2023-10-04 20:05:05
Mayer sees good progress in fair pay and laws on monument protection and tax deductibility of donations
Vienna (PK) – The 2022 Art and Culture Report once again shows the Austrian Federal Government’s commitment to strong public financing of art and culture, said State Secretary for Culture Andrea Mayer Cultural Committee out of. It is important that there has not only been a significant increase in funding for artistic creation and cultural businesses, but that this has also been sustained. Mayer named the beginning of the Fair Pay Strategy as an important cultural policy step in 2022. A support program for Ukrainian artists has also been created. According to the State Secretary, a number of legislative proposals, for example in the area of monument protection or in the area of tax deductibility of donations, are “in the home stretch”.
In addition to the current art and culture report, the Culture Committee also unanimously noted the Ministry of Culture’s report on the fund for bridging financing for self-employed artists for the second quarter of 2023 as well as the reports on payments from the COVID-19 crisis management fund.
Mayer: The year 2022 brought new challenges for art and culture
According to the current arts and culture report (III-991 d.B.), the federal government’s total spending on art and culture rose from the regular budget from €472.475 million in 2021 to €509.709 million for 2022. This corresponds to an increase of €37.234 million or 7.9%. In addition to these budget funds, special funds were also used in 2022 to deal with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In her introductory statement to the report, State Secretary Mayer emphasized that the increases were particularly significant in the area of art funding, which benefits individual artists and smaller cultural institutions. The increase was somewhat smaller in the area of cultural funding, which includes payments for federal cultural institutions. Here too, the basic compensation has been increased significantly. The measures against inflation would continue in 2023. It was particularly important for Mayer to emphasize that the measures are not one-off payments, but rather permanent funding increases.
After the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, the year 2022 was marked by new challenges, such as inflation and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The special funding budget: “Office Ukraine – Shelter for Ukrainian Artists” made it possible to support the work of around 900 artists from Ukraine in a variety of ways. If you include relatives, around 1,500 people received help. Since the start of the support, around €2 million has been provided.
A particular cultural policy focus in 2022 was the launch of the fair pay strategy. The implementation of the strategy began in June 2022 with a joint decision by the federal states and the Association of Cities and Municipalities. Mayer expects that the fair pay strategy will fundamentally change the art and culture funding landscape in Austria in the long term.
Supporting the better perception of Austrian culture abroad is a particular concern of hers, the State Secretary assured MP Rudolf Taschner (ÖVP). Mayer explained that since the end of the pandemic, significant successes have been achieved again, for example with Austrian films. Contemporary Austrian literature was presented with great success at the Leipzig Book Fair. The visual arts, dance and music from Austria were also perceived positively.
SPÖ culture spokeswoman Gabriele Heinisch-Hosek saw progress in the area of gender equality, but also areas in which women are significantly underrepresented. Mayer said that due to the principle of artistic freedom, cultural policy cannot specify women’s quotas for areas where women are currently less represented. However, awareness can be created. The surveys for the next gender report for the area of art and culture have already begun with an online survey of 3,500 cultural companies. Mayer assured the SPÖ MPs that the federal government could compensate for the identified fair pay gap of around 20% in its area with the resources available. However, the support of the states and municipalities is also needed. As far as the federal government’s cultural policy guidelines are concerned, Mayer emphasized that they should be developed in coordination with the cultural sector and presented soon.
On the subject of abuse of power in the art and cultural sector, which MP Sibylle Hamann (Greens) addressed, the State Secretary said that the current debates about it were also the result of a social change, as a result of which everything that was previously accepted is no longer accepted. It is important to treat each other appreciatively and not to look away when problems arise. The trust, set up in 2022, offers support for those affected by harassment and violence in art, culture and sport and develops prevention concepts.
The visitor study on cultural participation in Austria commissioned by the BMKÖS, which recorded visits to cultural events, cultural institutions and sites, shows positive trends since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, said NEOS culture spokeswoman Julia Seidl. The cultural offering reaches 80% of the population, and 22% even attend cultural events several times a month. The pessimistic prediction that “50% is the new sellout” was also not confirmed; the audience returned after the end of the pandemic. Austrian cinemas, for example, had a very good summer.
Seidl learned that funding for climate-friendly cultural businesses supports, among other things, the switch to sustainable energy sources. The funds from the first call are about half exhausted, a second funding call will follow in the next few days.
Regarding the establishment of a holding company for the federal museums, Mayer said that she still believes this project makes sense and that its implementation will continue to be examined. However, she is currently noticing “little political tailwind” for the project.
FPÖ culture spokesman Thomas Spalt stated a cultural policy standstill. He said that none of the federal government’s legislative initiatives announced before the summer were yet in sight. Mayer admitted that not everything could be implemented as quickly as she had expected. However, a number of legislative proposals have already made good progress. A new monument protection law is “in the home stretch”. This should contain solutions for complex issues, such as the protection of old buildings so that buildings are not left to decay for speculative reasons. In addition, improved provisions for the protection of the UNESCO world cultural heritage should be included. A regulation for improved tax deductibility of donations and the new version of the Theater Labor Act are also nearing completion. There has recently been renewed movement in the negotiations regarding the collective agreement for the federal cultural enterprises. The State Secretary said she hoped for a solution by the end of the year.
As far as the child and youth protection mentioned by Spalt is concerned, the federal government is “not going back to the agenda,” but is ensuring the implementation of child protection concepts, Mayer noted.
Andrea Kuntzl (SPÖ) found from the report that there are definitely positive developments in access to art and culture for young people. Free entry to museums is well received, but further steps are necessary. Kuntzl particularly wanted to know what results were available from the discussions with the Minister of Education announced by the State Secretary. Mayer said that the cultural department is in a constructive exchange in order to create a specific offer for the schools. An important point is also to make the existing offers for children and young people better known. The information campaign “Different too” serves this purpose, among other things. This Austria-wide information campaign on art and culture is aimed at everyone in Austria, but is particularly intended to appeal to and motivate young people to take advantage of cultural offerings.
Regarding the status of the planned relocation of the House of Austrian History (HdGÖ) to a new location, Ruth Becher (SPÖ) learned that a possible location had been found and that a study about its suitability was currently underway. In any case, Mayer emphasized that it is important to her that the HdGÖ receives an adequate location with sufficient exhibition space.
Ministry of Culture COVID-19 reports for April to July 2023
The committee also had the report on the fund for bridging financing for self-employed artists for the second quarter (April to June 2023) (III-996 d.B.). The payouts have therefore ended and the numbers have been updated due to repayments. For the processing of bridging financing for artists, a fee was set in a processing agreement with the social insurance for the self-employed (SVS). According to the BMKÖS report, administrative costs amounted to less than one percent of the paid out volume of €157.130 million. This already includes the costs for the downstream control.
The reports of the Federal Minister for Arts, Culture, Public Service and Sport on the disbursement of funds from the COVID-19 crisis management fund for April (III-944 d.B.), May (III-963 d.B.), June (III-981 d.B.) and July 2023 (III-1003 d.B.) show that the payments have now been completed. (Culture of the Cultural Committee) sox
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