The culture of the Silesian Voivodeship is characterised by diversity resulting from the intermingling of different cultural traditions and new forms of expressions presented by modern creators. Our Voivodeship is a multicultural area, shaped by the influences of its residents of Polish, German, Czech and Jewish origin (the history of the region and the social processes in progress are typical for border areas). It is a region of culturally-diversified areas and strong ethnic identity.

The voivodeship has a strong cultural base, consisting of 1,349 cultural institutions and establishments owned by 185 local government units of the Silesian Voivodeship, 18 of which were established by the local government of the Silesian Voivodeship.

Among 18 artistic institutions owned by the local government of the Silesian Voivodeship, there are 3 theatres: drama theatre - Theatre of Silesia in Katowice, musical theatre - Theatre of Entertainment in Chorzów, and opera theatre - Silesian Opera in Bytom. The Silesian Opera in Bytom is the organiser of the Adam Didur Opera Singers Competition, which in 2004 for the first time had an international dimension.

The Silesian Philharmonic is the organiser of the Grzegorz Fitelberg International Contest for Conductors, which was organised for the eighth time in 2007 under the honourable auspices of the President of the Republic of Poland.

Popularisation of the cultural legacy, accompanied by collecting, storing, maintaining and providing access to collections, is part of the statutory activity of all 6 museums of the Silesian Cultural Heritage Centre in Katowice. In addition, museums carry out scientific research and run education activity, as well as organise summer cultural life events and regional and artistic ventures.

The Silesian Library is a voivodeship public library with scientific status. Its role is it to collect, store, maintain and make book collections available to readers. Its collections are part of the National Library Resource. The library also exercises meritoric supervision and serves as an aid to other public libraries in our Voivodeship.

The Cinematic Institution "Silesia Film" operates in the field of cinema culture popularisation. In the organisational framework of the institution, after thorough restructuring of the "Kosmos" cinema, a modern Cinema Centre with the Silesian Film Library was established in Katowice in 2006, and in 2005 the "Rialto" cinema-theatre was modernised.

One of the crucial tasks undertaken by the Silesian Voivodeship is to promote the culture outside the region and the country through presentations of various areas of art, and through international cooperation in this field. This task is fulfilled by the Ars Cameralis Silesiae Superioris Cultural Institution - the Upper Silesian Chamber Art Festival, the only one of its kind in voivodeship local governments. It mainly organises presentations of the culture of our region within cooperation agreements signed with European regions.

Another promoter of our culture abroad is the Stanisław Hadyna Śląsk Song and Dance Ensemble, which in 2003 was awarded the Diploma of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Outstanding Contributions to the Promotion of Poland in the World.