Spain

Last update: February, 2019

The majority of public cultural expenditure in Spain comes from regional and local governments, which together represent 86.2% of public cultural spending (see Table 6). This shows the decentralised nature of the Spanish model in which territorial authorities are assumed to be mainly responsible for financing the cultural sector.

Total public culture expenditure per capita in 2016 was EUR 103.4. By levels of government, the per capita expenditure of the central government (in 2016) amounted to EUR 14.3, and that of the Autonomous Communities and local governments was EUR 22.7 and EUR 66.4 respectively.

The per capita figure varies widely from region to region. Using the liquidated regional expenditure on culture for 2016, the highest amount per capita allocated by an Autonomous Community was Navarre, at EUR 56.6, followed by the Basque Country (EUR 49.1), and Catalonia (EUR 35.9). At the lower extreme were the Canary Islands (EUR 7.3), Aragon (EUR 13.3) and Madrid (EUR 13.5).

In the period 2010-2016, the evolution of per capita public expenditure on culture has been negative, as a result of the economic crisis which has affected cultural budgets on all levels of government. Overall, the expenditure decreased in nominal terms by 30% (and 34.1% at constant prices for 2016). By levels of government, Autonomous Communities had the highest decrease (40.4% in nominal terms, which represents a decrease of 43.9% in real terms), followed by the central government (36.7% and 40.5%, respectively) and finally by the local government (23.7% and 28.2%, respectively). Public expenditure on culture accounted for approximately 0.43% of Spanish GDP in 2016. It has had a negative evolution since 2010 when public spending on culture accounted for 0.63% of GDP. Data on public spending on culture compared to the total public expenditure, which is only available by levels of government, accounted for 0.25 at the central government, 0.58 at the regional level and 4.59 at the local level. All levels of government have had a negative evolution during the period 2010-2016: local government had the highest decrease (0.70 points), followed by the Autonomous Communities (0.41 points) and finally by the central government (0.18 points).

Last update: February, 2019

The data in Table 6 show a high level of decentralisation in public spending on culture. Traditionally, the territorial governments (autonomous and local) account approximately for 86% of government spending in the sector. In 2016, regional and municipal authorities spent a total of EUR 4 137 698 000, of which 25.5% was spent by the regional powers and 74.5% by municipal authorities. The regions spending the highest percentage on culture in Spain were Catalonia (25.2%), Andalusia (14.7%), Basque Country (10.1%) and Madrid (8.2%).

The evolution of public cultural expenditure over the period 2010-2016 shows a decrease of 30% in nominal terms, and 34.2% at constant prices for 2016. This negative trend can be explained by the decline in regional cultural expenditure that amounted to 40.4%, in nominal terms, and 43.9%, in real terms. This is followed by the reduction of central funding, which suffered a decrease of 36.9% (40.7% in real terms), and in local funding that decreased by 23.7% (28.2% in real terms).

Table 6. Public cultural expenditure by level of government, 2010 and 2016

Note: * Provisional data.

Source: Ministry of Culture and Sport (several years) Cultural Statistics Yearbook.

Last update: February, 2019

In 2016, the central government spent EUR 662 627 000 on culture, of which 20% corresponded to current and capital transfers to other levels of government and private actors. Programmes addressing cinema (85.5%), cultural diffusion and cooperation (69.9%), and books (62.2%) concentrated the highest levels of transfers on total cultural spending, contributing the most to the artistic and cultural activities of other levels of government and private actors.

By sectors, the central government in 2016 spent approximately 50% of its resources for culture on the historic and artistic heritage sector, since its area of competence covers mainly the large museums and national monuments. In second place were the resources allocated to cultural diffusion and cooperation at home and abroad, which are particularly important in a country with a high level of internal decentralisation and a firm international commitment to Latin America. With 20.9% of cultural spending in 2016, both programmes are becoming increasingly important in the cultural action of the central administration.

The third largest area of spending was performing arts and music, with 20.1%, and with a clear predominance of music, since the central government is responsible for the national and lyric orchestras. Finally, cinema production (9.6%) concentrates a large part of the resources allocated to the culture industries. The allocation of central government resources among different cultural sectors has remained more or less equal during the last five years.

Table 7: Direct state cultural expenditure and transfers: by sector, 2016 (provisional) in 1000 of national currency

Source: Ministry of Culture and Sport (2018) Cultural Statistics Yearbook 2018.

*    The Domain / Sub-domain are those included in the Cultural Statistics Yearbook 2018.
**  Current and capital transfers.

In 2016, the autonomous governments spent EUR 1 054 331 000 on culture, of which approximately 39.5% corresponded to current and capital transfers to other levels of government and private actors. The expenditure of the autonomous governments was higher (19.5%) in comparison to the expenditure of the central government.

The fields in which the autonomous governments are most active are interdisciplinary spending (32.3%) and historical and artistic heritage (31.5%), which together receives approximately 63.8% of public spending on culture. The volume of spending on heritage relates to its high symbolic value and its importance as a public asset in the development of cultural tourism. In the case of interdisciplinary spending, significant sums are allocated to cultural promotion, diffusion and cooperation and to language policy. In any case, there are large divergences between the various Autonomous Communities. As for the rest of the sectors, performance arts and music spending predominate (22%), given their local importance.

Table 8: Direct state regional cultural expenditure and transfers: by fields, 2016 (provisional) in 1000 of national currency

Source: Ministry of Culture and Sport (2018) Cultural Statistics Yearbook 2018.

* The Domain / Sub-domain are those included in the Cultural Statistics Yearbook 2018.
**     Current and capital transfers.

Last update: February, 2019

The visual arts have traditionally been one of the main recipients of specific measures to support creativity. Resources are available for exhibitions and for the acquisition of artworks through funds made available to public museums. Regional and local authorities celebrate competitions and provide prize money, sometimes retaining the ownership of the winning entries. The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (current Ministry of Culture and Sport), in co-operation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (current Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation), also develops various programmes designed to promote contemporary Spanish artists and their artworks worldwide.

They provide, for example, support for up-and-coming artists to participate in major international biennials. More recently, within the framework of the Culture Plan 2020 of the State Secretary for Culture, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, aims to launch several projects in the period 2017-2020 to promote cinematographic and audiovisual creation and dissemination (such as the platform Nuevos cineastas / New filmmakers and the programmes ICAA-Difusión Cortometrajes / ICAA-Short film dissemination, ICAA-Difusión Documentales / ICAA- Documentary Disemination, ICAA-Difusión Animación / ICAA-Animation Film Disemination). The Ministry also aims to promote contemporary creation in the performing arts and music sectors (such as the promotion of residencies or the establishment of La Farmacia, Centro Nacional de Creación de las Artes Escénicas / The Pharmacy, National Centre of Creation of Performing Arts).

There are also subsidies for symphony orchestras and the performing arts, for both national and overseas tours, which are distributed by the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (INAEM). Aids to this sector, traditionally addressed to theatre, have spread to dance (through the programmes Dance Tour on Stage and Theatre and Dance Circuit by the Network of Alternative Theatres) and to circus and the popular music sector. With project GPS - Turn by Halls, the INAEM aims to provide artists with concert tours outside of their Autonomous Community. This programme, organised by the INAEM, together with the most representative entities of the sector, seeks to improve their level of professionalism and encourage the field of live music.

During the past few years, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport has launched different funding mechanisms in support of theatre and circus programming and cultural communication. These mechanisms were mainly aimed at facilitating new creation, the mobility of artists and cultural operators, and the state character of projects. In 2014, the INAEM, in collaboration with the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces, launched the Platea programme – which is still active today - for the circulation of performing arts spectacles in spaces owned by local entities.

Apart from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, other central government institutions play a significant role in providing support to emerging visual artists and creative workers. An example is the Youth Institute, which reports to the current Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality. The Institute holds a number of annual exhibitions and administers international tours, festivals and programmes with travel and work grants.

At the regional and local levels, support for artists comes from the culture departments of regional governments, provincial assemblies and town councils. In the bilingual regions, support for artists is seen as an integral part of promoting the regional language. The cultural programmes of these Autonomous Communities are frequently based on generic policies in order to encourage local culture industries.

As for the training of professionals in the cultural sector by public administrations, the Andalusian community has created a public school of cultural formation, which offers training in the performing arts and techniques, as well as in cultural management. For its part, the Catalan community has the Business Development Service aimed at the managerial training of cultural companies.

Last update: February, 2019

There are very few specific funds for artists in Spain. One important example is the Cinematographic Protection Fund, administered by the Film and Audiovisual Arts Institute to protect and support the Spanish film industry. The state budget for 2018 provided the Fund with EUR 70.77 million, 110% more than in 2014 (when the Fund decreased to EUR 33.7 million compared to the previous year). The Fund primarily subsidises companies, as aid for scripts or short films can be considered aid to individual artists.

The last reform of the Intellectual Property Act in 2017 (12/2017 Royal Decree Act) implied a deep revision of the so-called "digital canon", aimed at compensating authors for private copies of their work. According to the new system, manufacturers and distributors of equipment and reproduction supports are responsible for these payments.

After a long litigation with the Court of Justice of the European Union and with a strong opposition, the Act for Reading, Books and Libraries, passed in 2007 The Act modified some aspects of the Intellectual Property Act (23/2006) in establishing a levy on the loans made by cultural organisations (such as libraries, museums, archives, etc.). Thus, libraries have to pay EUR 0.2 for each book copy acquired for loan, with an exemption for public libraries of municipalities of less than 5 000 inhabitants (52% of the total of public libraries in Spain) and those integrated in educational institutions. Payment to the authors will be completed through the copyright societies.

Last update: February, 2019

The most common tools for providing support to artists and creators in Spain are prizes and grants. At the national level, the main body responsible for these awards is the current Ministry of Culture and Sport.

The website of the Ministry of Culture and Sport includes a section with information about the latest calls for scholarships, grants and subsidies made by the directorates and agencies of the Ministry. There are also various online media that contain extensive information on scholarships and awards for artists, such as the portals Masdearte, Arteinformado, El Cultural or Fábrica Cultural.

The Culture Plan 2020 (2017)incorporates, as a specific strategy to promote artistic activity, the modernisation of prizes awarded by the Ministry. Specifically, it points to the reform of the legal framework and to its system of dissemination, as well as the integration of co-official languages in the “National Translation Award”.

At present, the Ministry is responsible for: “National Awards” (e.g. Fine Arts, Film and Audiovisual, Books Reading and Writing, Performing Arts and Music, Historic Heritage, Cultural Industries and Bullfighting) aimed at recognising the work of Spanish artists for a year; “Gold Medals for Merit in Fine Arts” in recognition of an outstanding professional career; the “Order of Arts and Letters” in recognition of those who contribute substantially to the international dissemination of Spanish culture; the prestigious “Miguel de Cervantes Award” for literature in the Castilian Language is granted to a Spanish or Latin American writer whose work has contributed to the notable enrichment of the literary heritage of the Spanish language; and the “Velázquez Visual Arts Prize” that awards institutional recognition to a creator whose work stands out and holds special significance in the field of visual arts. In addition to these, the State Secretariat for Culture awards other prizes in the areas of Promotion of Art, Books, Reading and Letters and Performing Arts and Music.

Regarding scholarships, in addition to the traditional ones aimed at broadening professional experience, the Ministry of Culture joined the Halma Network in 2010. This network consists of European literary institutions that helps to connect European cultural and literary scenes. With the aim of spreading Spanish Literature abroad and supporting Spanish writers, the Ministry provides a residency of two-months in European literary centres to Spanish writers.

Last update: February, 2019

Although there is no stable government support for artist associations or unions, they can apply for annual subsidies channelled through sector-specific aid programmes. Thus, many professional associations apply for aid from the State Secretariat for Culture (Cultural Industries). This aid is aimed at encouraging cultural action and promotion (support to non-profit entities) in order to increase the professionalisation of cultural and creative industries and their capacity to generate jobs. It also promotes training and the integration of sectoral professional associations with cultural networks. There are other active programmes, for example the aids by the National Institute of Performing Arts and Music to national associations, federations and confederations to develop theatre and circus activities with national or international projection.