Spanish artists and gallery homeowners demand the discount of Cultural VAT with a “confinement” in numerous museums | Culture | EUROtoday

In the room devoted to Richard Serra on the Reina Sofía Museum, greater than 100 artists, gallery homeowners and collectors sit on the ground surrounded by Equal-Parallel/Guernica-Benghazi, reproduction of the piece that vanished from warehouses with no hint: 4 forgotten 38-ton metal blocks. “The sector is going to disappear just as this piece disappeared,” is heard through the occasion with which representatives of the visible arts as soon as once more demand a discount in cultural VAT (21%).

The occasion they’re starring in comes after the “silence of the Government” and the closing of galleries on February 2. While different sectors and close by nations in Europe “enjoy” a lowered VAT. During the sit-in, they mentioned the charges of some in unison: “Portugal, 6%. France, 5.5%. Italy, 5%.” Meanwhile, the artwork galleries of Spain proceed to be “suffocated,” in accordance with the Consortium of Gallery Owners, which has referred to as this Friday for simultaneous mobilization in numerous museums within the nation beginning at six within the afternoon.

“They are killing us all,” is heard earlier than heading to the courtroom. Guernica, after 10 minutes. The stickers on the protesters’ clothes that learn: “Cultural VAT now,” go utterly unnoticed by guests to the Reina Sofía: “I don’t understand anything,” some exclaim in entrance of Picasso’s work. The indifference of those that stroll by way of the rooms shouldn’t be what weighs, however that of the Government, which has maintained the 21% since 2012 – determined by the then Minister of Finance, Cristóbal Montoro.

The sector has been elevating its declare for years and solely receives the “most absolute silence” from the Government. That is why they shout in entrance of the work thought of the final exile of the Civil War: “Minister of Culture [Ernest Urtasun] resignation and Minister of Finance[María Jesús Montero] resignation.” Until now, no administration, including the current one, has applied the 2022 European directive, according to which each Member State can apply reduced VAT rates (minimum 5%) to cultural goods and services. In this way, Italy applies 5%, France 5.5%, Germany 7%, and Portugal 6%.

“We are not a luxury industry… We are culture,” they declare. The discomfort (or “suffocation”) of the visible arts sector resulting from unequal competitors shouldn’t be new, nevertheless it has intensified this afternoon. Inside the museum, the environment oscillates between indignation and fatigue: “It’s not a market, it’s culture,” they insist. Outside, the town continues its common rhythm. The query is whether or not this time the determined cry will handle to interrupt by way of the institutional partitions or shall be, as soon as once more, diluted a couple of weeks earlier than the subsequent version of ARCO, which can rejoice its forty fifth version.

Last year some gallery owners turned off the lights on their stands for a few minutes as a symbolic gesture. This year, the unknown is what will happen at the event that attracts a select list of international collectors, renowned gallery owners, established and emerging artists, and art professionals. Although it is impossible for the situation to change before the International Contemporary Art Fair of Spain that will be held from March 4 to 8, in which Spanish galleries are at a “clear drawback”, where the work of the same artist can be valued with a difference of up to 16%.

The argument is practical, not ideological. An example that has been mentioned – previously to this newspaper – is that if a Spanish gallery takes an artist to a fair in Paris and offers a work for 10,000 euros net, the 21% VAT increases the final price to 12,100. In France, with 5.5%, the same piece would cost 10,550. A difference of 1,550 euros that can decide a sale. “Anyone who understands that the sector cannot survive with 21% VAT when all the surrounding countries rate transactions between 5 and 8% “are welcome,” says Idoia Fernández, president of the Consortium of Contemporary Art Galleries of Spain.

Almost level with the ground, they hold a banner that reads: “We do not ask for privileges, we ask for equality.” And from time to time they remember that “there are no museums without art, nor a country without heritage.” The rest of the protests also took place at the Andalusian Center for Contemporary Art (CAAC) in Seville (6:00 p.m.), the Valencian Institute of Modern Art (IVAM) and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) (both at 5:00 p.m.).

—Now the place are we going? TO Las meninas? requested one protester as he rose from the bottom.