The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sports, Jaume Bauzà, held a meeting on Friday with representatives of the Palma Art Contemporani Association to listen to their concerns and express institutional support for their request to reduce VAT on the sale of artworks, antiques, and collectors’ items.

The meeting was also attended by the Secretary for Culture and Sports, Pedro Vidal, and the newly appointed Director General for Culture, Llorenç Perelló, who conveyed their solidarity with a sector that has been on strike for a week in response to the lack of progress at the state level regarding the application of a reduced cultural VAT rate.

Institutional support for Palma Art Contemporani galleries in their call for a reduced cultural VAT

Discussions highlighted that the European directive approved in 2022 allows member states to apply lower VAT rates to cultural activities, a measure already implemented by several European countries. Within this framework, the gallery representatives emphasised the need to bring the taxation of the art market in line with that of neighbouring countries.

The regional administration agreed with the sector’s position, stating that the current 21% VAT rate represents an excessive fiscal burden for an activity that contributes directly to cultural heritage and creative value. The Minister stressed that contemporary art should be recognised as culture rather than treated as a luxury commodity.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to jointly advocate this long-standing demand before the national authorities, reinforcing the need for a fairer and more competitive tax framework for the cultural sector.