Reykjavík City Council will discuss the possibility of the City and state joining forces to provide 640 million ISK in funding to the Harpa concert hall and conference center, RÚV reports.
Reykjavík Mayor Jón Gnarr has proposed to the council that harpa receive 160 million ISK annually over the next four years. This is in response to the revelation that Harpa is on the brink of bankruptcy, after being operational for less than two years – Harpa celebrated its grand opening on 4 May 2011.
The mammoth glass and steel structure on Reykjavík’s harbour front nearly didn’t come to exist, as it sat unfinished for over a year when the economy collapsed and funds to continue building the structure were non-existent. In 2008 the Icelandic government agreed to fully fund the construction of the half-built concert hall. Harpa is operated by Portus, a company jointly owned by the Icelandic government and the City of Reykjavík.
Today’s City Council discussion can be streamed online from the City of Reykjavík’s website.