Art Bonus
Urgent measures to encourage cultural patronage
Article 1 of Decree-Law no. 83 of 31 May 2014, “Urgent provisions for the protection of cultural heritage, the development of culture and the revival of tourism”, converted with amendments into Law no. 106 of 29 July 2014 and subsequent amendments, introduced a tax credit for cash donations in support of culture and the performing arts — the so-called Art Bonus — as a way of encouraging patronage of cultural heritage.
Anyone making a cash donation in support of culture, as provided for by law, can enjoy substantial tax benefits in the form of a tax credit.
Below is the direct link to Teatro Comunale di Bologna on the ART Bonus portal http://artbonus.gov.it/fondazione-teatro-comunale-di-bologna.html
Donations that qualify for the tax credit
Cash donations qualifying for the tax credit must relate to tax years from 2014 onwards and must concern the following:
- maintenance, protection and restoration of publicly owned cultural property;
- support for publicly owned cultural institutions and sites (museums, libraries, archives, archaeological areas and parks, monumental complexes, as defined by article 101 of the Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape, Legislative Decree no. 42 of 22 January 2004), for opera and symphonic foundations and for traditional theatres;
- construction of new facilities and restoration or upgrading of existing ones belonging to public bodies or institutions which operate exclusively in the performing arts on a non-profit basis.
When Decree-Law 83/2014 was converted into law, the measure was extended to cash donations for the maintenance, protection and restoration of publicly owned cultural property where these are made to the concession holders or custodians of the property concerned.
The tax relief on donations supporting traditional theatres came into force with Law no. 190 of 23 December 2014, and in this case the Art Bonus relief applies to donations made from 2015 onwards.
The 2016 Stability Law, no. 208 of 28 December 2015, made the Art Bonus permanent: a 65% tax relief on donations in support of culture.
Who can benefit
The tax credit is granted to anyone making the donations in support of culture and the performing arts provided for by the legislation referred to here, whatever their nature and legal form.
How to donate
As for other cash donations, the Italian Revenue Agency has established that these donations must be made exclusively through one of the following payment methods:
- through a bank (e.g. a transfer);
- or through a post office (e.g. a payment into an account held by the beneficiary);
- or through the other payment methods provided for by article 23 of Legislative Decree 241/97, that is debit, credit and prepaid cards, bank cheques and cashier’s cheques.
In practice, cash donations do not qualify for the tax credit, because they do not offer sufficient guarantees of traceability.
Donations may only be made in favour of publicly owned heritage. Donations made in favour of a cultural property that is privately owned — including by non-profit bodies and civilly recognised ecclesiastical institutions — are therefore excluded from the Art Bonus and from the tax credit. In those cases the provisions already set out in the Italian Income Tax Code continue to apply.
Beneficiary
Teatro Comunale di Bologna
IBAN
IT85X0306902477100000300269
Reference
Art Bonus donation to Fondazione Teatro Comunale di Bologna – tax code and/or VAT number of the donor – in support of the Theatre's activity