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Visual artists take to the streets to demand a fair cultural VAT.
The sector is calling for a demonstration in Madrid on June 10 to demand taxation comparable to that of Europe and to denounce the loss of competitiveness of the Spanish art market.
On June 10, the visual arts sector will stage a new protest in Madrid to demand a reduction in the cultural VAT and to call for tax reform that will guarantee the sustainability and development of the Spanish artistic ecosystem.
The demonstration, organized by the Consortium of Contemporary Art Galleries, will begin at 11:00 a.m. in Plaza del Rey, in front of the Ministry of Culture, and will conclude in front of the Ministry of Finance. Under the slogan "Demonstration for the Visual Arts. Cultural VAT NOW," the event aims to draw attention to a long-standing demand of the sector: the equalization of Spanish taxation with that of the main European countries.
The organizers have framed the protest as a symbolic 'funeral for the visual arts,' a staged event intended to denounce what they consider a situation of institutional neglect that jeopardizes the viability of artists, galleries, and cultural agents. They argue that the current tax framework hinders the international competitiveness of the Spanish art market and limits both access to culture and opportunities for creation and professional development.
The sector's main demand is a reduction in the VAT applied to visual arts, currently at 21%, a figure much higher than in other European Union countries. Since the approval of European Directive 2022/542, countries such as France, Italy, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Portugal have adopted reduced rates ranging from 5% to 8%, while Spain has yet to incorporate these measures into its legislation.
The situation took on a new dimension on March 11, when the European Commission sued Spain before the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to transpose the aforementioned EU directive into national law within the established deadlines.
The Consortium of Contemporary Art Galleries insists that a more favorable tax system would not only strengthen the Spanish art market, but would also help prevent the brain drain and make it easier for professionals in the sector to develop their activity under competitive conditions without having to look for opportunities outside the country.
The June 10th demonstration joins other recent protest actions. In early February, numerous Spanish galleries temporarily suspended their activity to denounce the lack of progress in negotiations with the government. Now, the sector is mobilizing again, hoping that its demands will find an effective response from the institutions.
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