Even with the current level of funding for the cultural sector, the issue of low salaries remains one of the most serious. This was stated by the Minister of Culture Nauris Puntulis during the program "900 seconds" on TV3 channel. According to him, the issue of funding for culture will be one of the key points in preparing the state budget for 2027. However, solving the problem will not be easy, and it will pose a serious challenge for the next Minister of Culture. Puntulis warned that, first and foremost, the lack of funds could hit state cultural institutions. He sees the greatest risk in losing technical specialists, who, unlike representatives of creative professions, cannot be retained solely by interest in their work. In the minister's opinion, if the level of wages does not change, it will become increasingly easier to lure such workers to the private sector, where salaries are often higher. For visitors to theaters, museums, and concert halls, this may mean not only staffing problems but also difficulties in organizing events and the daily operations of cultural institutions. In response to a question about possible sources of additional funding, the minister noted that it is too early to talk about specific solutions. The government has not yet begun detailed discussions on the parameters of next year's budget. Puntulis also ruled out the possibility of compensating for the lack of funds by raising ticket prices. According to him, the purchasing power of residents of Latvia is limited, and the current price level is already close to the maximum acceptable for most visitors. The minister reminded that the staffing problem in the cultural sector has been discussed for a long time. Institutions regularly report difficulties in finding new employees and retaining experienced specialists. The main reason remains the level of wages, which in many positions significantly lags behind the average salary in the country. Earlier, Puntulis reported that he had already met with the heads of several state cultural institutions to discuss possible measures to support workers in the industry. Thus, the issue of funding for culture in 2027 concerns not only new projects but also the retention of specialists without whom the full operation of theaters, museums, concert organizations, and other institutions becomes increasingly difficult.
