Almost a year ago, the literary dialogue space “Habitar el mundo” was inaugurated. A place of reflection that sought to bring culture and horizontal debate closer to the population of La Palma, giving visibility to young creators from the Canary Islands (and especially from the island). An event that, from love and care, sought to build a space of affection and resistance in which to think about issues that challenge us as individuals of this home called the world. But after holding a total of eight meetings and having the participation of artists such as: Daniel María, Miguel Villalba, Yeray Barroso, Manu Echeva, Beatriz Morales, Aida González Rossi, Esmeralda Rodríguez, Luis Miguel Machín Martín, Ferchos, Marcos Dosantos, Sara Pérez and Echedey Medina, I regret to announce that, in principle, it will not continue to be held this year.
However, before closing this chapter, I would like the reason for this decision to be made public because I think it allows us to reflect on the possible difficulties we encounter when it comes to carrying out artistic and cultural projects. Often, ordinary people, as omnipresent spectators, assume that events are not held or are not held because we do not want them to be held and this assumption, at least in this case, is not true. Because finding support to carry out cultural events is becoming increasingly difficult.
The world of art and culture has always been considered the ugly duckling, a reality that has been built on an imaginary of “lazy people and crooks” who try to live off the story and the money of the State through public aid. But the reality is that funding in culture by the General State Administration amounts to 0.07% of GDP (according to the Yearbook of Cultural Statistics 2023). I think that shedding light on this data may allow us to understand that the world of culture is not the great beneficiary. An issue that should not surprise us at a time when consumption and productive roles (related to wage labor and the generation of income and recognition) are prioritized. It is clear that a meeting with regional artists (and, moreover, young ones) is not going to give the same financial return as any gastronomic fair or multitudinous festival. We are not interesting because we do not give money. Culture has always been related to a more reproductive role, with social activities that, in our neoliberal and capitalist society, do not have the expected reward.
The truth is that “Habitar el mundo” has been taking place for almost a year with virtually no institutional support, and I am not just talking about the financial level. Because support also means being there and taking part in small events, taking an interest in possible needs and providing the necessary tools to encourage citizen participation so that new projects do not tend to disappear. “Habitar el mundo” has been taking place without funding and the people invited have been generous enough to participate in a project completely free of charge, as I have done as coordinator. But organizing, directing and creating any cultural (or other) space for the love of art, as Bourdieu would say, has a personal and emotional weight that cannot be sustained for too long (at least without help).
That said, I don’t want to sound negative, and it should be noted that there have been entities and people who have collaborated with kindness and affection, without receiving any kind of financial compensation, only with the firm commitment of wanting to help. I would like to thank all the participants, the Royal Cosmological Society and its president Nacho Pastor, Victor Yanes and his work of dissemination in La Palma thinksto Esther and the newspaper La Palma Now.com And finally, to the Ítaka Bookstore and to Javi, to whom I will always be eternally grateful.
I think that all this selfless help is what we should take with us. Because at least for me it gives me hope to continue building together. Nowadays, I think it is difficult to find initiatives where people move voluntarily and altruistically to create a better society. But there are and there will continue to be, at least as long as art exists and there are artists. Because that is the great work of art and culture: to create community and build history for when we are gone.
Because when I die, I won’t care how much money I’ve earned or how much savings I’ve left behind, but I hope to be remembered through the poems I’ve recited, the paintings I’ve painted, or the hands I’ve extended. Because when culture is lost, what will remain is the emptiness of a meaningless life. A land we won’t recognize as home, only dust on which to continue producing and spending.
Here is a question that reflects the challenges of cultural projects in the Canary Islands, specifically focused on the importance of funding:
The Challenges of Cultural Projects in the Canary Islands: A Reflection on the Importance of Funding
The Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago located off the northwest coast of Africa, are known for their rich cultural heritage and stunning natural beauty. However, despite their cultural significance, the islands face significant challenges in supporting and promoting cultural projects. The recent cancellation of the literary dialogue space ”Habitar el mundo” on the island of La Palma is a case in point.
The Importance of Cultural Projects
Launched almost a year ago, “Habitar el mundo” aimed to bring culture and horizontal debate closer to the population of La Palma, giving visibility to young creators from the Canary Islands. The project’s goal was to create a space for reflection and debate on issues that challenge individuals in the modern world. Despite its success, with eight meetings and the participation of renowned artists, the project will not continue this year.
The Difficulty of Securing Funding
The cancellation of “Habitar el mundo” highlights the difficulties of securing funding for cultural projects in the Canary Islands. The assumption that cultural events are not held because organizers do not want to hold them is often far from the truth. In reality, finding support for cultural events is becoming increasingly difficult. The lack of funding is a significant obstacle, with cultural projects often struggling to compete with more lucrative events such as gastronomic fairs or multitudinous festivals.
The Limited Funding for Culture
According to the Yearbook of Cultural Statistics 2023, funding in culture by the General State Administration amounts to a mere 0.07% of GDP [[3]]. This limited funding reflects the low priority given to cultural projects in Spain. The Canary Islands, in particular, face significant challenges in securing funding for cultural projects, with regions such as Valencia, Castilla-León, and the Canary Islands having a GDP per capita above 75% of the EU average[[3[[3[[3[[3