FAETEDA presents, at MERCARTES, an unprecedented analysis of municipal spending on performing arts in Spain (2010–2024) conducted by Culturalink in collaboration with Econcult

The new report “Analysis of Spending on Performing Arts by Spanish Municipalities between 2010 and 2023”, prepared by Jordi Sanjuán (Econcult, University of Valencia) and Tony Murphy (Culturalink), offers a comprehensive overview of the financial efforts made by Spanish municipalities to sustain performing arts activities over more than a decade marked by the economic crisis, the increase in cultural VAT, and the impact of the pandemic.
The study covers all 8,132 municipalities in Spain and serves as a key reference tool for understanding the territorial and temporal evolution of public investment in the sector.

According to the report, the trajectory of spending on performing arts mirrors the fluctuations of the economy and local cultural policies. “The data show that, after a sharp contraction between 2011 and 2014, local budgets began to recover modestly from 2016 onwards, although they have not yet reached pre-crisis levels,” explains Jordi Sanjuán, who emphasizes the importance of “a long-term perspective to understand how cultural effort has been redistributed across Spanish territory.”

For his part, Tony Murphy highlights the value of cooperation between research and consultancy entities to generate useful knowledge for cultural management: “The collaboration between Econcult and Culturalink demonstrates that the combination of academic analysis and applied experience can yield results of great strategic value for the cultural sector.”
The report integrates official sources, budgetary statistics, and spatial analysis methodologies that allow visualization of spending patterns by regions and municipal sizes.

Beyond the figures, the study reveals inequalities in local cultural funding. While some municipalities maintain steady investment, others display high volatility. “These differences point to the structural fragility of local cultural policies and the need to strengthen intermunicipal cooperation mechanisms,” adds Sanjuán. In this regard, the report proposes monitoring indicators and comparative criteria that can guide future policy decisions.

• Unprecedented analysis (2010–2023): The report examines, for the first time, performing arts spending across 8,132 Spanish municipalities over thirteen years.

• Local funding trends: After a sharp decline between 2011 and 2014, municipal budgets began a slow recovery from 2016, still below pre-crisis levels.

• Innovative collaboration: The joint work of Econcult (University of Valencia) and Culturalink highlights the value of combining academic research with professional cultural management.

• Territorial inequalities: The study uncovers major disparities among municipalities and proposes monitoring indicators to strengthen local cultural cooperation.

The presentation of the study took place on October 23, from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m., at MERCARTES, and aims to open a debate on the role of local governments in the sustainability of the performing arts.
The partnership between Econcult and Culturalink SL thus stands as an example of synergy between the academic and professional spheres in addressing today’s cultural challenges with rigor.