The Culture and Research Activities Department functions as a governance and professional body in charge of public cultural institutions (16 municipal cultural institutions) and non-profit cultural organisations in Ljubljana Urban Municipality, seeking to provide a creative environment for cultural associations, groups and individuals in the field of art and culture and to stimulate amateur cultural activity. It undertakes research and stimulates the research activities of pupils and students. The Department is also responsible for cultural heritage, local monuments and infrastructure. A tender for co-financing of cultural programmes and projects is issued annually by the Department, together with a bid for research projects and professional and scientific publishing.

Municipal cultural institutions include the Architecture Museum of Ljubljana, Bežigrad Library, the City Gallery, Ljubljana, the City Museum of Ljubljana, Festival Ljubljana, the Municipal Library of Ljubljana (MKL) consisting of 6 libraries and their branches round the city, and the International Centre of Graphic Arts, Ljubljana.