Chile's new president, José Antonio Kast, has implemented a 3% budget cut across all government ministries, including the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage. This reverses the trend of his predecessor, Gabriel Boric, who significantly increased cultural funding. The new Minister of Cultures, Francisco Undurraga, has stated there is "excessive spending on culture," and the government is seeking an additional $1bn in cuts, requiring ministries to identify alleged abuses in public fund usage.
This policy shift matters because it represents a stark departure from recent Chilean cultural policy, with the new administration having no stated cultural program—a situation experts say hasn't occurred for decades. The cuts threaten specific initiatives like the cultural pass for young people and raise concerns about the maintenance of heritage institutions, including the National Museum of Fine Arts. The move has sparked alarm among artists' unions and cultural observers who argue investment in the sector remains insufficient.