President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) signed a new decree to promote culture at the Municipal Theater in Rio de Janeiro, this Thursday (23). The text regulates changes in the law that defines the main cultural public policies in the country, such as the Rouanet, Paulo Gustavo and Aldir Blanc Laws, the last two created to help the sector during the pandemic.
The launch ceremony was marked by the feeling of resumption of the cultural sector in the country after years of dismantling and persecution. In addition to presenting the changes, the decree also revokes acts of the last administration. “May no one ever dare to dismantle the cultural experience of the Brazilian people,” said Lula in reference to the previous government.
The “Act for the Right to Culture, New Development Decree”, this Thursday (23), was attended by the Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes, and the Advocate General of the Union, Jorge Messias.
The new decree brings rules to decentralize the resources of the Rouanet Law, which should expand investments in the Northeast, North and Midwest regions and projects with greater social impact. On stage at Theatro Municipal, the Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes, stated that democratizing access is one of the biggest challenges in encouraging culture in the country.
“The fiscal incentive of the Rouanet Law unfortunately still reinforces a serious inequality that marks our country. Sponsors are still proportionally concentrated in Rio and São Paulo. fundamental to overcome them. The current decree takes sure steps in this direction with devices that aim to mitigate this concentrating bias.
The text, which will be published this Friday (24), provides that cultural promotion laws should contribute to stimulating the diversity of Brazilian society. For this, the new regulation encourages affirmative action for women, black people, indigenous peoples, traditional communities, LGBTI+ and people with disabilities.
The Minister of Culture stated that social participation is one of the hallmarks of Brazilian cultural policy, inaugurated in 2003 with Gilberto Gil at the head of the portfolio. In her speech, Margareth Menezes celebrated a new moment for those who “think and create culture with seriousness and responsibility”.
She also said that the Ministry’s team has the opportunity to carry out “the greatest cultural revolution seen in recent times”. Outside the Theatro Municipal, a crowd accompanied the ceremony on the screen installed in the Cinelândia square. Sponsors of culture from the public and private sectors, and representatives of the artistic class such as Chico César also took to the stage.
Rouanet Law
One of the main changes in the Rouanet Law is the resumption of the National Commission for Cultural Incentives (CNIC), which had its role reduced during the Bolsonaro government. Now, the collegiate returns with the participation of civil society from all regions, including a representative of indigenous peoples and specialists in accessibility.
The measure is considered the most important to strengthen the democratic nature of the body that assesses whether cultural projects are eligible to receive tax incentives. With the new decree, the collegiate will also be able to evaluate the execution of the law and suggest improvements.
According to the Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes, the new guidelines will standardize the transfer mechanisms, follow-up and accountability of cultural actions financed with MinC resources.
“The new decree clarifies the responsibilities of the public administration and cultural agent by simplifying instruments so that everyone involved can focus on what is essential in promoting culture, providing procedural security for everyone. We want to boost our creative power, not criminalize it “, added the minister.
Extinct in the previous government, the new decree also resumes the possibility of annual or multi-annual plans. This allows cultural institutions, museums, orchestras, theater groups and artistic bodies to remain stable for up to four years. Or running ongoing events such as festivals, biennials, fairs.
The Rouanet Law was instituted in 1991 during the Fernando Collor government. Currently, it injects BRL 2 billion into the creative economy, being responsible for sponsoring around 3,500 cultural actions per year. Finally, a BRL 1 billion resource was announced for the Brazilian audiovisual sector and its productions.
Editing: Thalita Pires
