In the Colombian capital, the organization of concerts and mass events not only implies artistic talent and technical production, but also a complex route of legal and administrative procedures. Each show that congregates crowds must meet strict requirements established by the district, whose main objective is to guarantee the safety of the attendees and public order.
The Suga: The heart of the authorization process
It all begins with the single management system for the registration, evaluation and authorization of public agglomeration activities (SUGA), created through District Decree 599 of 2013. This system centralizes the necessary procedures to obtain the permission to carry out mass events in Bogotá.
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The organizer must enter the SUGA Virtual Virtual Window, where the application lies with at least 10 business days in advance. This application must include key documents such as:
* Emergency and contingency plan.
* Capacity of capacity.
* Temporary infrastructure design.
* Safety and first aid protocols.
* Mobility and accessibility concepts.
* Environmental and health authorizations.
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Once the application is based, the district entities – as Idiger, Ministry of Health, Firefighters, Police, Mobility, Culture and Environment – issue technical concepts that evaluate the viability of the event.
Bogotá concerts
Istock
Complementary national regulations
At the national level, Law 1493 of 2011, known as the Public Show Law, regulates the scenic arts events. This law requires registration in the Plenep (Single Portal of Public Shamers of the Performing Arts) and It establishes a 10 % parafiscal contribution on the ticket office, aimed at strengthening the country’s cultural infrastructure.
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Decree 1276 of 2020 simplified some procedures, allowing annual records for cultural scenarios and reducing the number of entities that must issue technical concepts.
Once the event is approved, the authorities carry out inspection, surveillance and control actions (IVC) during their execution. Any breach can lead to sanctions, Suspension of the event or even cancellation, as recently happened with the Kendrick Lamar concert in Bogotá.
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The district authorities insist that organizers should avoid leaving the procedures for the last moment. Although the legal minimum is 10 business days, it is recommended to start the process in advance, especially for high complexity events.
Valentina Delgadillo Abello
Portfolio journalist
