Occupational benefits for cultural professionals
The city and canton of Zurich are organizing occupational benefits for artists and cultural workers in a more differentiated way. A new regulation will apply from January 1, 2018. The funding available will be reduced accordingly.
For artists who receive a grant from the city or canton of Zurich and can prove that they pay 6 percent of the grant into the tied pension scheme, the funding bodies will make a contribution of the same amount in addition to the grant. This regulation applies to work years, work contributions, work scholarships and open-space contributions. It applies from a support contribution of at least CHF 10,000 per year, funding body and artist.
The City and Canton of Zurich are also working with the cultural institutions they support to ensure that those working in the arts and culture are offered a pension solution from the first day and franc. When renewing decrees, agreements or subsidy contracts, the request to establish a binding pension scheme in their companies and projects is included. Project managers are invited to include contributions to the tied pension scheme under personnel costs in addition to social costs.
However, the contributions for cultural promotion will not be increased overall. This means that there are correspondingly fewer funds available for the direct support of creative artists and cultural projects. At first glance, this is painful, write the city and canton. However, if it is possible to "sensitize cultural workers to the issue and thus prevent them from becoming dependent on welfare in old age", then these investments will pay off in the long term.
