Greece’s Minister of Culture Announces Artist Support Plan

Greece’s Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni has announced a plan for the support of the culture sector, artists, and workers affected by the restriction measures during the coronavirus pandemic.

In her announcement the minister said archaeological sites will open May 18th, Ms. Mendoni also pointed out her ministry’s goal of keeping the sector active and forward-thinking.

The minister announced that rehearsals and film shootings will recommence and that open-air cinemas will open starting June 1st. Then on June 15th, the plan is to open museums, the Athens and Epidaurus Festival,, and various outdoor events.

Minister Mendoni also announced the extension, under certain conditions, of the €800-euro special monthly income support retroactively to artists and employees in the Culture sector, whose contracts ended prematurely.

There will also be an artists’ registry created for the first time, in order to make it easier to set up political and financial tools. The minister had this to say about the new move:

“It is the first time that the real forces of culture will be recorded with transparency so that the establishment of political and funding tools will become easier and more effective.”

The pandemic has highlighted some structural problems in the culture sector and one of them is undeclared work, according to Ms. Mendoni.

Restrictions to half the spread of COVID-19 forced citizens to remain in their homes unless pre-permission was granted via text message. Those restrictions were lited last Monday. Today, some retail shops were allowed to open, which added a new feeling of a return to normalcy.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis released a video he posted on Facebook page which showed him walking and rubbing elbows with shopkeepers in the streets of Athens.