The Basque Government presents the draft law on the Basque Cultural System
The First Vice-President of the Basque Government and Counsellor for Culture and Linguistic Policy, Ibone Bengoetxea, today presented at the San Telmo Museum in Donostia-San Sebastián the draft of the Basque Country Cultural System Bill and announced that the deadline for making allegations to the text will begin on 20 March.
"This law is an instrument for the better functioning of culture as a system in the Basque Country: it strengthens rights, places the Basque Country at the centre and provides real tools for cultural policy," the Vice-President stressed.
The draft provides for the development of a Culture Plan at most every five years, including the articulation of "measures to promote the presence, knowledge, transmission, dissemination, visibility and use of the Basque language in all cultural areas".
The text of the bill envisages ten new developments:
- is an integrated system law.
- It does not create new administrative structures or alter competences.
- Bost Annual Culture Plan with automatic extension.
- Bi establishes annual operational plans.
- A strengthens the system of homologable devices.
- strengthens the Observatory of Basque Culture and ulcers the use of data.
- Dimentsio digital (digital spaces, literacy and rights perspective, including AA).
- integrates accessibility and SDGs into policies and services.
- It recognizes the value of public space as a cultural space.
- Forms: the role of the Ararteko and three commitments (funding, Charter of Services and Guide to Good Practices).
The deadline for allegations will be opened on 20 March, as explained by Bengoetxea, "as part of a participatory process to collect contributions from the cultural sector, institutions and citizens".
The cultural system, in figures
The preliminary draft has been presented at a time when the Basque cultural system is gaining broad social participation and increasing economic weight.
According to surveys on cultural participation in the Basque Country, 75.9 per cent of the population in Álava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa read books, 64.8 per cent attend concerts, 63.4 per cent attend cinema and 57.9 per cent attend theatre.
In addition, according to a report by the Department of Culture and Linguistic Policy of the Basque Government and the Basque Institute for Competitiveness - Orkestra, on the ecosystem of cultural and creative industries, there are 16,886 cultural and creative enterprises in the Basque Country and 33,983 jobs linked to the cultural sector (3.8 per cent of total employment).
You might like
Adele, Raye, Sienna Spiro... 15 years waiting for Amy Winehouse's heir
Amy Winehouse was found dead 15 years ago at her home in Camden Town; since then, UK music has found no match for her.
Bilbao Blues will fill the Arenal with free concerts
The fifth edition of the festival, to be held from 24 to 26 July, will award the annual award to the Vizcaíno group Travellin 'Brothers.
Calvin Harris, FKA twigs and Dani Fernandez, the brightest stars on the first day of the Bilbao BBK Live
The surprise concert of Alcalá Norte and the performances of Calvin Harris, FKA twigs and Dani Fernández have opened three days of music in the Byzantine capital. Milaris have enjoyed international names, local talent and a surprise performance that has surprised the Kobetamendi audience.
Onintza Enbeita will be the champion of the Aste Nagusia of Bilbao 2026
Ainhoa Urrejola Soldevilla of the comparsa Kaixo will be the Txupinera.
Alex of the Church immerses himself in animation, inspired by the work of Lovecraft
will be titled 'Ages of Madness: The Howling of the Jinn' and will be based on the fiction book of the American writer 'Necronomicon'. It will spin several stories located in different times and places.
Aurora Beltran receives the Prince of Viana Prize for Culture in Navarre
Navarre singer Aurora Beltrán received the 2026 Prince of Viana of Culture Award this Saturday in Los Arcos (Navarre) for "all those women who have wanted to fly and who may not have been able to or have not been able to leave them."
The Basque Book and Disco Fair in Ziburu will open "The Moment of Breath and the Square of Creation"
On 6 June, the seventh edition of the Basque Book and Disco Fair will be held in the Labour town, at the initiative of the association Balmán and the media Argia, which will pay tribute to the linguist Beñat Oihartzabal.
Esther Ferrer will receive the Eusko Ikaskuntza-Labor Kutxa Prize for Humanities, Culture, Arts and Social Sciences
The jury of the award recognizes the Donostiarra artist's "international projection and decisive contributions to contemporary art innovation." The award will be awarded in July to Maddi Alberdi, winner of the Eusko Ikaskuntza-Labor Kutxa Youth Award.
Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu will give a lecture on Monday in the BBK Hall, within the activities surrounding the exhibition 'Carne y Arena'
The conference will be free and tickets are available. The immersion experience 'Carne and Arena' based on the experiences and testimonies of migrants and refugees on the Mexican and American border can be seen on the 5th set of EITB from 16 March to 20 June.
The Basque Country is working to have its own space in the 2028 Venice Biennial
This has been announced by the first Vice-President of the Basque Government and Cultural Adviser, Ibone Bengoetxea, at an institutional event held in Venice. "We want to move forward and our aim is to permanently project Basque artistic creation in this international showcase", he added.