Mason Jones (Reporter)
A SPANISH theatre feeling the effects of the ‘culture tax’ has started to sell carrots instead of tickets to bring back audience members.
Because the vegetable is a staple food product, it can only be taxed 4% rather than the 21% IVA charge on standard tickets.
“The theatre world was in very bad shape, but this tax will basically kill off small theatres like ours,” said Quim Marce, who sold the carrots for €13 at his theatre in Bescano, Catalunya.
“Other theatres will have to follow our example and finds ways around this unsustainable tax,” he added.
The news comes after a recent report found that audience numbers had fallen by a third.
In the four months following a tax hike on cultural events, which increased IVA from eight to 21%, theatres across the country reported a total loss of around 1.8 million spectators.
With rocketing ticket prices, theatres have suffered a 33% drop in takings and a loss of over 600 jobs.
Industry officials have branded the increase ‘tragic and devastating’, calling for the government to repeal the new IVA rate.
“With the increase in IVA, the government ignored the systemic crisis hitting the sector and aggravated it to unsustainable extremes,” said Daniel Martinez, President of the Federation of Theatre and Dance Companies Associations (FAETEDA).
Just put on a bullfight; the place will be packed then. That’s culture here, so they say.
Nice idea but, to stop anyone buying a couple of carrots at the local market to gain entry, some kind of unique identifying mark will have to be embedded. And that will create a ‘ticket’. No matter that it is not made of paper.
Unfortunate choice of vegetable. “Not worth a carrot” means something is of no value….
Only in Spain can people celebrate a way to cheat tax, I disagree with the hike of IVA on theatre tickets but Spain is one big tax dodge. i guess at least they are paying something where as in most cases nothing is paid in a country where cash is king. People really need to address the black economy here and stop justifying cheating the system by saying ” well everyone is at ncluding the politicians so why to me.”
A sad story in many ways
you all here are british immigrants and cause problems. go home, you are not welcome in Spain!!!
and YES, bullfight is SPANISH CULTURE, and unlike british slavery, it stands as an attraction for tourists. Go home, leave our culture ALONE!!
***Julia*** Such inflammatory postings do nothing to encourage British immigrants to integrate and to better understand the culture.
You would be better employed directing your venom towards all those corrupt politicians that have inflicted more damage to the Spanish economy and (lack of) employment than any “Brit” who happens to (legitimately) express views on bullfighting.
Er…”British Slavery”??.
Julia – what a comment and sadly typical of a low level Spaniard with limited knowledge of the world. Your comments are unworthy and insulting .
How long has it been permissible in the Olive Press for people to make such racist comments as Julia does? Language like this, directed at immigrants would be illegal in the U.K.
Funny how Julia and Marco appeared at the same time lol.
@stefanjo, quite agree. The OP regularly censors the most inoffensive comments from me, yet allows outright racist comments from others.
Fred: Snap! Me too!