Theatremakers take to the sea to protest subsidy cuts

Some 250 theatre people – from directors to actors to stage hands – took to the sea at Ostend at the weekend to protest cuts in subsidies recently approved by Flemish culture minister Sven Gatz.

The protest (pictured), organised by the group Hoogtijd and including those involved in the Ostend festival Theater aan Zee, is in opposition to Gatz’s decision to cut off subsidies for many small groups and institutions and to reduce subsidies for many others.

Of the 129 groups that applied for subsidy and received a double-positive review from the advisory committee – one for their artistic project and one for their business plan – 79, or 61%, will receive no subsidy at all. Of a total €3.15 million in subsidies recommended by the committee, Gatz will pay out only €1.34 million.

The minister’s policy note stressed the importance of small, innovative companies in recruiting new and young talent to artistic practices. In practice, however, the lion’s share of subsidies are going to the large cultural institutions, Hoogtijd said, to carry out for themselves the recruitment role once fill by the smaller artistic groups.

Gatz has invited members of Hoogtijd for talks in September. Yves De Pauw of Hoogtijd said that he would be raising the issue not only of the subsidies, but also the lack of transparency surrounding the decision. The deadline for the next rounds of subsidies for the 2017-21 period is 1 October.

Photo by Filip Claus/Hoogtijd