france restitutes talking drum to ivory coast will free entry to uk museums to end soon morning links for february 23 2026 1234774139
France has officially repatriated the 'talking drum,' or Djidji Ayokwe, to the Ivory Coast after it was seized by colonial officers in 1916. The restitution required a specific act of French law to remove the artifact from the national collection at the Musée du Quai Branly. Simultaneously, the Spanish art community is staging sit-in protests at the Reina Sofia Museum to demand a reduction in the 21 percent VAT on art sales, while the UK faces a growing debate over ending free museum entry due to a significant deficit at the National Gallery.
These developments highlight the intensifying pressure on European cultural institutions to address colonial legacies and economic sustainability. The repatriation of the Djidji Ayokwe signals a shift toward more streamlined restitution processes in France, while the Spanish protests and UK funding crisis reflect a volatile economic climate for the arts. Together, these events underscore how legislative and financial policies are currently reshaping the accessibility and ownership of cultural heritage across the continent.