Initiative wants to nationalize the incentive, currently concentrated in the Southeast; Secretary of Culture says it is the “return of credibility” of the law
The president’s government Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) launched this Thursday (28.nov.2024) Rouanet Nordeste, a program that will allocate around R$50 million to cultural projects in the states of the region. The ceremony, which was attended by ministers Wellington Dias (Social Development) and Margareth Menezes (Culture), was held in Teresina (PI).
The program is based on , which provides measures for the democratization and nationalization of cultural investment. According to the Minister of Culture, only the Southeast benefited from the law and now, it will be nationalized with the expansion of the law’s scope.
The initiative will cover the states of Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Sergipe, in addition to the north of Minas Gerais and the north of Espírito Santo.
The launch of the program’s notice will take place at the beginning of 2025, starting in February, in the 11 States of the Northeast, according to the Secretary of Creative Economy and Cultural Promotion, Henilton Menezes.
“Our forecast is that it will be around R$50 million, but it could be even more than that, with memberships”these.
Menezes made a request that Wellington Dias and Margareth Menezes make arrangements with state-owned companies to increase resources allocated to the region.
“For every R$1 invested in Rouanet, R$1.80 is returned. It is not an action that the government takes just because it is nice. He does this because it gives back […] The Brazilian economy has Brazilian culture as a thriving sector. Having only 6% of the resources from the Rouanet Law is not a fair distribution for the northeast region. That’s what we want to change”he declared.
The secretary also stated that companies participating in the program will have a 100% return on investment, since the law would allow tax exemption.
He said that Rouanet is currently responsible for executing 3,800 projects throughout Brazil. Demand in the sector in 2024 was 19,800 projects (people who want to access the resource), according to him.
“It is the historical record of the entire Rouanet Law. We have never received so many projects this year, 2024. This means that the credibility of the Rouanet Law has returned”, declared.
This report was written by journalism intern Bruna Aragão under the supervision of assistant editor Isadora Albernaz.
