It largely depends on us. Know how to take advantage of opportunities and our strengths and overcome the fragility of the cultural sectors. As well as knowing how to make people understand and convince that culture is not a decorative element of public policies and that it is not a set of marginal activities that have to do only with enjoyment, free time and entertainment. Culture can be a key element in building a better future.
Culture is a right. Culture is not an expense, it is an investment. Culture makes us worthy. It generates self-esteem and social cohesion. But in addition to this, culture is a key element in attracting talent and developing competitiveness in cities, towns and rural areas, and it is a key element that should be incorporated into the innovation of economic activity models to so as not to repeat mistakes of the past and move towards a sustainable and inclusive economy. Beyond the so-called “creative economy” and “cultural industries”, culture is a key driver for enhancing rural development, incorporating value into primary sector activities, innovating in the industrial sector, and developing the world of services in the digital age. We must know how to communicate all this to society, starting with the institutions and the business world.
Despite the complexity of the situation at the end of this pandemic summer of 2021, we are facing two exciting news stories. The announcement by the Department of Culture of the Generalitat headed by Minister Natàlia Garriga that it plans to gradually increase the budget for culture by 2%, which would shorten the distance from other nearby countries. The other good news is the priorities expressed by the Minister of Culture, Miquel Iceta to have the Artist’s Statute, a Law of Sponsorship and Patronage and to advance in the decentralization of the Ministry, balancing its support in territorial terms.
On behalf of the board of the Cercle de Cultura and all the people of the organization, we want to welcome all the people who have become members. The more we are, the more we can do to place culture in a more central position on the institutional, social and economic agenda. The more we are, the better we will build opportunities for the future.
Jordi Pardo
President of the Circle of Culture