Original article: Consejo Vecinal del Teatro Novedades denuncia reiterados incumplimientos del municipio de Santiago al convenio de co-gestión del espacio

Community Council of Teatro Novedades Raises Alarm Over Santiago Municipality’s Breaches of Management Agreement

On Wednesday, January 28, national leaders from the ANEF joined members of the Community Council of Teatro Novedades to deliver a letter to the Municipality of Santiago, expressing their concerns regarding the future of this community space and requesting a meeting with Mayor Mario Desbordes.

The organization reported multiple breaches by the capital’s municipality related to the co-management agreement for the space, signed in October 2023 by the Santiago Development Corporation (Cordesan), which is under the Municipality, and the Community Council of the Theater.

They emphasized that the Teatro Comunitario Novedades, located in the Yungay neighborhood, is a heritage site that community members reclaimed from neglect four years ago.

«The space operates under a community management model that is inclusive and open to local residents, artists, and social organizations. It hosts around 100 activities monthly, reflecting the strong commitment of its Community Council, which manages it with a community perspective to address cultural needs in the Yungay neighborhood and beyond, showcasing the open and participatory nature of the space,» stated the Community Council.

They pointed out that the management of the space operates under shared responsibilities.

«The agreement stipulates that Cordesan is responsible for the safeguarding of the venue with minimal operational and maintenance conditions, backed by a direct allocation of resources and the hiring of technical staff. Meanwhile, the Community Council is tasked with programming, ensuring respectful dialogue and collaborative participation among neighbors, artists, and social organizations responding to a collective biannual call,» the organization noted.

Additionally, the Community Council «maintains the space clean, restoring areas of the Theater damaged by neglect and time. This work has been entirely voluntary on the part of the Council. Over the years, the Council has received support from other organizations, particularly the Víctor Jara Foundation, which owns the sound and lighting equipment of the venue, as well as from the local community and artistic community in the Yungay neighborhood,» they added.

Technicians of Sound and Lighting Removed

Unfortunately, the Community Council reported, «this week Cordesan terminated our sound and lighting technical team. This action violates the terms of the co-management contract and jeopardizes one of the fundamental supports for the theater’s operations.»

«Furthermore, this adds to a series of breaches of commitments by Cordesan since March 2025, threatening the normal operation of the Theater, including the non-payment of utility services and property repairs,» they highlighted, emphasizing that «thanks to the efforts of the Community Council, the technical team, and the community, the space has continued to operate with relative stability.»

«Similarly, Cordesan and the Municipality of Santiago have expressed their intention to modify the administration of the space, transferring its full operation to the Municipality without the involvement of Cordesan and possibly removing the Community Council from its functions,» they denounced.

For the local residents, this situation contravenes the signed agreement, set to last until 2029, «and affects the continuity of a unique and successful project in Chile that fosters participation and democratization of art and culture within communities.»

Request for Dialogue

Given this complex situation, the Community Council urged the authorities of the Municipality of Santiago and Cordesan to initiate dialogue on the following points:

1. Continuity of the co-management model for Teatro Comunitario Novedades, including the role of the Municipality and the organized community.
2. Guarantee of the technical operation of the theater, ensuring the availability of technical staff for regular operations during and after the transfer process.
3. Progress and resolution of the final reception process of the property, as a legal condition for its regular use.
4. Execution of roof repairs, addressing a pending structural need.
5. Regularization of cleaning and basic maintenance services, ensuring adequate usage conditions for the community.
6. Definition of a transitional coordination mechanism to monitor the transfer process of the space from Cordesan to the Municipality of Santiago, preventing interruptions in the theater’s operations.

We will continue to provide updates.