Government expenditure in recreation and culture will decrease by more than 18% a year over the next three years. Given this news, it is interesting to note that the arts and culture budget document is kept relatively free from gloomy scenarios in favour of the affirming language of transformation, promotion and support that we’re accustomed to.
The set objectives are predictably laudable: arts and culture are to be further promoted for social cohesion (this involves sustaining existing national holidays and festivals while promoting some new ones); cultural industries are to be supported (everything from craft to making movies and building township audiences); linguistic diversity will be promoted; the heritage sector will be transformed further (new hearings about name changes will end late this year); libraries and heraldry will be developed (new coats of arms are to be instated in time for the World Cup); and the build-up to the World Cup will begin in earnest.
In preparing for 2010, the government intends spending money now in order to leave behind a lasting legacy. Expenditure aside, over the medium term the government also intends to “reprioritise” in order to implement efficiency savings of R85,5-million.
Figures ranging into tens of millions are cited here and it’s not entirely clear where the nips and tucks are going to happen, except for a suggestion that from 2011 to 2012 goods and services in all programmes will have to cut back R15,3-million from travel and subsistence and catering costs. So, in two years’ time expect less official snacking.
More is to be spent on Freedom Park (R374-million has been spent already) — and this year the place will be basically operational. Public entities, meanwhile, will be secured and made disabled friendly.
Each programme contains millions of rands’ worth of cost-containment measures and phrases forewarning belt-tightening keep cropping up — phrases like, “Growth over the medium term is expected to be more moderate”, or “slower”. It seems like it may be a bumpy ride from 2009 and onwards for arts and culture.