The Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City is one of the country’s largest cultural centres. It is among several public arts institutions that has been employing staff members on more precarious freelance contracts Milton Martínez/Secretaría de Cultura de la Ciudad de México
As Mexico’s cultural economy enters the second year of the pandemic, a funding crisis and accusations of favouritism towards a few projects are threatening the long-term survival of the country’s publicly funded museums and heritage sites.
Citing corruption and waste under previous administrations, centre-left President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced hefty budget cuts across all government departments in May 2019. The ministry of culture lost 75% of its operating budget and expects to receive just $693m this year, a severe blow to arts institutions and those who depend on them for their livelihoods.