The Tourist Centers have published on their website the bases of the call for "artistic, cultural and educational projects", an ambitious initiative that allocates "one million euros to the implementation of actions proposed by the cultural sector in the spaces created by César Manrique."
The president of the Cabildo, María Dolores Corujo, the CEO of the Tourist Centers, Benjamín Perdomo, and the Minister of Culture, Alberto Aguiar, were responsible for detailing the content of a "public and open" call.
The call, which is managed by the Tourist Centers and the Culture Area, aims to "draw on the experience and knowledge of national and international creators to shape a top-level proposal for all audiences."
"This initiative gives meaning to two of the three pillars of the Tourist Centers, those of Art and Culture, and allows us to continue working to rescue the original spirit of the Tourist Centers, the spirit of Manrique," the president said.
Dolores Corujo highlighted "the collaboration and willingness" of the human teams led by Benjamín Perdomo and Alberto Aguiar, to shape a document with which they want to "contribute to boosting a sector especially hit by the crisis generated by covid-19."
"In addition to being the best showcase to show the relationship between art and nature, being an incomparable leisure offer, the employment they generate and the additional income they represent for the municipalities, the Tourist Centers now focus on art, culture and education so that Lanzarote becomes an island recognized for defending and respecting culture again. We want there to be no talent or creativity on the island that is not valued in this open call," she concluded, encouraging the sector to "present all their ideas."
The CEO of the Tourist Centers, for his part, explained the technical aspects of an open call for "projects from different disciplines, which have a sustainable approach and that value concepts such as equality, inclusion and diversity." Then, a jury "will be responsible for selecting the projects from the battery of proposals that are presented."
Perdomo also pointed out that this call wants to "democratize culture with activities aimed at all audiences." The item will be distributed in 200,000 euros for concerts; 150,000 for exhibitions; 125,000 for the Lanzarote Art Biennial; 75,000 for musicals; 70,000 euros for fairs, congresses or meetings; 65,000 for Dance and 60,000 for the sponsorship of Artists.
Finally, an item of 50,000 euros will be allocated to educational projects and the same amount to the Performing Arts Festival and Folklore. On the other hand, 40,000 euros will be allocated to Cinema.
Benjamín Perdomo also explained that the initiative was born with the vocation of having an "annual character." "The Tourist Centers may adjust the economic amounts assigned to the different areas according to the proposals presented, that is, have a surplus from some areas for the benefit of others," he added.
"This is, without a doubt, one of the most ambitious cultural plans ever launched by the Culture area or the Tourist Centers. Never before has one million euros been allocated to finance new cultural projects. This will not only benefit the sector and the cultural industry, but also the citizens of the island, who will be able to enjoy all the cultural offerings that are generated," said the Minister of Culture, Alberto Aguiar.
"This is also the palpable manifestation that there has never been such a good and close collaboration between the Department of Culture and the Tourist Centers," Aguiar concluded.