Spain to Review Museums and Enable Them to ‘Move Past Colonial Framing’

23/01/2024

Spain’s socialist-led coalition government has announced a review of state-run museums to enable them to “move past a colonial framing” of people and the past, and has pledged to fight against political meddling and censorship of the arts.

Ernest Urtasun, a member of the leftwing Sumar platform who was appointed culture minister last November, told MPs he was committed to “guaranteeing the effective exercise of cultural rights throughout Spain” and ensuring that creative institutions engaged with society and the wider world. “Protecting culture and understanding its relevance in building an equal society means protecting democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms and the welfare state,” said Urtasun.

The conservative People’s party (PP) and the far-right Vox party have been accused of politically motivated censorship and stoking culture wars in recent months after a series of events was cancelled on ideological grounds.

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