The social memory and heritage are added to the objectives set for this year from this State portfolio.
Maria Elena Machuca, Minister of Culture and Heritage, mentions that her main mission since taking office was to reactivate the sector that has been hit hard by the pandemic. This with an assigned budget of the Government of $ 16 million.
“We have many challenges and projects for 2022, which I hope to achieve and consolidate.”, assures the minister, whose main mission is the joint work with the country’s municipalities for the socialization of policy guidelines.
“The main axis of this year will be the strengthening of the national culture system, through the socialization of the document of public policy guidelines for the system,” he says.
Another challenge that qualifies as important is the digitization of reserves and archives. “We are the custodians of the memory of the country, and we have our files that are not digitized,” he says.
For this year it plans to launch new promotion lines, which this time will have one for the mobility of artists. “Many are invited to exhibit their works outside, and they do not have that resource for tickets or to mobilize”Explains Machuca, who says that last year almost $ 5 million were allocated in 25 development lines, including the Teatro del Barrio project and the Arts Vivas Loja International Festival.
He also mentions that they will launch another line of promotion focused on working on social rehabilitation with prisons. “We have proven that art is a very strong tool for health and to renew that spirit of people, heal that social fabric, which has been so broken”, maintains the minister.
With regard to the Teatro del Barrio, which it says has an investment “more or less” of $ 1,200,000, from this month some of the 47 beneficiary projects will be launched in 13 provinces of the country (Manabí, Pichincha, Imbabura, Napo , Chimborazo, Guayas, Tungurahua, Esmeraldas, Santa Elena, Morona Santiago, Carchi, Azuay and Galapagos).
“We will monitor these places, to validate and see how it starts, because this is a promotion process that gives them a lift, they are given a push, because these projects already exist in the communities. With this support they can embark on a new path and achieve a more dignified life from culture and art “, mentions.
In other projections for 2022, he exposes the implementation of a cultural showcase “so that cultural managers can make their cultural services, their works known, both in the country and abroad.” Added to this is a catalog of cultural projects for investors, four projects related to heritage, the Eugenio Espejo Prize 2022 and the rescue of social memory in Zaruma.
Among the milestones that stand out from 2021, he mentions the reopening of 18 museums and archaeological sites that had been closed for two years due to the pandemic. “We achieved more than 150 actions, including exhibitions, talks, workshops, book presentations, concerts, among others”, says Machuca, ensuring that these sites in total received 426,000 in-person attendees.
It also mentions a $ 250,000 development line that benefited 50 projects, 25 for handicrafts and 25 for agri-food assets. “From the INPC what we want is not to lose our roots and promote these funds, so that crafts, heritage, are not lost in time”, he asserts.
It also recognizes as an achievement that the Ecuadorian corridor is declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. “It was an articulated work of the INPC, the Museum of the Hall, the Ministry of Culture, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (…) For this participation to emerge, more than 300 people worked in the investigation, ”says Machuca. (I)
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