houses of people’s arts help to select the repertoire for nonprofessional artists and provide methodological guidance and consultation. They promote the development of all genres of people’s art and establish close relations between professional and amateur art. Houses of people’s arts organize the selection, recording, adaptation, and use of works of local folklore by amateur artists. Along with research institutions of culture and art, houses of people’s arts contribute to the preservation and development of the best traditions in people’s art and help public education agencies and Komsomol organizations to develop children’s and adolescents’ amateur talents. Courses are given to raise the qualifications of cultural workers. Houses of people’s arts hold seminars and conferences on amateur art and organize festivals, shows, contests, exhibitions, and popular theatrical fetes.