MiCultura meets with ASTEP to consolidate efforts to revive Panamanian theater activity

The Minister of Culture, Carlos Aguilar Navarro held a meeting with representatives of ASTEP (Association of Teatologists of Panama) on Monday afternoon, February 8 with the aim of bringing together efforts and work to review aspects related to the social security of artists and economic recovery for this important cultural area.

The meeting focused on several specific issues for the theater sector, including the re-installation of work tables with the Ministry of Housing and Territorial Management (MIVIOT) and the owners of theatres and the creation of links for future meetings with artists and the Ministry of Labour (MITRADEL) with the accompaniment of MiCultura.

Among the commitments made at that meeting by MiCultura are an awareness campaign to promote assistance to cultural centers and theatres by promoting assistance to the rooms, strengthening with the dissemination of theatres and performing art events through the cultural agenda presented at SERTV and social networks once a week.

MiCultura also undertakes to join ASTEP in presenting the Act of the Artist in conjunction with other associations and members of the arts. On the other hand, work will be undertaken to review issues related to the social security of artists.

Additional provision is made for the complete exemption from rental of state theatres to performing art managers or producers. The producer or manager as an inescapable requirement for exoneration will have to conduct the civil liability policy that is a common procedure for rental of theatres, stated Daniel Dominguez and National Director of The Arts of MiCultura.

Both have also agreed to maintain a smooth communication between the work teams, to review specific cases of artists who have been misrepresented and to conduct work tables with continuous and dynamic implementation of agreements.

Both parties will meet again during this week from Thursday to Friday, where Minister Aguilar Navarro will present them with an account to start the work tables for the review of issues and agreements to be implemented, and a meeting with the presidents, secretaries and appointees of the national associations and trade unions, including ASTEP to discuss the issue of Law of the Artist will also be held.

For his part, the regent of the Panamanian cultural portfolio emphasized that, for several weeks, MiCultura has met with different sectors of the country with the aim of talking, talking with actors from all cultural expressions to join efforts and strengthening our support for the artist.