Hundreds of Brazilian artists demonstrated on March 27 outside the Municipal Theatre in Sao Paulo on World Theatre Day to protest against the freezing of funds allocated for culture.
The protesters demanded the unfreezing of the cultural budget, while holding banners reading “Unfreeze culture”.
One protester noted that the cultural protest is one of the biggest of its kind in the country in decades, as artists, students, workers and other social movements rail against the austerity agenda under the neoliberal government of unelected President Michel Temer.
“This event is a cultural protest of all movements, associations, artists and culture workers,” a clown named Charles told Ruptly. “We are protesting to demand that those in power repeal ... cuts in Sao Paulo's cultural sector.”
“This is a great event. It is one of the biggest ones in the last 30 years. We are marching towards the City Hall to unfreeze the cultural budget.”
Earlier this year, Sao Paulo Mayor Joao Doria, a Temer ally, announced a 47.5% cut to the budget designated for culture.
Last year, Temer dissolved the Ministry of Culture, ruling to incorporate it under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education. The move has sparked huge protests from Brazilian artists and creative professionals.
[Reprinted from TeleSUR English.]
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