Argentina announces plan to reactivate its culture sector

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Tuesday, August 10, the government of Argentina presented an economic support plan to reactivate the culture sector, one of the most affected by the sanitary restrictions that the country had to adopt in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to official sources, “Activar Cultura” will provide economic support for the reactivation, enhancement, and strengthening of community projects, festivals and live shows, national contests, scholarships, popular libraries, and the audiovisual industry, with an investment of 5.4 billion pesos (some US$53 million).

The program aims to strengthen cultural projects and spaces throughout the country. “The time has come to get going, with all the strength and support that the State has to provide so that cultural activity can quickly recover,” said Argentine President Alberto Fernández at the plan’s presentation ceremony.

The president thanked the representatives of the world of culture for understanding in the face of the health restrictions and for understanding that “death was walking among us” and that care was necessary.

“It is gruesome to be president in a context like the one I had to face. I really don’t wish it on anyone. (…) I have two years of revenge left, and in those two years, we are going to do everything we could not do so far”, said Fernandez, whose government will face mid-term elections next November.

As part of this effort, assistance will be provided to 1,200 organizations that make up the Puntos de Cultura network and to 50,000 artists and workers in cultural activities. In addition, economic support will be provided to 2,448 artisans to promote their products.

In addition, funding will be provided for the production of 79 audiovisual productions, and the “Impulsar Cultura II” program will be reactivated to support live shows.

Nearly 130 festivals will be programmed between November of this year and January 2022, and another one hundred events will be held to reactivate music and theater throughout the country.