Film campus to be added to state funded cultural objects list

A film studio campus will be added to the list of cultural objects of national importance today potentially paving the way for future state funding.
Today a draft resolution will be sent to the Riigikogu today for a second reading with an amendment to add the campus.
Heidy Purga (Reform), a member of the Culture Committee of the Riigikogu, told ERR that on Friday: "As the film campus has already been submitted as an amendment to this draft decision, we have the opportunity to support this amendment."
The list features objects of national importance that can be built with public money from the Cultural Endowment in the future. For example, the Estonian National Museum was once on the list.
The committee has already suggested the Tartu Culture Center (SÜKU), Narva Kreenholm Culture Quarter, the Arvo Pärt Music House and the National Opera be added to the list.
Minister of Finance Keit Pentus-Rosimannus (Reform) said the coalition has agreed to add the film campus and that it is important that it be built in Tallinn.
"Adding a film campus to the list of buildings gives us the certainty that this funding will come at one point. And this, in turn, will allow us to use temporary funding in the meantime," Pentus-Rosimannus said.
She said another important reason is that the film industry will have some certainty that funding will come and the Riigikogu supports it.
Gren Noormets, the leader of the film campus project, told ERR the move will hopefully provide some certainty of future funding.
"In any case, it is still in our interest to start building this year. We will do everything we can to ensure that the conditions satisfy all parties," he added.
Minister of Culture Anneli Ott (Center), who is head of the Council of the Cultural Endowment, did not want to comment on ERR on Friday.
Money from the Cultural Endowment comes from the excise duty on alcohol and tobacco, gambling taxes and private donations.
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Editor: Helen Wright