Cultural enterprises have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic. The Brno City Assembly has therefore approved a CZK 4.53 million package of financial assistance for 2021 and 2022, on top of existing subsidies. Photo: Mahen Theater. Credit: KJB / BD.
Brno, Dec 7 (BD) – The activities of cultural enterprises were limited this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in some cases severely. Many of them have appealed to the City of Brno for help, a call supported by the Brno Association of Music Clubs. Today, the city assembly approved a CZK 4.53 million package of financial assistance for 2021 and 2022 for the established cultural institutions of Brno. CZK 3.83 million will be distributed this year, and another CZK 700,000 next year.
“Organisers of cultural events throughout the country suffered at the beginning of this year from the restrictions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic,” explained Tomáš Koláčný (Piráti), Deputy Mayor of Brno. “Until May, their operations were completely closed, after which they began to open, although with limited capacity and in compliance with anti-epidemic measures. The staff of the Department of Culture met many times during the year with representatives of the Brno cultural scene and cultural institutions to find a way to resolve the situation together ”
The aim of the financial support package is primarily to help the established cultural institutions of Brno, which function as cultural centers and also provide work for smaller cultural entities.
“We realize that the disruption in music clubs, theaters, creative centers and other cultural institutions in the first half of the year meant the loss of the strongest months, during which the institutions create a cushion for the usually lower sales in summer months,” said Marek Fišer (Piráti), Brno City Councilor for Culture. “However, the previous year was weak, and after this year’s reopening, the number of visitors is no longer as high as before. Many institutions are also struggling with the departure of workers to more stable sectors than culture, which is then reflected in the quality of productions. That is why we have decided to support cultural institutions beyond the subsidy programs, with a total amount of CZK 4.53 million.”
