Culture Minister Pedro Verges announced that funds that in the past have been allotted to the International Theater Festival would be used this year to directly support local theater groups. Verges made the announcement after being criticized by local theater groups for the Ministry’s decision to cancel the long-running festival.
The Festival de Teatro Aficionado Emilio Aparicio is set for May. Verges also announced the start of repair works on the Sala Manuel Rueda at the National Music Conservatory in the Plaza de la Cultura. He said improvements will also be made to the classrooms at the Escuela de Arte Dramático at the Palacio de Bellas Artes.
Verges had made the announcement of the repair last July 2017, but the funds, apparently have not been available until now.
Verges said the International Theater Festival (FIT 2019) and the Festival Nacional de Teatro (Fenate 2019) would both be held in 2019. He explained that the academic part of the FIT 2018 will go on as planned and international drama professors will provide instruction as programmed. He announced the Ministry of Culture is backing new theatrical initiatives in Santiago Rodriguez and Neyba in Bahoruco province. He said the postponing of the event also makes possible to comply with scheduled wage increases for members of theater companies.
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Ministry of Culture
Diario Libre
2 April 2018
