The complaint was made at a six-year balance press conference of the association that aims to promote good practices of physical, social and intellectual access to cultural activities in the country.

“There are many, too many, cultural spaces in Portugal that still do not comply with the accessibility law,” said Rita Pires dos Santos, the vice-chairperson for the board of the association ‘Acesso Cultura’ .

“A lot of us are responsible for this.”

She said that the responsibility includes architects, designers, municipal councils, with the duty to pass licenses of use and to supervise, as well as public entities, such as the directorate-general of the arts, the inspection-general of cultural activities, and Portugal’s institute for rehabilitation.

The lack of an entrance ramps and inside the buildings, the absence of a lift, or an automatic door, “make all the difference for all citizens to have access to culture,” Santos said.

When asked by Lusa on how many will or what percentage of these spaces still do not comply with the law, she said that it is “certainly more than half.”

On behalf of the board, she said that “the directors of the spaces and the entities responsible must ensure compliance with the law” created in 2006.

She also called for the collaboration of festival organisers and other initiatives “to not continue to organise events in spaces that leave citizens out,” because “it is contributing to discrimination, perpetuating something that is wrong.”

The board said that “the situation is showing some improvements in good practices, but mainly in specific cases of professionals who are sensitive to these issues.”

On the other hand, the collective effort also includes the participation of the side of the people with limitations, who “should complain more when there are flaws in the conditions to receive them but see a lot of bureaucracy or lack of interest.”

Last year, the association created the page “Cultura Acessível” with thesupport of the Millennium BCP Foundation, where it gathers information on accessible cultural programmes in Portugal.

Between 17 and 23 June, the association is to hold the week of culture access, with the awarding of good practice prizes, debates and the opening of the backstage of cultural spaces in various cities of the country.