The announcement was made by the Minister of Culture, Dalila Rodrigues, at the end of the Government meeting that approved a total of 25 measures for the sector, in the areas of cultural and artistic training and creation, preservation and appreciation of heritage, with a view to strengthening existing programmes, as she stated.

According to Dalila Rodrigues, this is "a very diverse set of measures" that aim to "dynamically guarantee an activity that effectively values ​​culture and expands not only the offer but also cultural consumption".

"Participation rates are very low, very low, and we have to put an end to this," said Dalila Rodrigues at the press conference that followed the Government meeting.

The ticket discounts now announced for young people up to 25 years old cover the national theatres D. Maria II, São João, São Carlos and the Companhia Nacional de Bailado/Teatro Camões, and also provide free access for teachers and students to visits and shows at these facilities, as part of school visits.

The 37 museums, monuments and palaces under the Ministry of Culture, which have been open to free visits 52 days a year since 1 August, under the "Access 52" scheme, will also now open their doors to artists and creators with the Status of Cultural Professionals.

The set of measures announced today also includes actions that include the review of the law on fixed book prices and the strengthening of library collections, the creation, with foundations, of 116 artistic residency grants extended to Portuguese-speaking countries, the reinforcement of support for regional philharmonic bands and orchestras, and the "debureaucratisation and flexibility of procedures for supporting cinema and audiovisual media".

The Government did not disclose the financial costs of these measures, nor when they will come into effect, nor did it provide specific details of projects and schemes covered by this set.

The list of 25 measures includes other actions already announced, such as the proposed Law on Cultural Patronage, to be submitted to Parliament, and the creation of Territorial Heritage Units, in bodies overseen by Culture, an intention that Dalila Rodrigues had already expressed on Museum Day.

The relaunch of the "Science and Heritage" research programme, the "Research Campaign" "Studies of Collections and Archives", based at the Ethnology Museum, and the future creation of the "Heritage/Climate Change and Mitigation Plans" Study and Planning Centre, based at the Ajuda National Palace, are also part of the set of initiatives presented today.

At the opening of the press conference, at the end of the Council of Ministers, the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, announced an increase of "around 20%" in the amount allocated to Culture in the Government's proposed State Budget for 2025 (OE2025), to be presented to Parliament on Thursday.