Canton of Zurich ensures cultural diversity

Zurich cultural institutions and cultural professionals from the performing arts, design, film, visual arts, literature, music and museums can submit an application for emergency aid or compensation for loss of earnings. As far as reasonable, it is assumed that the cultural institutions have already registered for short-time work and that the self-employed cultural professionals have applied for compensation for loss of earnings. In addition, the financial loss must be directly related to the official measures taken against the coronavirus pandemic.

Cultural institutions wishing to apply for emergency aid or compensation for loss of earnings can submit an application to the Canton of Zurich's Department of Culture from April 9, 2020. Cultural practitioners who are claiming compensation for loss of earnings can also submit their application to the Culture Office. The detailed documents are published on the website of the Department of Culture.

Cultural practitioners who wish to claim emergency aid should contact Suisse Culture, the umbrella organization for professional cultural practitioners in Switzerland. Cultural associations in the amateur sector with regional significance that have suffered financial losses due to canceled events can also submit an application for cancellation compensation to the Culture Office.

The federal government is making a total of CHF 26.5 million available to cultural workers and cultural institutions in the canton of Zurich to cover the loss compensation, and CHF 18.3 million for emergency aid. On March 18, the Government Council of the Canton of Zurich decided to also provide CHF 20 million in support for loss compensation in the cultural sector.