In Italy on November 12, hundreds of museums, libraries, theatres, archaeological sites and other cultural institutions will close their doors for one day to protest huge budget cuts made during the government’s austerity program.
The national protest, Doors closed, spotlights on culture, was announced yesterday (November 4) by Federculture and the National Association of Italian Municipalities, which organized the event.
Not only is it a protest against financial cuts at cultural institutions, though these are substantial: around $82 million over the next two years, the group also believes the cuts “could have disastrous consequences for the Italian cultural system.”
All told, the cuts will result in total losses of about $1.5 billion during this period. The Colosseum and the ruins of Pompeii are among the popular tourist archaeological sites in Italy that are taking part in the lockout.