In Palmas, Secult brings together representatives from 14 municipalities in a public hearing on the Aldir Blanc National Policy

The State Secretariat for Culture (Secult) concluded another stage of listening to the Aldir Blanc National Policy (Pnab) with a public hearing this Tuesday, 26th, in the auditorium of the Military Fire Department, in Palmas. The hearing calendar began on March 11th and focused on listening to the demands and suggestions of culture makers from the north to the south of the State, with employees from the secretariat and members of the Tocantins Cultural Policy Council (CPC-TO) who passed through the regions of Augustinópolis, Araguaína, Gurupi, Arraias and the Capital.

During the event, the Secretary of State for Culture, Tião Pinheiro, expressed his satisfaction at seeing the mobilization of the State’s cultural agents in participating in this process. “It’s great to see the culture makers present here, who are the reason for this initiative and the will and political decision of Governor Wanderlei Barbosa to recreate the Secretariat of Culture to return the leading role to the cultural agents of Tocantins. Seeing this collective action is very important”, he added.

For the superintendent of Promotion and Incentive to Culture, Kátia Maia Flores, processes such as public hearings are important to achieve what Pnab intends. “The end is not the notice, as it is the means, an instrument so that we can distribute resources in a transparent, fair way and that complies with everything that the legislation requires. It is a means for every citizen to have the opportunity to experience and be transformed by art”, he stated.

Cícero Belém, who heads the Representation Office of the Ministry of Culture in Tocantins, congratulated Secult’s work by saying that he followed all the other hearings, broadcast live on YouTube. The coordinator also pointed out that “the entire process of discussion and hearings that Secult carried out around Pnab in Tocantins is of utmost importance, as it anticipates the work, since, this Wednesday, the 27th, the first major live event of the MinC to detail the PAAR [Plano Anual de Aplicação dos Recursos]”, he explained.

Head counselor of the CPC-TO Visual Arts Sector Chamber, Elpídio de Paula spoke, on behalf of president Valéria Picanço (who was present, but with health problems), to those present about the council’s participation during the other four public hearings, and recalled his role in public listening. “We have to be together in this construction process, at this unique moment for the culture of our state, our municipalities and Brazil. We also still have our sectoral listening, so be in contact with your representatives within the council”, he stated .

In total, around 100 people participated in the hearing in Palmas. Representatives from the municipalities of Porto Nacional, Barrolândia, Miracema, Lajeado, Tocantínia, Paraíso, Chapada da Areia, Nova Rosalândia, Pugmil, Santa Tereza, Gurupi, São Félix and Ponte Alta do Tocantins were present. Throughout the night, cultural agents suggested several points for the elaboration of resource use policies and future notices to be launched by the Government of Tocantins through Secult, with demands such as the need for an attentive and sensitive look at peripheral communities; the decentralization of resources; and the reduction of bureaucracy in the bidding processes.

Present at the audience, singer Gabriela Raia emphasized the importance of the participation of the artistic class in this process. “We need to give our opinion, during the preparation of the notices, so that they can be more transparent and democratic. This is the first step for us to be successful in this cultural policy”, she pointed out.

In turn, the dancer and director of Contágius Cia de Dança, Meire Maria, recalled the importance of the role of the Tocantins Cultural Policy Council in implementing cultural public policies, as the body represents civil society. “Today, we have the State calling us to talk. So there is a significant change, there is a change in which the State emphasizes the need to have the participation of civil society and culture in the process of development and access to cultural goods”, said Master Wertemberg Nunes, from the Taboka Grande culture point.

Cultural producer Thiago Omena defended the need for full understanding by the population and management bodies in implementing cultural policies and how to allocate resources in a dispersed manner.

The dancer and coordinator of the Creativity Center of the Palmas Cultural Foundation, Liu Moreira,commented that the moment of listening to the population is fundamental so that artists can actually participate in the elaboration of public policies, whether of the State or municipalities. “The speech of the artist, the culture maker, the master and the managers is fundamental to building an effective document [o PAAR] and that represents this very diverse cultural context that we have”, he concluded.

Gifts

During the hearing, Secult was present with the Secretary of State for Culture, Tião Pinheiro; the executive secretary Valéria Kurovski, the superintendent of Promotion and Incentive to Culture, Kátia Maia Flores; in addition to servers from different sectors of the folder. Also participating were the cabinet advisor for the State Secretariat for Women, Simone Pacini; the coordinator of the MinC Office in Tocantins, Cícero Belém; the president of the Tocantins Cultural Policy Council, Valéria Picanço; the representative of the State Court of Auditors, Karin Dias; Reserve colonel PM Joaidson Albuquerque, representing the Academy of Letters, Sciences and Arts of the Military of the State of Tocantins; and the executive secretary of the Palmas Cultural Foundation, Euzeni Pedroso.