CULTURAL HERITAGE IN PANDEMIC TIMES: the right to culture beyond art and entertainment

Abstract

In the Constitutional Order of Culture, it is the duty of the Public Power to promote and protect material and immaterial cultural assets, bearing the identity references of the different groups that form Brazilian society. Covid-19's coping measures led to the closing of cinemas, libraries, museums and other cultural facilities. Cultural policies have been oriented, since then, to encourage artistic and entertainment activities, through promotion notices, which do not include actions to preserve cultural assets. The objective of the present study is to analyze the impact of measures to combat the pandemic on the inspection action of the cultural property protection agencies. The methodology used was characterized by descriptive and exploratory research, of qualitative nature, in official sources, allowing to understand the reality and demonstrate the importance of maintaining actions to preserve Cultural Heritage, in times of public calamity. The results point to the need to maintain the actions of surveillance of built goods and the conservation of musealized goods, at the same time that the Public Power must promote actions to safeguard immaterial goods, especially indigenous and black cultures.