Valais emergency aid measures
The Valais State Council has decided to grant new lump-sum subsidies. The measure concerns people who were unable to receive support from either Suisseculture Sociale or the canton, or who received support of less than CHF 13,800.
A maximum amount of CHF 2,300 per month for the period from February 28 to August 31, 2020, i.e. a total of CHF 13,800 per person, can therefore be paid out to cultural professionals and service providers who have submitted an application by October 31, 2020. This aid is aimed at people who were unable to receive support from either Suisseculture Sociale or the canton, or whose support already received is less than CHF 13,800. In the latter case, they receive the amount minus the support already received. This subsidiary assistance is paid out without any consideration from the canton.
Cultural professionals or service providers working in the cultural sector who have already submitted an application do not need to submit a new application, as this will be automatically checked and any remaining amount will be paid out. New applications can also be submitted. All necessary information and documents can be found on the website of the Culture Department at www.vs.ch/de/web/culture/pauschalbeihilfe-kulturschaffende.
The Federal COVID Ordinance on Culture expired on September 20, 2020. The canton of Valais received 229 applications for compensation (94 applications from artists and 135 applications from cultural institutions). Of the CHF 17 million jointly provided by the canton and the federal government, almost CHF 4 million has already been allocated; the applications that are currently being processed (around 40%) will be finalized in the coming weeks.
Singing and music societies were also eligible for compensation amounting to 80% of the salary (excluding social security contributions) for the loss of work of their director or organist for the period from March 16 to June 30, 2020. The canton of Valais received 210 applications from 187 choral or music societies (81 applications from choral societies and 106 applications from music societies). Of the 187 associations, 51 are German-speaking. This arrangement is financed exclusively by the canton from the extraordinary funds made available as part of the support for COVID-19.
When the federal COVID-19 Act comes into force on September 26, the current emergency measures for cultural workers (Suisseculture Sociale) and support for cultural associations in the non-professional sector will be extended. A new program to support transformation projects will be created. This will promote the revitalization of the cultural sector by supporting sustainable projects.
