By José Gandue @spinning zone
Since January 1st, Bogotá has a new mayor in charge of the city. One from whom, it must be said seriously and with the calm of the resigned, not much can be expected, especially in matters of culture. It's the same, the same thing happened with his predecessors. It has always been a minor issue in his campaigns and in his official duties. And the problem is that, as we have said on previous occasions, They have never thought (really thought, taken the time to do so) about culture as a pacifying factor, a creator of jobs and a generator of economic resources and well-being among the direct and indirect participants of said industry. Moreover, they have never considered culture as an industry in the true sense. For the city's leaders, artistic events are merely elements of entertainment and additions of vain beauty, more or less sophisticated spectacles that occasionally represent expenses to distract and "bring joy" to the people. This is a city whose public institutions spend a considerable amount of money on festivals, stage maintenance, productions, and the publication of texts., But they don't know why or what they're doing it for, and they don't understand the need to go further. I say this because, despite what might seem like a busy schedule of shows around Bogotá, nothing goes beyond the immediate impact of the activity. It happens and is forgotten the next day.
This is a city full of latent talent, especially on the musical side. But it's a city where being a musician means being the last link in the food chain of the business. Furthermore, it is a city of almost eight million inhabitants (sometimes it seems like more) with very few places available to host presentations and concerts. There are large areas of the capital where there hasn't been adequate music programming for its inhabitants for a long time. Improvisation thrives in unconventional spaces, where, moreover, the police sometimes show up and shut everything down for no apparent reason. On the other hand, nighttime musical activity takes place mostly in bars, venues restricted to minors, where the most important thing is selling alcohol (well, that's the business, no one's judging) and where the conditions, in most cases, are far from ideal for the artists. In short, the musicians seem to be mere providers of background noise while everyone else has fun.
Another problem: Very few promoters are truly willing to take a chance on local musicians. And I understand why. The conditions are not right to invest in an unknown group that does not receive media or public attention. We (yes, I include myself, based on past experiences) have been the ones who have invested our money and time to make a musical project thrive and bear fruit in an uncertain future. No one here wants to play the victim; it's simply a matter of explaining that, as things stand, it's a utopia, in a very high percentage of cases, to think that the business is profitable without cheating, without evading taxes, without special favors, or anything of the sort. It is the artists themselves who must create the conditions to be credible and popular., before attracting the necessary investments to reach the places of the big stars.
Excuse me for bothering you, Mr. Future Mayor, but I have an idea. It's not a novel idea, nor is it original. Furthermore, let me tell you a short story first: Twenty years ago, the director of the Jorge Eliécer Gaitán Theater, the most important stage in the city, was Sylvia Ospina, A woman who had always championed the city's independent scene. She understood that the venue she managed was underutilized and that there were many free dates on its calendar. Even so, with this activity, her staff would continue to receive their full salaries, regardless of whether events were scheduled. She had, of course, the institution's lighting and sound equipment and a budget allocated from the beginning of her tenure to promote the events held on her stage. Furthermore, she always believed that theater should reach out to young people and thus open its doors to a wider segment of the population. Therefore, he invited several of the most popular bands in Bogotá's rock scene and proposed booking dates at the Gaitán Theater, outlining a deal based on a percentage of ticket sales. He also allocated a significant sum for street posters and made all the theater's equipment and staff available to the bands. Everything was in place, and if anything was missing, the band, as partners and promoters of the show, would take care of it. But the conditions were there. Thanks to Sylvia's generosity and intelligence, many bands had their best professional moments during those days, filling the venue to capacity in most cases., and without risking the institution's finances.
Mr. Mayor: Many of the inhabitants of this city, including many of your voters, They boast, in one way or another, of living in a city surrounded by music. As long as you and your team understand the potential that exists in Bogotá to generate industry (yes, industry, let's not be afraid to use that word) in the cultural sector, and in particular in the music sector, so that hundreds and thousands can have a stable and decent living from their artistic activity, and that the city, with all its institutional, structural, and economic capabilities, can invest in the development of these intentions, Bogotá will then establish itself as one of the true global capitals of music., generating creativity, employment, and peace in the surrounding area. Begin, Mr. Mayor, by opening your venues to the musical community, as Sylvia Ospina did with the Jorge Eliécer Gaitán Theater. There are many auditoriums, community halls, and theaters that, by filling their schedules, will become more beneficial spaces for the community. Then, if you wish, you can open your own local radio station to promote local talent, and later on, we can see what else we can do together—all of us involved in this endeavor. But it's time to realize that culture serves to clear away the cobwebs of inequality and social instability, to foster happiness in those around us, and especially to ensure that those who create artistic wonders occupy the place they desire and deserve. Let's not miss that opportunity again.