'There is a budget adjustment due to a review of the payroll of senior officials and executive salaries': Ministry of Cultures on the Batuta Foundation

In an interview with EL TIEMPO, Lucía González Duque, who was president of the National Batuta Foundation until June 24, warned of a funding crisis after—according to her —the National Government, through the Ministry of Culture, cut its budget by up to 50 percent.

In fact, to address the crisis, the foundation launched its national campaign to raise funds and continue transforming lives through music.

Called "Colombia Embraces," the strategy seeks to raise 3 billion pesos by October 2025. These funds will guarantee the basic operations of the entity, keep music centers running, and respond to the high demand for training programs in the areas that need them most.

The debate over Duque's statements spread so far that President Gustavo Petro responded on social media: "I'd rather die than take a peso away from culture. I'm not like those who wanted to destroy the National Symphony Orchestra or the Bogotá Philharmonic . On the contrary, I was the one who encouraged them to form a network of sublime orchestras to bring music to working-class neighborhoods, because that's what a revolution is all about."

EL TIEMPO spoke with Yannai Kadamani Fonrodona, Minister of Culture, Arts, and Knowledge, to learn her opinion on this situation, which was denounced by then-director Lucía González Duque.

These figures are completely inaccurate. I understand that the president of Batuta's Board of Directors is genuinely concerned about a budget cut, but it should be clarified that: first, Batuta is not a public foundation, but a mixed foundation; its board of directors includes 11 participants in total, five from the national and state sectors, and five from private companies.

The Ministry of Culture has historically been the largest contributor to this foundation. It remains so even this year. With our budget allocation this year, which has not been reduced by 50% at all, we are ensuring full coverage of the National Batuta Foundation's programs.

With the Ministry of Culture's investment alone, all educational programs at educational institutions are covered, as are all training processes for children with disabilities, and its two regional orchestras in Buenaventura and Quibdó.

Yes, there is a budget adjustment due to a payroll review, with high-ranking officials and management salaries significantly higher. Our investment as the Ministry of Culture must be focused on public policies and the direct beneficiaries: the children and young people who receive artistic and cultural training.

We're moving away from the policy of continuing to maintain high-ranking officials and high salaries in a mixed foundation with a large private participation component. It should seek co-financed management models, not solely controlled by the national budget.

We don't actually reduce salaries. The board of directors is the one that defines that nominal allocation. What we do is reduce the contribution so they can review or self-manage their payroll and salary model.

The presidency sometimes acts as a cultural manager, and it is the responsibility and authority of that cultural manager to handle all negotiations and regional and territorial co-financing arrangements. In this case, they are considering a strategy to raise funds for the foundation's maintenance.

For this year, the entire operation is covered; all programs are covered by the contribution made by the Ministry of Culture. I assume the additional revenue projected will be used for the foundation's operating model and operations.

I don't know the details of how Batuta's operating model works, but I can assure you that all programs are covered by the allocation made by the Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Knowledge. All of its programs are covered and fully funded by the Ministry's historical budget for Batuta, and this year is no exception.

It's not true that Batuta is going to end. I suppose then, within the board of directors, an adjustment to the organizational model will have to be made , or a salary reduction will have to be considered for all board members.

Our largest investment line is allocated to the Arts for Peace program, which is the National Government's largest commitment to artistic and cultural training. We are increasing the historical investment in artistic and cultural training by almost 800%. Part of this strategic line, of course, is the Batuta Foundation.

It's not the only one; we're contributing to more than 500 regional organizations, and we're working with more than seven regional public universities to hire artist trainers across the country. We've also rehired nearly 4,000 local artists with their independent expertise, who are bringing artistic training to more than 3,000 public educational institutions across the country. Arts for Peace is an ecosystem of artistic training; the Batuta Foundation is part of that ecosystem as just another organization. And that's also why there's a need to broaden our perspectives and expand regional investment across the country.

María Jimena Delgado Díaz