The Governing Council has approved this week the new decree that regulates the Network of Performing Arts and Music of Castilla-La Mancha, "a new rule that was born with the aim of improving the programming of the spaces attached to the Network, facilitate the distribution and exhibition of theater, music, dance and circus productions”, as explained by the Minister of Equality and spokesperson, Blanca Fernández.

At the press conference in which she reported on the issues approved by the Governing Council, Blanca Fernández recalled that this network, which was created in 1995 and has been in existence for almost three decades, has been an important lever for the « democratization of culture in our region.

Thus, the spokeswoman indicated that the updating of this regulation entails notable improvements in relation to the modernization of the selection criteria, the assessment criteria and the composition and functions of the bodies that comprise it.

Specifically, a better ordering of the selection procedure for professional companies is being carried out and the assessment criteria are updated, including, for example, new criteria such as the ability of a show to have a socio-cultural impact, to work in favor of the gender equality, against sexist violence, racism or xenophobia, among others.

The executive commission is also created as a new body, with permanent decision-making and program monitoring functions; the functions and composition of the assembly are adapted and the regulation of the Observatory of the Network of Performing Arts and Music of Castilla-La Mancha is incorporated.

In addition, the regulation of the two network support instruments is improved: on the one hand, the observatory, which will perform the functions of receiving, processing, analyzing and disseminating statistical data to see how it evolves.

On the other hand, the regulation of the Performing Arts and Music Network Portal is improved to promote the joint realization of cultural projects, seeking the active participation of all cultural agents to stimulate the public and organize tours, and to be a point of virtual meeting for cultural managers and companies. All this by articulating communication channels between the scenic spaces with the public and private media of the region.

The spokeswoman reported that this decree "directly benefits 200 local entities that are the ones that approximately add to the programming in each period." An example in this regard is that in this Spring 2022 season, which ends on June 30, there are 190 town halls, 648 performances, 245 shows and 130 companies, of which 94 are from Castilla-La Mancha and 36 from outside the region.

The decree does not entail an economic amount, since the investment materializes through collaboration agreements with the adhered town councils, which are financed through the budget appropriations of the general budgets of the Board, estimating a total amount of 1,600,000 per year for each of the two seasons, that is, a total of 3.2 million euros.