Around 400 people signed the petition addressed to Parliament in the first few hours of its launch.
The APEFE states that “13 percent VAT is unconstitutional” because “it promotes an increase in the price of tickets, limiting the demand of citizens and consequently the fundamental exercise of each person’s right to culture .”
“Almost four years have passed since the departure of the troika, the country is in full recovery, but the 6 percent VAT rebate remains a deferred measure, unlike what happened in other countries in the same situation as Portugal, as is the case in Spain, to cite an example”, the petition’s mission statement reads.
This is one of the main demands of the association, which was formally established in 2017 and unites some of the biggest promoters of shows in Portugal, such as Everything is New, Música no Coração, and Ritmos & Blues.
After lending its support to artists last week in protest over better support for the arts, the association is now calling for “an urgent restructuring of cultural policy in all its aspects”.
“Everyone has the right of access to culture, not just those who have buying power, and those who are penalised by the current tax situation of live shows are the Portuguese, it is the public”, reads the petition’s text.
According to the most recent data released by the National Statistical Institute, in 2016 Portuguese families spent an average of €845 on leisure and culture activities, or 4.2 percent of total expenses incurred.
As for live performances - which include rock concerts, fado shows, classical concerts, theatre, opera, dance, folklore or circuses - in 2016 there was an increase both in the number of spectators and in the income obtained.
In total, 14.8 million spectators attended 32,182 live performances, but only 4.9 million paid for tickets.
The average price per ticket was more expensive in 2016, having gone up from €15.4 to €17.4.
Live shows generated a total of €85 million in revenue, which represented an increase of 42.6 percent on 2015, when the figure was 59.6 million euros.
Theatre is a big contributor to cultural activity, with the greatest number of shows per year, but the field that registered most spectators (7.3 million) and ticket revenue (€63.2 million) was music.