The Ministry of Culture of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) (Министерство культуры СССР) formed in 1936 was one of the most important government offices in the Soviet Union. It was formerly (until 1946) known as the State Committee on the Arts (Комитет по делам искусств при). The Ministry at the all-Union level was established in 1953 after existing as a State Committee of the Council of Ministers for several years.