The cultural and creative sectors across Europe, also in Bulgaria, have been ravaged by the impact of stringent public health measures, with concerts cancelled, theatre, museums and cinemas closed, and film and television production halted.

We support the Visual Art Initiative and its efforts to convince the Ministry of Culture in Bulgaria to introduce a social and structural fond to help art workers and organizations to deal with crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemics. Our director and curator Viktoria Draganova, together with Vladiya Mihaylova, is representing the visual arts sector at meetings with the Ministry of Culture.

Update (13.04.)

As a result of a series of meetings and negotiations between representatives of the independent culture scene (among others with Vladiya Mihaylova and Viktoria Draganova as representatives of the Visual Art Initiative that unites for first time art freelancers, private initiatives and non-profits) and the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, a non-repayable grand equal to three minimal salaries (ca. 1800 BGN / ca. 900 Euro) has been approved for art and cultural workers who has earned in the last year less than 1000 BGN (ca. 500 Euro).

Another achievement of the meetings is the readiness to launch a public registry of independent cultural workers – following examples as Kuenstlersozialkasse or other cultural registers as in Lithuania and Serbia, etc – to allow for tax and social targeted measures and advantages in the future.

We continue to work with the ministry on the introduction of a structural fond for non-profit organizations – another important vehicle for crisis help as well as long-term support for art spaces and initiatives.

Read here the official statement by the Ministry of Culture on social measures that will be introduced in Bulgaria at the end of April to support independent art and culture workers.

Read also the interview with Viktoria Draganova and Vladiya Mihailova: “Culture on the fist line” / “Култура на първа линия” for Capital Light.

Follow these groups on facebook if you want to join our discussions and idea sharing on cultural policies regarding the Coronavirus sitaution:
Визуални изкуства. Извънредно положение / Visual Arts. State of Emergency, https://www.facebook.com/groups/505053116841097/
Независим сектор, https://www.facebook.com/groups/643174066506618/

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