Orchestras of La Serena, Valparaíso, Maule, Concepción, Valdivia and Temuco fear they will suffer cuts of up to 20% of their budget for 2021.
Culture in Chile is on arid and brittle terrain, after the announcement made by the Government of Sebastián Piñera about the decrease in the budget of said area for 2021. Under this slogan, the different actors related to this area have united to raise their voice against the reduction in the amount assigned by the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage (MINCAP).
The current context and the difficult situation that the pandemic has brought about has deepened this fight, since the Network of Regional Professional Orchestras, - which since 2016 have been financed by MINCAP's National Budget Glosa - will have their work strongly affected during the future seasons, and the same fate awaits Cultural Organizations and Institutions such as: Theaters, Cultural Centers, Museums, Network of Public Libraries, Creation Centers (CECREA), among others.
That is why the University of La Serena Symphony Orchestra, aligned with the Marga Marga Orchestra (Valparaíso), Maule Classical Orchestra, Concepción Symphony Orchestra, Valdivia Chamber Orchestra and Temuco Philharmonic Orchestra have joined forces to defend their budget and highlight the work they have maintained during this health crisis, without forgetting the long journey it has taken to build musical, artistic and training projects from regions without the contribution of the State.
During his speech before the Culture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, the Executive and General Producer of OSULS, Cristian Monreal Cortés, emphasized that since 2008, with the creation of the Competitive Program for the Development of Regional Professional Orchestras, he generated “a great progress to strengthen and promote the projects of regional orchestras, which until that date had been struggling to maintain quality cultural activity, but unfortunately with notorious job insecurity. Starting in 2016, after incessant efforts, a budget gloss was created, which allowed us to take a great step in the professionalization of our institutions, bringing with it a strengthening in the workplace and regional cultural impact.”
The OSULS is recognized in the territory and in the country as the Professional Orchestra and Cultural Heritage of the Coquimbo Region, which collects the legacy started in the 50s by the remembered maestro Jorge Peña Hen; It was formed in 1993 as a university teaching group that currently has 33 interpreters trained in regional, national and foreign universities. All selected by public competition.
“Our musicians, technicians and administrators have opted for our projects, entering with high standards of public competition, which directly benefits the community by receiving quality shows and also educational programs of the highest level. Our human teams improve their work every year, reflecting in the great contribution to social cohesion through cultural inclusion for the comprehensive development of our regions. This important annual financial contribution by the Ministry is essential to maintain a stable body, a powerful musical and educational lineup in each area, and which would be impossible to do without this financing," Monreal highlighted before the Culture Commission.
The announcement made by the Government establishes the possibility that the Network of Regional Professional Orchestras will suffer a budget reduction of 10%, 15% or 20% of what was received in 2020. This will have a serious impact that will be reflected in possible separations; since the stable body of the 6 orchestras has more than 227 workers and to this must be added, depending on the program to be presented, the hiring of national and foreign guest musicians, soloists and conductors; in addition to all the services that are necessary to carry out each of the committed activities.
Another of the great fears is based on the artistic, training and territorial extension offer that will be affected by the cut in resources; because these programs generate more than 321 annual activities divided into seasonal concerts, educational concerts, territorial extension, talks, master classes, among others; reaching more than 365 thousand people throughout the country, without considering the Metropolitan Region. As they have pointed out in their public statement: “Although these resources are not optimal, they have allowed us, among other things, to maintain a stable professional cast; produce high-quality artistic seasons; form and develop children's and youth orchestra projects; invite great conductors and soloists; deserve the recognition of our peers and win the transversal applause of different audiences and generations”, extending a call for the authorities to reverse said budget reduction.
Mario Cabrera, Manager of the University of Concepción Cultural Corporation (CORCUDEC) and one of the spokespersons for the 6 orchestras along with Cristian Monreal, told 'La Discusión' that “the budget received by these six groups corresponds to the budget of an institution. culture of Santiago, and that seems unfair to us, that the professionalism of the regional orchestras is once again cut and affected,” he concluded.
While the discussion on the cultural budget for next year lasts, affected entities and organizations will continue to work together to reverse this situation: #Noalarebajaencultura2021, #Sialacultura and #OrquestasRegionalesProfesionales
Written by Camila Pérez, OSULS