New Israeli Culture Coalition Demands Increased Government Funding Amid Emergency Warning

On Monday, a coalition representing over 10,000 Israeli creators, cultural organizations, and institutions announced the formation of the Culture and Creation Coalition. The coalition aims to place culture at the center of the public agenda, arguing that it is essential for Israel's mental, social, and national resilience, on par with security concerns. Their plan includes defining culture as a social civil right, increasing the national budget allocation for culture from the current 0.15% to 1%, strengthening cultural institutions and creators, protecting freedom of expression, and promoting original Israeli works. They also seek to reduce disparities between central and peripheral regions and enhance Israel's cultural status internationally through expanded collaborations.

The coalition includes dozens of organizations such as the Israeli Artists Union, the Hebrew Writers Association, the Independent Creators Organization in Theater and Performing Arts, the Museum Association, the Screenwriters Union, and the Actors Organization (Shah'am). Ahead of the upcoming elections, the coalition plans to present policy papers to party leaders and evaluate their cultural positions. It will advocate for the economic, health, and social benefits of investing in a strong Israeli culture sector.

Alon Sapan, CEO of the Steinhardt Natural History Museum and chair of the Forum of Cultural and Art Institutions, emphasized that culture is a vital national and social infrastructure and that the coalition seeks to create a unified and influential voice to promote artistic freedom and stability. Uri Yaniv, chair of Shah'am, warned that cultural professions are nearing a "red line" due to years of underfunding, threatening the survival of Hebrew theater, cinema, and television without government support. Reut Perster, chair of the Museum Association and ICOM Israel, highlighted that Israel's cultural budget is exceptionally low compared to other countries and that increasing investment is a direct investment in the resilience and character of Israeli society.