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Contemporary art galleries close in protest against the cultural VAT: a historic strike in the sector in Spain
Contemporary art galleries in Spain are preparing for an unprecedented protest: from February 2nd to 7th they will close their doors as a pressure tactic to demand a reduction in the cultural VAT, currently at 21%, a percentage that —according to their complaints— puts them at a clear disadvantage compared to their European counterparts.
The strike is the main action agreed upon by the approximately 125 professionals belonging to the Contemporary Art Consortium, who last Friday reached a consensus on a package of measures to highlight the critical situation in the sector. The closure will also take place at a particularly symbolic moment, in the final countdown to the 45th edition of ARCO, which will be held from March 4 to 8 in Madrid, one of the key events on the international art calendar.
This is not the first time gallery owners have resorted to this form of protest: back in 1991, they closed their galleries for the same reason—the impact of VAT on their business. More than three decades later, the problem persists. In their statement, the sector denounces the government's "paralysis and lack of response" and demands the adoption of a specific cultural VAT rate for artists and galleries, through the transposition of Council Directive (EU) 2022/542 of 5 April 2022, which would allow for reduced rates to be applied to the art market.
“We are forced to adopt these measures in the face of a situation that is seriously threatening the sustainability of the work of artists and galleries,” the professionals emphasize. In their view, institutional inaction is having “extraordinarily detrimental” consequences for contemporary art in Spain, diminishing the competitiveness of galleries and making their work of supporting, promoting, and internationalizing artists “virtually unfeasible.”
With this symbolic closure, the sector seeks to open an urgent debate on the role of culture in the economy and demand a tax framework that does not penalize those who support the contemporary art ecosystem.
