Artists Protest Low Budget: Demand Higher Pay and Cultural Funding

People within the art sector staged a protest outside the Council of Ministers, pressing for increased pay and a substantial boost in the cultural budget for the upcoming year. Demanding an audience with Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov and the Minister of Culture, the protesters are vocalizing their discontent, with chants urging the Prime Minister to address their concerns. The tense situation is underscored by their resolve to march to the Ministry of Culture if their demands aren’t acknowledged promptly, where they hope to engage at the level of a deputy minister.

The protest, organized by trade unions representing actors, film directors, musicians, artists, and dancers, centers on the need for enhanced compensation and a more robust cultural budget. Their rallying cry, "A nation without culture is a nation without a future," highlights their mission to secure greater recognition and support for the cultural sphere.