The President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes, presented on Thursday night (23), at the Municipal Theater of Rio, the new decree that regulates cultural promotion in the country. The text, to be published this Friday (24), establishes rules and procedures for the laws of direct cultural promotion (Law Paulo Gustavo, Lei Aldir Blanc, Cultura Viva), indirect promotion (Law Rouanet), and other public cultural policies , defining objectives and beneficiaries.
In her speech, the Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes, stated that the decree “harmonizes” rules on culture in force in the country. “The decree harmonizes the rules that were previously a patchwork quilt, bringing together the best of the Procultura bill, the Marco do Fomento à Cultura bill, the Cultura Viva program and the Paulo Gustavo and Aldir Blanc laws” .
The Paulo Gustavo and Aldir Blanc laws deal with the release of resources to help the cultural sector after the area was heavily hit by the covid-19 pandemic. The Aldir Blanc Act provided for annual transfers of funds to states and municipalities for actions in the cultural sector.
The Paulo Gustavo Law, on the other hand, also helps states and municipalities implement emergency actions to help workers in the cultural sector harmed by the pandemic. The Rouanet Law, in turn, allows companies and citizens to financially support cultural actions and, in return, deduct part of their Income Tax.
The development concepts presented in the decree will serve as a basis for the standardization of mechanisms for transferring resources, monitoring and rendering accounts of cultural actions financed with resources from the ministry. The decree also defines different forms of support for awarding scholarships, from tax incentives to reimbursable financing, from projects to ongoing actions.
“The new decree clarifies the responsibilities of the public administration and the cultural agent, simplifying instruments so that everyone involved can focus on what is essential in the promotion of culture, providing procedural security for all”, added the minister. Margareth Menezes also highlighted that the National Culture System will be strengthened as the fundamental instance of the country’s cultural policies.
Lula spoke little at the event. She explained that her throat was not feeling well and she needed to preserve it for appointments in China, where she will be traveling in the next few days. But she added: “I came here to tell you that culture has truly returned in our country and that no one dares to dismantle the cultural experience and cultural practice of the Brazilian people anymore.”
Decree
After the publication of the decree, the Ministry of Culture (MinC) will have up to 30 days to edit the Normative Instruction necessary for compliance with the new rules, bringing the detailed procedures for presenting, receiving, analyzing, homologating, executing, monitoring, and evaluating results of funded projects.
* collaborated with Douglas Corrêa, reporter for Agência Brasil
