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MILLION RECIPIENTS: Kurt Nilsen (left) and Bjørn Eidsvåg. Photo: Robert S. Eik
AP cultural policy spokeswoman Anette Trettebergstuen says she understands the frustration of cultural actors still waiting for help, as millions quickly pour in on Kurt Nilsen and Bjørn Eidsvåg’s Christmas concerts.
– The government should be able to find solutions that help people get help in crisis more quickly. Denmark, for example, has solved this much more easily. Everything indicates that the government has been too slow on the trigger, Trettebergstuen tells VG.
Around 1,500 cultural actors large and small have applied for funds from the Ministry of Culture’s compensation plan, which covers the period from May to August, the period when most of the crown-canceled festivals in Norway would take place.
The deadline was September 15 and not a penny has yet been paid.
Fillerister
At the same time, millions are stepping out of the Ministry of Culture’s stimulus plan, which was not opened for applications until October 23.
Five days later, a satisfied Bjørn Eidsvåg announced that he had applied for stimulation money one day and approved the application the next. The sum: three million crowns.
At the same time, it became clear that Kurt Nilsen’s Christmas tour had received up to $ 13.3 million from the same plan.
REFERENCE RAJA: Anette Trettebergstuen. Photo: Gøran Bohlin
In a Facebook post, AP’s cultural policy spokesperson, Culture Minister Abid Raja, and his ministry.
“I well understand that it causes people great artists to get quick processing of their requests and millions for the Christmas tours,” writes Trettebergstuen.
He notes that a large part of cultural Norway has not made money or received support since April, and that more are on the brink of bankruptcy.
“So it is not surprising that you are cursed when you hear about established artists who earn millions for Christmas tours after record 24-hour procedures,” reports the AP politician, recalling that Abid Raja has promised 1.4 billion for the compensation plan.
Transfer of millions
Both the Norwegian Cultural Council, which administers the plans, and the Ministry of Culture have indicated in recent weeks that the fate of the plan is in the hands of ESA, the EFTA Surveillance Authority.
The reason is that the compensation plan initially had considerably less millions than what had been requested.
The limit was 950 million, while the 1527 applicants in total have requested 1.38 billion.
Consequently, all grants were expected to be reduced by about a third of the application amount.
However, the government found $ 392 million left over from a sports and volunteer plan, which the Storting agreed to transfer to the compensation plan.
However, this transfer must be approved by ESA in Brussels before applications from cultural operators can be approved and money paid.
Treated this week
ESA communications director Jarle Hetland told VG that final notification of the 392 million transfer did not come from the Ministry of Culture until Monday this week.
– We will process it as soon as possible. We hope to make a decision in the middle of the week. It’s been a bit of a back and forth, to make sure everything is okay. So that those who receive support don’t get into trouble later.
The communication unit of the Ministry of Culture confirms to VG that the notification did not arrive until Monday, and that it is the dialogue with the ESA in advance that has taken time.
Trettebergstuen was not aware of the ESA notification until VG was informed.
– If it’s true, then it’s fine, he says.
– But that cultural life should receive this information through VG and not from the Minister of Culture, it is actually a bit sad, but again just a confirmation of how late the Minister of Culture is. The Culture Council has been ready with 1,100 payments for a long time, they say, so we hope that people will have the money in the account before Raja meets for question time on Wednesday.
VG has contacted Abid Raja and asked for comment on the statement.
DISPUTE: Many have reacted to Kurt Nilsen’s Christmas tour by receiving 13.3 million from the stimulation plan. Photo: Frode Hansen
When asked what he thinks about the $ 13 million grant for Kurt Nilsen’s tour, Trettebergstuen responds that he thinks it’s great that parts of cultural life are back in business.
– Of course, we assume that the funds from the incentive scheme go to the entire industry, as far as possible, he says.
– But it is not surprising that a large part of the culture industry, which has been waiting for compensation for many months, is frustrated to see how loose money is if the ministry only wants it.
– Messy process
AP cultural politicians also criticize the process around the compensation scheme, recalling that almost eight months have passed since the crown crisis hit Norway.
– When they choose in October to reallocate funds from sports and volunteering to the field of culture, it stops, because they need a new approval from ESA. This bears witness to a complicated process.
In his Facebook post, Trettebergstuen writes that crisis aid on paper is useless if the money does not arrive.
“If it doesn’t happen soon, soon there will be no cultural life left to stimulate. No one to prepare for next year’s Christmas tours.”
VG has been in contact with the Ministry of Culture since Monday evening, but has not received a comment on the statement from Trettebergstuen or the ministry or Minister Abid Raja.
