Sam Tanson, Luxembourg's Minister of Culture; Credit: MCULT

Luxembourg's Minister of Culture, Sam Tanson, presented at a press conference on Wednesday several new measures aimed at reviving culture and artistic creation in the Grand Duchy.

The Culture Minister began by stressing the importance of the fact that cultural places that continuously welcome the public, such as libraries and museums, have already been able to reopen as of 11 May 2020. Such places had been forced to close in mid-March in light of COVID-19-related confinement measures.

From Friday 29 May 2020, the next phase of Luxembourg's deconfinement plan, will see theatres, cultural centres, concert halls and eventually cinemas to welcome the public again. The barrier gestures recommended by the Ministry of Health remain in force and other precautions such as the obligation for the public to be seated, advanced bookings and a two-metre distance between spectators must be observed. Large events remain prohibited until 31 July 2020 at the earliest.

Despite the reopening of some cultural institutions, Minister Tanson warned that recovery would be slow and the lasting consequences of the crisis will be felt in the months to come. Aware that the initial aid measures alone can hardly respond to the precariousness experienced in the cultural sector, the Culture Minister gave an update on the new measures aimed at reviving the sector. "It is not a question of simply compensating for a loss, but of sustainably strengthening the cultural sector by providing targeted and structural subsidies," she stated.

The support measures, capped at €5 million relate to the 2020 financial year and are broken down as follows:

  • Compensatory measures for approved structures / associations;
  • Compensation for financial losses resulting from the cancellation or postponement of events or the closure of the institution between 14 March 14 and June 1, 2020;
  • Aid for the revival of culture and artistic creativity;
  • Mission in residence in the annexes of Bourglinster castle for a group of artists for the management and animation of the building over a period of three years;
  • Aid for cultural establishments under agreement with the Ministry of Culture, for the reception of an artist or a group of associated artists in residence for a minimum period of 6 months;
  • Launch of a second call for applications for musical compositions for the 2020-21 season with the participation of eight new partners;
  • Increase of the acquisition budget and call for proposal of works to art galleries for the collection of the Culture Ministry;
  • Support for commissioning the writing of dramatic works for professional theatrical structures in order to encourage them to commission the writing of new original dramatic works;
  • Assistance in researching and mounting new performance formats for artistic teams in the professional performing arts established in Luxembourg in order to encourage them to perform, over the next 36 months, shows that initiate new creative paths and alternative staging formats in accordance with health restrictions;
  • Investment in regional museums and heritage sites for tourism;
  • Support for the investment and upgrading of regional museums;
  • Support for the investment and revaluation of cultural sites with a tourist vocation.

In addition to the development of the recovery plan for the cultural sector, the Ministry of Culture is continuing with the files in progress.

For more details, visit the "Coronavirus - Neistart Lëtzebuerg Culture" section on the Culture Ministry's website: https://mc.gouvernement.lu/fr/dossiers/2020/Coronavirus_Neistart_Letzebuerg.html