The Ministry of Culture Secures 6.7 Million Kuna in Support for Freelancers

Based on the Public Call for the allocation of earmarked funds to artistic professional associations, on the basis of whose confirmations tax reliefs for the payment of one-time support are realized, professional associations will pay funds to their members, independent professionals in the field of culture and arts, who have proven that their artistic activity has been prevented or significantly hindered due to special circumstances caused by the coronavirus, the Ministry of Culture’s announcement adds. Professional associations will publish the names of members who have qualified for support on their websites.

– This competition, the results of which we announced today, refers to those artists we have called the third group of artists, meaning those who have not been covered by the measures of the Ministry of Culture or the Croatian Employment Service so far – emphasized Obuljen Koržinek.

A total of 31 artistic professional associations applied based on whose confirmations tax reliefs are realized, and this public call has approved earmarked funds in the total amount of 6,715,000 kuna for the payment of one-time support for 751 of their members. 

The Ministry expresses gratitude to all professional associations for their active participation in the process of defining criteria, informing members, and evaluating submitted applications. Thanks to the high level of established dialogue with mutual respect for different positions, the entire procedure was successfully completed in a very short time, and support for artists was secured, it is emphasized in the announcement.

The Minister stated that they decided, considering that some time has passed, not to proceed with monthly but with one-time payments and that 10,000 kuna will be paid for the higher category, or 5,000 kuna for the lower category, depending on the income earned in the previous year. The Minister emphasizes that the general criterion was the same as for all others; it was necessary to prove the cessation of activity or reduced scope of activity due to Covid-19.

– I am glad that we managed to include ‘freelancers’, or contractors, with this type of support, and of course, as we have already communicated, we are already in the second phase of our measures. So, we have announced entrepreneurship and culture online and have started reprogramming the Ministry of Culture’s program funds, so cultural production is slowly returning to life – stated the Minister of Culture.

When asked by journalists which associations are involved, she said that these are professional associations from five of our key areas – film, performing arts, theater, music, literature, and translation, as well as visual arts and applied arts. 

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