THE CITY OF SKOPJE ISSUES NEW CRISIS MEASURES FOR CULTURE

Today the City of Skopje presented measures that meet the requirements of the independent cultural scene – to provide social security and opportunities for cultural creativity for artists who don’t have abiding existential conditions and who lost all of their professional engagements during the state of emergency. “Culture in the Time of Corona” envisions: a relocation of budget means, postponement of capital investments in culture with lesser priorities, guaranteed minimum honorarium for all engaged artists during the crisis, as well as adaptation of cultural programs of all municipal institutions to the new working conditions. On this occasion, Skopje’s mayor Petre Shilegov stated that: “As a candidate city for European capital of culture for the year 2028 – Skopje simply must show that it cares for the home scene, especially for the local unemployed artists in this critical period for their survival. Therefore, we decided to keep the same cultural budged with the purpose of directing our assets to fund people and programs instead of capital investments. As a non-priority investment the planned Amusement Park will be postponed for a year, but already started reconstructions as the one of the Universal Hall and other city institutions will be realized. We are also anticipating budget cuts for international events that are unable to be held due to the closed borders, which will be redirected into projects for national artists and associations. We assure artists and cultural workers that they will not be forgotten and we guarantee to our fellow citizens that even under changed circumstances this year they won’t be robbed of cultural content.”