A day without culture
Over 250,000 professionals from the entertainment industry are taking part today in a general strike organized by the unions of Slc-Cgil, Fistel-Cisl and Uilcom-Uil against the cuts to 2011 Budget Law. Concert halls, cinemas, circuses, theatres and film sets have all been shut down for the day.
This morning an assembly will be held in Rome by entertainment industry representatives, who are asking for the recovery of state monies through the Entertainment Industry Fund (FUS), which has been reduced to €288m (in 2008 it was at €450m), the restoration of tax incentives and a stop to the delocalization of film and television productions abroad.
Minister of Culture Sandro Bondi has reaffirmed his commitment to "obtaining a extension of the tax incentives for cinema, a liberal measure that that does not weigh upon the Treasury has a positive effect on the economic development; and the necessary recovery of FUS funds, in order to not fall below current levels of cultural offerings, which are already insufficient." It does not appear that the government will listen, however.
(Translated from Italian)
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