In the French State, since 1936, there have been different measures to improve the conditions of workers in the cultural sector. To perform a minimum work activity of periodic recognition within 12 months, recording 507 hours of minimum work. Once achieved, the worker receives financial aid between the end of a contract and the beginning of the other.

In the Spanish State, for the first time, the Artist’s Statute will apply in 2023. Four and a half years ago the political parties agreed to improve the working conditions in the cultural sector, especially with the focus on periodicity; the government, in the Council of Ministers, approved the Law Decree last January and has remained pending further development, even if it is already in force. It is a statute for all workers in the sector, artists, agents, musicians and technicians among others.

The Decree-Law provides for the provision of an unemployment benefit similar to the French one, depending on the frequency: flexibility and adequacy of the contribution conditions for the retirement benefit to be "like any other work activity", intellectual property rights and, finally, the most controversial point, the adaptation of cases of self-employed persons and lower incomes: self-employed artists with incomes below EUR 3,000 per year must pay an autonomous share of EUR 161 per month.

The unemployment benefit according to periodicity shall be agreed between two models: quoting within 18 months 60 days and receiving a benefit of 120 days; or, in the longer term, quoting 180 days within six years, which was once twice as high. It is clear, however, what will happen with the artists’ Personal Income Tax, as the activities of 2021 have been carried out without statute, so it will not come until the spring of next year.

Presentation in Donostia

Artists and creators from different areas met Monday at the Koldo Mitxelena cultural centre in Donostia to hear for the first time the explanations of the representatives of the Spanish Government. Denis Itxaso pointed out that it will be a tool to give "a dignified solution" to its creators, while Adriana Moscoso del Prado, general director of the Spanish Ministry of Culture, explained that it will be "a first recognition to artists." Because the dialogue and work between the administration and civil society has been worked at the level of the Spanish state through the dynamic, and proud of it, of listening and receiving the voice of the artists.

The main concern of creators was the situation of self-employed creators. Moscoso del Prado defended the new Decree-Law: "A special fee is provided for self-employed persons who receive very low remuneration and a total compatibility between retirement and artistic activity is established". However, government representatives stressed that it remains an "unclosed list of standards".