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Factsheet for measure DE-2020-17/855 Updated – measures in Germany

Bavaria: Extended aid for solo self-employed artists and performers

Hilfsprogramm für soloselbstständige Künstlerinnen und Künstler

Country Germany , applies regionally

    • – DE2 BAYERN
Time period Temporary, 21 April 2020 – 30 September 2022
Context COVID-19
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Income protection beyond short-time work
– Extensions of income support to workers not covered by any kind of protection scheme
Author Sandra Vogel and Marc Breitenbroich (IW)
Measure added 14 May 2020 (updated 19 December 2024)

Background information

Solo artists and art and cultural institutions are experiencing specific hardships as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as culture and creative industries - unlike many other areas - will be affected by closures for a longer period of time. Many artists working in the cultural sector are solo-self employed and therefore do not qualify for other income support measures. The Bavarian government therefore introduced measures not previously introduced by the Federal government to support the cultural sector.

Content of measure

For solo artists, the Bavarian Council of Ministers has decided on a new aid program for solo artists up to €90 million. It is intended to register up to 30,000 solo artists insured in the artists' social security fund who have not previously been included in the COVID-19 emergency aid program. They will receive €1,000 per month for three months if their ongoing income is insufficient to ensure their livelihood due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Science defines the exact funding principles. The program is handled by the district governments and the state capital of Munich.

For state-sponsored non-governmental art and cultural institutions, including singing and music schools, considerable 'COVID-19-related' loss of income / consequential costs can be expected. The Bavarian Council of Ministers has therefore planned €10 million to compensate for hardships at these facilities. Over 300 institutions can benefit from this.

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

28 April 2022

Running time for the aid programme for solo self-employed artists in Bavaria was prolonged until end of September 2022.

15 March 2022

The Bavarian Council of Ministers prolonged the extended aid for solo self-employed artists and performers until 30 June 2022. Grants can be applied for until 30 September 2022. Conditions remain the same.

23 December 2021

On 23 December 2021, the Bavarian federal states government extend the aid for solo self-employed artists until 31 March 2022 - due the ongoing negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.

18 May 2021

On 18 May 2021, the Bavarian federal state government extended the aid for solo self-employed artists until 31 December 2021. Programme content and rules were not changed.

18 December 2020

After the measure ended in September 2020, the Bavarian Council of Ministers set up the solo-self employed programme (Soloselbständigenprogramm), which is considered the extension of the previous programme. The new programme started in December 2020 and will run until June 2021, granting artists financial benefits of up to €1,180 monthly. Eligible are artists who can prove a 30% minimum reduction in income due to the lockdowns imposed by COVID-19. This programme cannot be combined with Überbrückungshilfe III or Neustarthilfe as part of the Social Protection Act III.

09 October 2020

In May 2020, the programme’s budget was increased to €140 million. The measure has run out on 30 September 2020, with no information on a possible extension.

09 October 2020

Critique arose because artists who had first received funds from the general emergency aid programme offered by the state to all entrepreneurs or solo self-employed, were not eligible for the special emergency aid programme for artists, which potentially offered more financial support. As of 26 May 2020, the Bavarian state determined that both programmes would be combinable, however, the maximum financial support must not exceed €3,000.

14 May 2020

The measure was extended to include further groups of cultural institutions, such as cinemas, and the budget was increased by an additional €90 million (see source dated 14 May 2020).

Use of measure

Currently no information available, however demand was likely high, as the budget for the measure was further increased in May 2020.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Solo-self-employed
One person or microenterprises
Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
Local / regional government
Regional funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Unknown Unknown
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

No involvement of social partners known.

Views and reactions

No involvement of social partners known.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not sector-specific.

    • Occupation (ISCO level 2)
      Legal, social, cultural and related associate professionals
      Legal, social and cultural professionals

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2020), Bavaria: Extended aid for solo self-employed artists and performers, measure DE-2020-17/855 (measures in Germany), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/DE-2020-17_855.html

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