Urtasun accuses the Ayuso Government of “censoring” the Círculo de Bellas Artes after “reducing” its financial financing

The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun has accused the Government of the Community of Madrid of “censor” the Círculo de Bellas Artes after learning that the regional executive has “significantly reduced” its financing.

“Yesterday we learned that the Community of Madrid has withdrawn funding or has significantly reduced – to practically a ridiculous amount – the funding for the Círculo de Bellas Artes de Madrid. I want to say in a very clear way that as the Ministry of Culture this seems to us to be a form of censorship. Trying to withdraw financial support from administrations to cultural institutions as important as the Círculo de Bellas Artes seems to us to be a form of censorship,” Urtasun said in statements to the media in the halls of the Congress of Deputies this Wednesday.

The head of the Department of Culture has reiterated that the Ministry will “reinforce” the financial contribution to “sustain” the cultural institution which, in his opinion, “is of the highest level.” “It plays a very important role in Madrid’s cultural life”added Urtusun.

Precisely, yesterday, Tuesday, Culture announced that it will increase its financial support to the Círculo by 50,000 euros and already pointed out the Community of Madrid as the cause of the decrease in the funding received by the institution.

“It has been progressively reduced in recent years, and endangers the continuity of its regular activity.“explained the Ministry, which specified that it has gone from 250,000 euros in 2024 to 100,000 euros in 2025 and a forecast of 12,000 euros for 2026. “It represents an unjustified attempt to condition the programming of the Circle and exert pressure incompatible with the cultural autonomy that any artistic institution must govern,” said Urtasun.

Thus, the Ministry of Culture will increase its contribution in 2026 until it reaches 300,000 euros per year, as announced within the framework of the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Círculo de Bellas Artes, of which the Ministry of Culture is a member. During the meeting, the budget forecast for next year was reviewed.