Promises 47.1 million crowns – VG

– I am very happy that you are one of the few who have taken the ball to stimulate activity, despite the unpredictable weather we are in now, said Culture Minister Abid Q. Raja when he met Karianne Jæger at Stage Evenings on Thursday afternoon. , the company that manages Folketeateret in Operapassasjen.

Jæger spoke to VG yesterday and spoke about liquidity at the bottom tier due to late processing of cases and lack of follow-through on the government’s compensation and stimulation schemes.

Oslo is particularly hard hit, as all cultural activity has been shut down since early November, which Councilor Raymond Johansen extended Thursday to two weeks in December.

– What is happening now is that you, through the Cultural Council, are quickly paid 47.1 million crowns through four of the six applications you have. I hope it provides predictability and generally will not turn out worse than if I did nothing, Raja said, adding that all local restrictions, such as in Oslo and Bergen, will now be included in national measures and compensation packages. .

Karianne Jæger appreciates the gesture of the Minister of Culture.

– It’s a great starting point. We really appreciate your taking action when we yell loudly and ask for help. And now we can say this to all of our professionals, to all of us who have hired and to all of our subcontractors for whom we are responsible, because we have committed ourselves to them. And that obligation we must fulfill, says Jæger to VG.

It adds that the allocation of NOK 47.1 million means that they can resolve precisely these obligations that they have had since August, and that they can continue to do so.

– We have been afraid of not guaranteeing that we have started, but with this money the world looks different for our athletes – which is the most important of all – and that we will be able to make an offer for the public in the future, he says. she.

Abid Q. Raja says that the ministry, together with the Cultural Council, is now discussing various solutions so that the main cultural bodies in Oslo can organize the performances planned for autumn in January / February 2021, if the infection situation so requires. It allows.

This may mean that “Trip to the Poinsettia” will carry over to January, that is, after Christmas.

Karianne Jæger says they hope to invite the audience to a slightly different edition of “Journey to the Christmas Star”, namely after Jul.

– I want to tell the audience that watching the show in January or February will be enjoyable and a good experience for the whole family, regardless of whether we can meet slowly but surely, he says.

– I also hope that everyone who bought tickets can receive an email saying that “Journey to the Poinsettia” will be set up again – don’t ask for money back, this will be a great experience even after the New Year, adds Abid Q. Raja .

– Oslo, as a closed city, is in a special position; Can you promise that more cultural organizations of the capital will be saved in the same way as the Folketeateret?

– What I can say is that we continually work to find practical solutions to problems that arise. And unforeseen problems, Raja responds.

– We know that there are several players from Oslo who have requests for both the stimulation and compensation scheme and of course we are working to take care of all the players who have ended up in a difficult situation through no fault of their own. For now, we need to have some ice on the stomach to see how they take care of precisely through these schemes that we have done, and if it turns out that you need adjustments in addition to that, then I have always said that we should make those adjustments. , as we do today.

According to Culture Minister Abid Q. Raja, 85 percent of the applicants have already received responses to their requests for the stimulation and compensation plan.