Local musicians and artists are calling for election candidates to commit to
putting more funds and emphasis into culture.
Nadav Nishri, a former
nightclub owner and current PR consultant for musicians, started the initiative,
gathering signatures from 73 cultural figures, including Arik Sinai, Eran Tzur
and Asaf Harel, on a petition saying the government should invest in culture as
a way to fight violence and divisions in society.
“The culture of the
Jewish People has been a central tenet that our forefathers held onto in order
to preserve our existence as a nation in the Diaspora,” the petition reads. “Our
culture was the glue that connects us since we were exiled to this
day.”
The artists called for all parties running for the next Knesset to
commit to allocate one percent of the state budget to culture, saying that is
the acceptable amount in most OECD countries.
“We believe that protecting
and cultivating culture is our responsibility to past and future generations,
and this is the responsibility of whatever governments are formed in Israel, now
and forever,” the petition states.