Government will grant funds to support artists and cultural activity

The government will grant special funding to support artists and cultural activity, Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou told CNA.

He said the aims to set up an advisory committee with personalities from the wider culture scene to prepare the Deputy Ministry of Culture.

The Minister was responding to artists and workers from the culture field who have signed an open letter to the minister to support culture.

Prodromou held a teleconference on Wednesday with professionals from all aspects of arts and culture where he informed them of the institutional framework to recognize the status of artists.

The bill, said the Minister, is at its final stage and will be promoted the soonest.

Prodromou informed participants on the decisions taken to fully exploit the existing budget, by readjusting specific programmes and actions to support cultural activity during the coronavirus crisis and to ensure that everyone will resume work once everything is over.

Prodromou said that they will use the general employment scheme implemented by the government because it covers 240 thousand workers, adding that the government will also support with a special funding, artists and professionals of the creative industry and cultural activity, not covered by the general scheme.

He said this will be assistance similar to the one the government gave to students who remained overseas during the coronavirus crisis.

Regarding the creation of a Deputy Ministry of Culture, Prodromou said that it has stalled during the coronavirus pandemic.

Regarding the recent teleconference held with his European colleagues, Prodromou said that the possibilities for the state to have access to special programs and funding for cultural purposes are bigger.