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- Ελληνικά
Following the interventions of representatives of the Federation of Cyprus Theatrical Institutions in various media, related to their reactions to the "THYMELI" 2024 Plan, the Deputy Ministry of Culture wishes to note that any revisions to the said Plan were carried out following a joint finding with the stakeholders on the need for a change in the way the Plan is implemented.
It is recalled that a Public Consultation was held for the first time, precisely in order for the Ministry of State to listen to the views and suggestions (both in writing and in person) of members of the theatre community. In addition, face-to-face meetings were also held with stakeholders in the sector, as well as organised groups.
As mentioned during this first Public Consultation, the implementation of this revised Plan for the year 2024 will be re-evaluated, and if additional needs arise, it will be reformulated.
The Ministry of State for Culture informs that the main changes that have been included, based on the suggestions of the stakeholders, are aimed at a more balanced, inclusive, efficient and modern allocation of state resources for the development of the theatre.
Specifically, the amendments were aimed at. [*]Ensure equal treatment of the beneficiaries of the Project. All beneficiaries must be legal entities under private law (non-profit companies, associations, foundations), which are obliged to prove that they have no debts to VAT, Income Tax and Social Security. They are also required to submit audited financial statements for the previous financial year. A 5% bonus has been included for partnerships between bodies and informal groups. [*]Strengthening the theatrical development of the country and, in particular, the production of theatrical performances by theatrical institutions in Cyprus. Therefore, the Plan's grants should be paid on the basis of artistic criteria. [/LIST]
It is stated that, once the evaluation process of the first semester for the "THYMELI" 2024 Plan is completed, it will be clearer whether there is a need for any additional amendments, which will be applied in subsequent calls for proposals of this Plan.
In this case, the Ministry of State, as part of its willingness and intention to communicate and dialogue with actors and individuals in the theatre sector, will come back for further discussion on the provisions of the Plan.
The Ministry of State stresses that the overall framework of sponsorship programmes on offer provides funding opportunities for various cultural schemes. For example, Projects have been announced today under the Culture II Programme, which, under the sub-sector "Theatre", provides the opportunity for informal groups, which are not among the beneficiaries of the "THYMELI" Plan, to apply for sponsorship.
In addition, within the current week, the "Operating Expenditure Coverage Scheme" will also be announced, which will cover operating costs of theatres with permanent accommodation up to 60% of their operating costs, up to a maximum of €20,000.
In conclusion, it is noted that for the "THYMELI" Grant Scheme a significant increase has been foreseen in the 2024 budget compared to last year, which confirms the effort of the Ministry of State to encourage - within its capabilities - contemporary Cypriot artistic creation.
The aim of the Ministry of State is with the "THYMELI" Plan, which is the state plan to strengthen the theatrical development of the country, to give priority to quality artistic proposals - without rejecting new initiatives - to expand the types of theatre that can participate, to achieve accessibility to more citizens, achieving progress, development and cultural education of society.
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