In Piedmont there are 104 cinemas which, from January to April 2024, welcomed one million and 722 thousand spectators, equal to almost 12 million in takings. The lion’s share is played by Turin, which is worth 43% of the total.
The numbers
The live entertainment sector (theatre, music, dance and circus) attracts total resources of over 14 million 735 thousand euros to our region. Numbers provided during the comparison between the candidates for the Regionals promoted this afternoon by Agis. The presidential candidates attended the meeting Sarah Disabato (Five Stars movement), Francesca Frediani (Popular Piedmont), Gianna Pentenero (center left). Alberto Cirio (centre right), busy in Brussels, has sent the regional councilor as a delegate Andrea Tronzano.
The requests
One of the major critical issues encountered by the entertainment sector is the excessive distance between the assignment of contributions and their disbursement. “We need alignment – they explained – between the two timescales: at the moment it is a big effort, because it means anticipating resources for more than a year“.
The Triennial Culture Program will soon have to be renewed. For the three-year period 2025-2027 Agis asks – among other things – to strengthen the artistic production of live shows, as well as an adjustment of the resources allocated to the sector and 100% coverage of contributions to all subjects admitted to financing. For cinema the request is to strengthen the Piedmontese cinematographic supply chain, while for circuses and traveling shows the definition of homogeneous rules to simplify the activity in the municipalities scattered throughout the territory.
The debate
The presidential candidates then spoke. Opening the debate was M5S candidate Sarah Disabato, who clarified: “in the last five years the culture tables, which aim to involve regional realities, have not met often: the concertation and planning phase has disappeared“. “The culture – added the five-star exponent – it is a supply chain that creates employment: if you do not allocate certain resources over time, the protection of the world of work is lost“.
And that question of the delay in the disbursement of post-call contributions, Disabato observed: “Specific coverage must be provided, so that financing can start on time“.
Also for Frediani di Piemonte Popolare the “The convening of culture tables needs to be strengthened, especially in the budget forecasting phase, when the disbursement of funds is being defined“. Again on this front, the candidate clarified how necessary it is “resolve some critical issues, including bureaucratic ones. Reporting is another critical issue because it is very tiring and burdensome“.
“I’m here – observed the regional councilor for Productive Activities Andrea Tronzano – to talk about culture and business. The Framework Law on Culture has an approach that we would like to maintain, while trying to discuss it“. “Bringing business and the cultural sector together is a decisive issue, public funds are not infinite: we will try to do it in the next 5 years“.
“Today the cultural system – commented Gianna Pentenero – it is recognized as a value and represents an important production system: we must also take our products abroad“. “Banking foundations – he added – they are complementary to public activity, but cannot replace regional planning“.
