State subsidies in culture are an ambiguous thing / Article / LSM.lv

State subsidies in culture, including music, are an ambiguous thing, the musician Gundars Račs said in an interview on the LTV program “One on One”, emphasizing that he wants to work for himself and not receive support from the state.

At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and the related restrictions, the Rach company did not request compensation from the state. Turnover fell.

However, he acknowledged that he might not have qualified at all. In addition, there are significant disagreements with the Minister of Culture regarding the principles of support.

“We believe we need to support those who are real players in this business, who employ others, pay higher taxes and are bigger losers,” Rach said.

At the same time, he stressed that he does not want anything from the state, but wants to work for himself. “Everything I fight for and my friends and comrades so that we have the opportunity to work ourselves and not have to ask for anything from the state,” the musician added.

He knew how to tell that book publishers are heavily dependent on state financial support and that poetry books are often published with the support of the Culture Capital Foundation. “When they get on the shelves next to my book, which I paid for myself, I have a bit of a feeling that we have unfair competition. (..) This subsidy in music and culture is ambiguous, ”said Račs.

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