Work contribution as a funding instrument for the independent scene
The City of Zurich has updated its formal and substantive funding criteria and created a new funding instrument in the form of the "work contribution".
The work contribution enables creative people to carry out research, "develop ideas, experiment with forms and formats and increasingly engage in an open-ended process", as the city writes. It is intended as a lump-sum contribution that can be used to cover fees, expenses or living costs, for example.
The work grant is aimed at individuals and groups and will initially be introduced in 2024 in the three areas of jazz/rock/pop, classical/new music and literature. CHF 700,000 is available annually for this purpose. The monthly rate of CHF 5,000 per person serves as the basis for calculating the amount of the contribution. The maximum amount for a work contribution is CHF 20,000.
At the same time, the Culture Department has updated the formal and content-related criteria for funding applications. They are no longer part of the cultural mission statement, but are integrated into the guidelines of the respective departments. They are intended to "take better account of current social and artistic conditions" and help to "increase the transparency and comprehensibility of procedures and funding decisions".
