International network
for contemporary
performing arts

Réseau international
pour les arts du spectacle
contemporains

Rete internazionale
per le arti performative
contemporanee

コンテンポラリー
パフォーミングアーツ
国際ネットワーク

Internationales Netzwerk
für zeitgenössische
darstellende Künste

Международная сеть современного 
исполнительского 
искусства

Red internacional
para las artes escénicas
contemporáneas

Internationaal netwerk
voor hedendaagse
podiumkunsten

თანამედროვე საშემსრულებლო
ხელოვნების
საერთაშორისო ქსელი

Rede internacional
para as artes performativas
contemporâneas

الشبكة الدولية
لفنون الأداء
المعاصرة

Alþjóðlegt
tengslanet
í sviðslistum

Xarxa internacional
d'arts escèniques
contemporànies

Rhwydwaith rhyngwladol
ar gyfer celfyddydau
perfformio cyfoes

Rrjeti ndërkombëtar
për artet skenike
kontemporane

Διεθνές δίκτυο
για σύγχρονες
παραστατικές τέχνες

Međunarodna mreža 
za savremene 
scenske umjetnosti

Mezinárodní síť 
pro současné 
divadelní umění

International netværk
for kontemporær
scenekunst

Internasionale netwerk
vir kontemporêre
uitvoerende kunste

თანამედროვე საშემსრულებლო
ხელოვნების
საერთაშორისო ქსელი

Nemzetközi hálózat
a kortárs
előadóművészetért

國際當代表演藝術網絡

líonra idirnáisiúnta
na taibhealaíona
comhaimseartha

Starptautiskais tīkls
laikmetīgai
skatuves mākslai

Netwerk internazzjonali
għall-arti performattivi
kontemporanji

Międzynarodowa sieć
na rzecz współczesnych sztuk
performatywnych

Internationellt nätverk
för samtida
scenkonst

Međunarodna mreža
savremenih izvođačkih
umetnosti

Международна мрежа
за съвременни
сценични изкуства

Rrjet ndërkombëtar
për arte skenike
bashkëkohore

Міжнародная сетка
сучасных
перфарматыўных мастацтваў

Međunarodna mreža
za suvremene
izvedbene umjetnosti

国际当代表演艺术网络

Rahvusvaheline
kaasaegsete etenduskunstide
võrgustik

현대 공연 예술을 위한 국제 네트워크

Tarptautinis tinklas
šiuolaikinis
scenos menai

Интернационална мрежа
за современа
изведувачка уметност

شبکۀ بین المللی
برای هنرهای نمایشی معاصر

Rețeaua internațională
pentru artele spectacolului
contemporan

Medzinárodná sieť
pre súčasné
scénické umenie

Çağdaş
gösteri sanatları için
uluslararası iletişim ağı

Crisis measures to support the independent arts sector in Bulgaria

 

Bulgarian independent arts sector (individual artists and organisations from the performing arts, music, visual arts and others who are not state or municipal) organised themselves and elaborated an open letter requesting two main measures of support for the sector:

- a Crisis social fund, aimed to help freelance artists and cultural workers, for the weeks of the Covid19 lockdown, plus three months after the quarantine is lifted. The request is for a legal minimum wage, exempt from taxes and social security payments or compensations according to the individual income from artistic practice in the past two years;

- a Structural fund to cover organisations’ expenses and losses in 2020 and help rebuild practice in 2021.

The independent sector is expected to propose the funds frame, eligibility conditions, application and monitoring procedures. Intensive online debates in the sector are currently going on, aiming to reach a social just and solidary solution and transparent procedures for funding. The government might accept the proposed measures and alter them according to the general situation in the state, or provide alternatives.

The independent sector insists that funding for any measures should not come from arts and culture funds of the Ministry of culture but from dedicated Covid-19 countermeasures European funds.

On 28 March, an online meeting between representatives of the independent sector and the Minister of Culture has been held. The Minister expressed a general support for the measures requested and proposed another meeting on 31 March, together with the Minister of Labour and Social policy as well.

In the meanwhile, an online survey to estimate the losses of the sector has been carried out. According to the intermediate results, encompassing 500 individual artists and organisations, the losses will be 7 mln BGN (3.58 mln Euro) if the lockdown measures last till June 2020. 16 mln (8.2 mln Euro) if the ban lasts till the end of 2020. The survey is open for responses till 29 March.

Currently, Bulgarian government envisages support for employers and employees on permanent working contract and no measures for freelance professionals whatsoever.