Spain Abolishes National Bullfighting Award in Cultural Shift

Spanish bullfighter Juan Ortega fights the 528kg bull 'Vivaracho' bull during a bullfight in the Plaza Monumental of Aguascalientes, in Aguascalientes, Mexico, 28 April 2024.  EPA/Tadeo Alcina
Spanish bullfighter Juan Ortega fights the 528kg bull 'Vivaracho' bull during a bullfight in the Plaza Monumental of Aguascalientes, in Aguascalientes, Mexico, 28 April 2024. EPA/Tadeo Alcina
TT
20

Spain Abolishes National Bullfighting Award in Cultural Shift

Spanish bullfighter Juan Ortega fights the 528kg bull 'Vivaracho' bull during a bullfight in the Plaza Monumental of Aguascalientes, in Aguascalientes, Mexico, 28 April 2024.  EPA/Tadeo Alcina
Spanish bullfighter Juan Ortega fights the 528kg bull 'Vivaracho' bull during a bullfight in the Plaza Monumental of Aguascalientes, in Aguascalientes, Mexico, 28 April 2024. EPA/Tadeo Alcina

Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Spanish-style bullfighting, in which the animal usually ends up killed by a sword thrust by a matador in shining garb, is for supporters a cultural tradition to be preserved, while critics call it a cruel ritual with no place in modern society, Reuters reported.
The Culture Ministry said it based its decision to abolish the award on the "new social and cultural reality in Spain" where worries about animal welfare have risen while attendance at most bullrings has declined.
"I think that's the feeling of a majority of Spaniards who can understand less and less why animal torture is practiced in our country..., and much less why that torture gets awarded with public money," Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun said on X.
The national award came in the form of a 30,000-euro ($32,217) government check and has been bestowed on famous bullfighters such as Julian Lopez, known as "El Juli", or cultural associations related to the bullfighting tradition.
It has recently become a defining issue in Spain's culture wars, pitting left-wing parties such as Sumar, to which Urtasun belongs, against right-wing conservatives who support the tradition.
Borja Semper, spokesperson for the opposition conservative People's Party, told reporters the government move showed that it "does not believe in cultural diversity or liberty", and that his party would reinstate the award whenever it regained power.
The PP leader of the Aragon region, Jorge Azcon, said it would introduce another award. "Tradition should be something that unites us rather than divides," he said.
Opposition to bullfighting has also grown in Latin America, where the tradition was exported in the 16th century, and in southern France, where it spread in the 19th century.
In Spain, the average bullfighting aficionado has gotten older and the number of bullfighting festivals dropped by a third between 2010 and 2023.



Saudi Culture Ministry Launches 'Support for Performance' Program for Cultural Nonprofits

Eligible organizations will be selected based on compliance with the ministry’s goals and standards to ensure positive impact in the cultural sector
Eligible organizations will be selected based on compliance with the ministry’s goals and standards to ensure positive impact in the cultural sector
TT
20

Saudi Culture Ministry Launches 'Support for Performance' Program for Cultural Nonprofits

Eligible organizations will be selected based on compliance with the ministry’s goals and standards to ensure positive impact in the cultural sector
Eligible organizations will be selected based on compliance with the ministry’s goals and standards to ensure positive impact in the cultural sector

The Saudi Ministry of Culture has launched the “Support for Performance” program to empower non-profit cultural organizations by offering various support solutions based on eligibility and performance measurement, aiming to enhance their participation, impact, and sustainability in the development of the cultural sector.

Deputy Culture Minister for National Partnerships and Talent Development Noha Kattan highlighted the crucial role of non-profit organizations across the cultural value chain, supporting the National Culture Strategy aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.

The program is a key enabler of the ministry’s strategy to empower the non-profit sector, aiming to build effective organizations that contribute to cultural development, enhance national values, and increase community engagement.

Applications for support are open during specific periods, with the current application period running until May 15. Eligible organizations will be selected based on compliance with the ministry’s goals and standards to ensure positive impact in the cultural sector.