Because of the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic and its repercussions for independent professional artists and occasional workers in the entertainment industry, additional support measures have been introduced:

• social aid benefits for independent professional artists with the possibility of receiving monthly social aid up to the social minimum wage for skilled workers;
• additional daily allowances for occasional workers in the entertainment industry;
• an adjustment of the conditions of access in the context of applications for entitlement to benefit from the social measures.

These temporary aids and measures are in addition to the aid already in existence for independent professional artists and occasional workers in the entertainment industry.

Who is concerned

The independent professional artists and occasional workers in the entertainment industry who are entitled to receive social aid benefits from the Cultural Social Fund (Fonds social culturel) are:

• artists who create and interpret in the areas of graphic and visual arts, the performing arts, literature, and music;
• creators and directors of artistic works and stage technicians who use current or novel photographic, cinematographic, sound, audiovisual or other state-of-the-art technologies, be they digital or otherwise.

Prerequisites

To obtain additional social aid, the applicant must already be receiving social aid benefits from the Cultural Social Fund, and be able to prove that the lack of activity is the direct result of the exceptional event.

How to proceed

Filing an application

Applicants must submit an application for additional aid using a form in addition to their usual application (for either independent professional artists or occasio workers in the entertainment industry).

The applicant must send the signed and dated application to the Ministry of Culture by:

• e-mail to the following address: declaration-aide@mc.etat.lu, or ;
• post to:

In their application, applicants must indicate:

• their surname and first name(s);
• their 13-digit Luxembourg national identification number;
• the number of their bank account;
• for occasional workers in the entertainment industry, to obtain additional allowances: the number of days of involuntary inactivity among the days declared on the main form that are directly related to the COVID-19 crisis;
• for independent professional artists, to obtain additional monthly aid: a list of the projects cancelled/postponed during the month, and the associated loss of income.

By signing the application, applicants:

• provide an affidavit that the information given is correct;
  
• are aware that:
  • they risk the aid being recalculated if they provide false information;
  • the cumulation of financial aid (aid for the self-employed and/or other support measures in relation to the COVID-19 crisis) may affect their application.

Supporting documents

Applicants must include the following with their application:

• proof of recruitment for shows, filming, concerts, etc.: employment contracts, pre-recruitment declaration, poster showing the applicant's name, e-mail confirmation, etc.;
• proof of the cancellation of contracts.

Applicants may indicate in the context of:

• an application for a occasional worker in the entertainment industry to obtain additional allowances: an assessment of the number of days of work lost where the loss of activity can be demonstrated on the basis of verifiable information that reflects his/her usual foreseeable activity;
• an application for an independent professional artist to obtain additional monthly aid: an assessment of the loss incurred as a result of the crisis where the potential income for the month in question can be demonstrated on the basis of verifiable information that reflects his/her usual foreseeable artistic activity.

Good to know

There are special conditions for applying for entitlement to social aid benefits.

For independent professional artists

In order to receive social aid benefits, an independent professional artist must meet the general conditions.

One of these general conditions is that the artistic activity must have generated income of at least four times the monthly minimum social wage for unskilled workers in the course of the year immediately preceding the application.

This income-based condition is reduced by 714 euros for each month the state of crisis lasts (period determined by Grand-Ducal Regulation). The period determined by Grand-Ducal Regulation runs from 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2020.

For occasional workers in the entertainment industry

In order to receive social aid benefits, an occasional worker in the entertainment industry must meet the general conditions.

One of these general conditions is that the occasional worker in the entertainment industry must have proof of a period of activity lasting at least 80 days during the 365 calendar days preceding the application. This period of activity is reduced by 7 days for each month the state of crisis lasts (period determined by Grand-Ducal Regulation).

The period determined by Grand-Ducal Regulation runs from 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2020.

Forms / Online services

Who to contact