“This is an unprecedented investment in the cultural sector, which we can safely call historical,” Jambon announced his recovery plan in The standard. He is allocating 100 million euros for infrastructure works, money that will go to a new museum site in Bruges (27.2 million euros). Project subsidies for artists and smaller organizations – more than halved with much protest last year – will be increased again to 9 million euros. The Flemish Audiovisual Fund can invest ten million euros in new films over the next three years. Jambon’s recovery plan thus comprises a total of 167 million euros in one-off impulses.
For the cultural sector, the recovery plan is primarily a historically missed opportunity. “This is not a recovery plan,” says Tom Kestens of Crisis Cell Culture, which defends the interests of the arts and culture sector. “The fact that project subsidies are being withdrawn is the only positive thing about this plan.” The crisis cell is particularly baffled that Jambon is putting so much money into infrastructure and bricks. “Those projects were already registered to be carried out within a few years, but are now just being pushed forward,” says Kestens. “But we are literally told that the Flemish economy revolves around the construction sector. If it runs well, the cultural sector will also benefit from it. ”
According to the Crisis Cell, the money should primarily be invested in the people and cultural organizations, because many of them are on their toes. Money is needed for them to survive and make new projects. “Has the minister already thought about how our sector will have to plan and produce, let alone present, these projects during this one and a half years of relative standstill, with limited and varying public capacity?”
Tomorrow there will be a hearing in the Flemish Parliament on the recovery plan. The Crisis Cell will once again unveil the plans it explained to Jambon earlier. “They are much more concrete and more necessary for the sector now.”
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