Pedro Adão e Silva wrote this Sunday a kind of farewell letter with conclusions about his performance as Minister of Culture, which lasted two years.
“It was a period in which we worked with two main objectives: to provide greater predictability and consistency to the sector, and to democratize access and participation in cultural life. We had a decisive instrument, which was the reinforcement of the financial allocation, with translation and benefit in all areas under the Ministry’s jurisdiction”, wrote Adão e Silva.
These are its main hallmarks: “The profound reorganization of the management of museums and cultural heritage; the consolidation of competitions, both in support of the arts and in the choice of artistic directors for national theaters; the review of the Statute of Cultural Professionals, in order to make it effective; the creation of conditions more conducive to the patronage participation of private individuals; investing in networks as a mechanism to deliver cultural offerings to the entire country”.
In his report, the former minister said that “Portugal is today a more plural country and, therefore, richer than in the past. Artistic creation and cultural offerings are a good measure of this diversity. The greatest privilege I had, as a minister, was to witness the enthusiasm of creation and come into contact with the people who give shape to a vibrant cultural fabric”.
