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First of all, and following today's decision of the Council of Ministers, I would like to thank the outgoing Chairmen and members of the Boards of Directors of the Cyprus Theatre Organisation and the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation for their overall contribution during their last two years in office.
I would also like to congratulate the new Boards of Directors on their appointment and wish them a successful and productive term of office. I will always be at their disposal. I am sure that our cooperation will be excellent, as we aim in a common direction, which is none other than the development and promotion of our culture.
I am pleased to have this opportunity to inform you that the Ministry of State for Culture is now issuing a communication which informs - following a series of meetings and contacts with representatives of the theatre sector - of the actions it is taking to support theatre productions An increase of up to 50% compared to the same six months of the previous year, distributed proportionally on the basis of the ranking of the selected proposals.
-Our other decision is to support theatres with roofs through a new Operating Costs Coverage Scheme. The new Plan provides for a doubling of the available funding ceiling for theatres with roofs from €20,000 - originally announced - to €40,000. The Plan now covers 80% of eligible costs compared to the provision in the previous Plan which covered 60%. At the same time, new eligible expenditure categories have been added.
The intention and commitment of the Ministry of State is, with the existing means and resources at its disposal, to support quality theatre productions by a wide range of organisations. The guiding principle is to respect and offer equal opportunities to all, without exception, the institutions that represent and undoubtedly contribute to the culture of our country.
Just let me make a few points, which perhaps I should clarify with all that has been heard these days.
- The Ministry of State for Culture fully understands the need for more support for all sectors related to culture, including of course the theatre sector, and is working in this direction systematically, within its budgetary possibilities.
- The funds for our sponsorship programmes for the theatre sector have been significantly increased for 2024 compared to 2023, and with our recent decisions we are trying to support the sector even more. The philosophy of the Ministry of State is through the Thymeli Plan to reward quality theatre productions in a meritocratic and equitable manner, and through the support of other sponsorship programmes to support theatres that have their own home.
- The theatre sector has great challenges, chronic problems, but also a plurality of opinions.
- The Ministry of State, with steady and methodical steps, is proceeding with a short-term and long-term strategic planning for our contemporary culture in general, in order to create a healthy ecosystem that can be viable, based on sustainability.
- Among the actions in this strategic planning are actions towards securing collective agreements for the payment of salaries and benefits to actors, developing audiences in theatres through campaigns and ticket subsidies in order to increase the revenues of theatrical institutions.
- People in culture are fighting a battle to contribute to creativity and art, and for this I want to assure them that the Ministry of State for Culture, and I personally, stand by them as allies and partners.
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