More Cooperation with Artists & Theater Groups

Mehdi Shafiei said that the budget allocated to the cultural field was not sufficient to meet needs of those working in the fields in recent years, irantheater quoted the Public Relations of DAC as saying.

"The condition of theater is difficult and I have repeatedly said that the budget allocated to the theater field has been meager over the past two years and are not compatible with the plans and programs," Shafiei said. "But we should not forget that the art field is spending a transition period. It is a period, which all of its aspects must be analyzed."

Mr Shafiei said that the theater infrastructure met the demand two decades ago given the low number of productions, which were staged with lots of state supports and funds, meaning that the theater groups or directors had no concerns about the wages and costs. "But the state funds are not sufficient to extend highest supports to the productions given the increase in the theater pieces and number of amphitheaters."

The means, he added, a theater group should take into account the financial aspect of through attracting more audience and ticket sale. "Although many pieces sell very well but we have to strengthen the exceptional capacity of theater by considering the linking chains," the official said.

Advertisement in theater field was an opportunity to generate job, which should be focused on, the stage and costume designs, rendering technical service and change in the use of buildings would not only generate job but also income, Mr Shafiei said.

Concerns would be assuaged should the applied sciences of theater increase admissions in the educational capacity in the field, he added.

Shafiei said that the higher education system had increased theater studies disciplines rather than specialized fields such as advertisement, theater production and technologic capacities. "If such disciplines would be bolstered, the theater would be more independent and stronger in the field of theater production and advertisement."

Mr Shafiei said that one of the fields, which could be attended in the short run, was the private theater complexes.

"There are creative and talented young people in the theater society who are willing to have private theater halls and institutes," he explained and added that such cultural/artistic institutes for theater, which had already excited, had given special attention to meet the demand of theater groups, activists and graduates.

"About 2,400 theater seats have increased over the past two-three years, which have helped attract more audience and grow the number of the pieces," he said. "Average 85 to 110 pieces are staged each night in Tehran in different genres, which have grown significantly compared to the past. It is similar in the capitals of the other provinces such as Mashhad, Shiraz, Rasht, Isfahan, Bushehr and …"

He reminded that all pieces had to give permission for performance and there is no difference between the private and state sectors based on the ratification of High Cultural Revolution Council. The permission would be given after evaluation of the play and prior to performance and during its performance, he added.

Mr Shafiei rejected the claims that the government had stopped supporting theater.

"Figures show that the government provided about 4bn tomans (40bn rials) of financial supports and close to 200 dramatic groups received direct backing from the deputy minister for cultural affairs."

The official said that the DAC tried to support mainly the young groups and those who need more supports and have less audience.