Culture Minister Miri Regev announces first steps • First stage: returning auditions and opening libraries • Second stage - performances up to 100 people

The culture world begins with small steps towards a return to activity: At a press conference convened today, Culture Minister Miri Regev said that it was decided that auditions and rehearsals could be held again, while maintaining physical distance. This is true of dance bands, orchestras and arts schools. Photos on film sets and public libraries will also be opened, with restrictions on the amount of people inside the library to meet the purple character requirements adapted to the Corona days.

Regev also said that the next beat is scheduled for May 17, and hopes to bring it back to museums and heritage centers. She says that if restaurants and more events are allowed to open for up to 100 people, she plans to allow small shows of up to 100 people. "I can't believe we will be back to a crowd of 500 and up so quickly, but we'll start with a smaller audience. We'll bring back the little shows until we get back to normal."

The owner of the Barbi Shaul Mizrahi club in a demonstration in front of the Knesset // Photo: Ronen Hershkowitz

At the press conference, Minister Regev outlined the steps her office is taking to address the severe crisis facing the world of culture due to the Corona. "I thought it was right to represent to the government the demands of the entire cultural industry - not just of artists and creators but of all stage people and everyone who makes a living from this world," said Regev.

"The culture industry pays a heavy price for the Corona epidemic because it is largely financially based on the audience, and it is clear to us that the return of the audience fully to events and halls will require time. Therefore, a unique solution is required. Ministry of Culture to see how the whole industry is helping. "

Regev referred to the importance of culture, both in the moral and the economic aspects. "These areas constitute an economic growth engine that leverages an entire industry - NIS 60 billion per economy," she said. "It's an industry that provides a living for tens of thousands of people." To help cultural institutions deal with the crisis and prevent their collapse, Regev said that the Ministry of Culture has provided state-supported institutions with up to 40 percent of their budget, without demanding reports.

Now, she said, the Office of the Accountant is awaiting a 50 percent advance of the budget as early as May - a step that will give breath to all supported bodies. At the same time, Regev added, the criteria for support will be amended because the sections that deal with the scope of the activity are currently irrelevant.

She said all the festivals that were supposed to be held on Passover would be fully compensated for the losses. In addition, the Ministry of Culture decided to recognize digital activity as a cultural activity for everything, that is, any body that does network activity - will receive money on it as if it is a budgeted activity even if it is not a production with an audience. In addition, cultural institutions received a three-month exemption from paying municipal taxes.

Regev added that a special fund for distressed artists, which currently has NIS 3 million, was set up and that applications can be applied for by May 12. The fund is intended for artists over 40 who have been financially affected by the Corona crisis, and will be required to prove the injury. "I estimate it will benefit about 330-200 artists," said Regev, "and they will receive between ten thousand and twelve thousand shekels."

In addition, the Ministry of Culture is working to create a compensation mechanism for the cultural institutions and to gradually restore the institutions to activity. "Two outlines are due by next week," she said. "The first will work on a formula that will compensate state-eligible cultural institutions, and the second outline talks about returning to normal."

In the meantime, until the return to the routine, it was decided to advance tenders to all the festivals and events of the local authorities and the Ministry of Culture for next year, to create a horizon for creators.

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