Applying for cultural leave
Last update
Cultural leave allows:
- cultural actors;
- administrative executives of federations, national networks and associations; or
- individuals designated by federations, national networks and associations;
who carry out their cultural activity as a sideline to their professional activity, to benefit from additional leave to pursue their activities in the cultural sector.
Who is concerned?
Cultural actors
Cultural leave can be requested by cultural actors to participate in:
- specialised training relevant to the cultural sector, organised by an approved continuing vocational training body;
- high-level events in Luxembourg or abroad, in which they have been invited to participate, both in the preparation and in the execution of the events.
High-level events are cultural events:
- which are recognised in the artistic or cultural fields concerned; and
- which are internationally renowned.
The following high-level cultural events are eligible for cultural leave:
- theatrical, musical, dance or multidisciplinary productions of recognised festivals, public cultural institutions and private theatres or ensembles;
- film productions supported by the Film Fund Luxembourg;
- visual art exhibitions in museums, art galleries, art centres or at contemporary art biennials;
- festivals, fairs, literary salons and book tours;
- cultural and artistic exchanges organised in the framework of cultural agreements;
- international congresses and symposia on cultural and artistic themes;
- the presentation of awards and honours.
Basic training courses, private research projects and promotional presentations are not eligible for cultural leave.
Administrative executives
Cultural leave may be requested by the administrative executives of federations, national networks or associations to:
- ensure the management of the federation, the national network or the organisation;
- participate in an international meeting of national federations, associations or networks;
- participate in specialised training relevant to the cultural sector, organised by an approved continuing vocational training body;
Are considered administrative executives:
- persons responsible for management or direction; or
- persons who regularly contribute to the management or direction in an administrative capacity.
Persons designated by federations, national networks or associations
Cultural leave may be requested by those designated by federations, national networks or associations for participation in high-level cultural events (see definition under 'Cultural actors' above) in Luxembourg.
Prerequisites
Cultural actors
To be eligible for cultural leave, cultural actors must:
- be continuously affiliated in Luxembourg as an employee, a self-employed worker, or as a person exercising a liberal profession, for at least the 6 months preceding the date of the application for cultural leave;
- have at least 6 months of length of service with the employer with whom they are in an employment relationship at the time of application;
- carry out their cultural activity as a sideline to another professional activity;
- demonstrate a known commitment to the Luxembourg cultural and artistic scene by virtue of:
- the public dissemination of their works;
- the impact of their activity; and
- recognition by their peers.
Administrative executives
To be eligible for cultural leave, administrative executives must:
- have:
- at least 6 months of length of service with the employer with whom they are in an employment relationship at the time of application; or
- be affiliated as a self-employed worker or as a person exercising a liberal profession for at least 6 months prior to the date of application for leave;
- carry out their administrative activity as a sideline to another salaried or self-employed professional activity;
- have an administrative executive position:
- in an association in the cultural sector; or
- in a federation or national network representing the cultural sector, which:
- plays a key role in the cultural field; and
- receives annual financial support from the State.
Persons designated by federations
In order to benefit from cultural leave, persons designated by federations, national networks or associations to participate in high-level cultural events in Luxembourg must have at least 6 months of length of service with the employer with whom they have an employment relationship at the time of submitting their application for leave.
Activity outside the main professional activity
The cultural activity or event for which the leave is requested must not be part of the applicant's main professional activity.
Deadlines
The application for cultural leave must be submitted at least 2 months before the date of the event for which the leave is requested.
How to proceed
Submitting the application
Applications for cultural leave must be made in writing and submitted to the minister responsible for culture (see 'Online services and forms'):
- by post; or
- by email to: conge.culturel@mc.etat.lu.
The application must first be submitted for opinion to the employer. The employer must give their opinion on the request for leave within 8 working days. Refusals must be duly motivated.
Granting of the cultural leave
Cultural leave and allowances are granted by the minister responsible for culture on the advice of an advisory committee.
In principle, the advisory committee meets once a month.
In 2024, the meeting dates are the following:
- 16 January;
- 6 February;
- 12 March;
- 16 April;
- 14 May;
- 11 June;
- 16 July;
- 10 September;
- 15 October;
- 12 November;
- 17 December;
Note: the complete file must be received at least 5 working days before the committee's meeting so that the application can be placed on the respective agenda.
Duration of the cultural leave
The cultural leave is limited:
- to 12 days per year and per beneficiary for cultural actors;
- for the administrative executives of national federations and networks in the cultural sector, whose affiliated associations or institutional members together number:
- less than 1,000 paid-up members, to 5 days per year per body;
- at least 1,000 paid-up members, to 10 days per year per body;
- for administrative executives of associations in the cultural sector with:
- less than 50 paid-up members, to 2 days per year per body;
- between 50 and 200 paid-up members, to 3 days per year per body;
- more than 200 paid-up members, to 4 days per year per body;
National federations and networks in the cultural sector are entitled to 50 days of cultural leave per year for the participation of persons designated by them in high-level cultural events in Luxembourg.
Associations in the cultural sector are entitled to 10 days of cultural leave per year for the participation of persons designated by them in high-level cultural events in Luxembourg.
Cultural actors(per beneficiary/year) |
Administrative executives(per body/year) |
Persons designated by the federations and associations in the cultural sector(per body/year) |
||
| Federations | Associations | Federations | Associations | |
| 12 days | 5 days (< 1,000 active affiliated members) |
2 days (< 50 active affiliated members) | 50 days | 10 days |
10 days (≥ 1,000 active affiliated members) |
3 days (50-200 active affiliated members) | |||
| 4 days (> 200 active affiliated members) | ||||
Cultural leave may be split, with each part consisting of 4 hours at least.
The days of cultural leave are calculated on a pro rata basis for employees who work part-time.
Allowances
During cultural leave, the beneficiary is paid as follows:
- for each day of leave, private-sector employees are entitled to a compensatory allowance paid by the employer, equal to the average daily salary. This allowance may not exceed 4 times the social minimum wage for unskilled workers. The allowance is paid to them by the employer, who is then reimbursed by the Government for the amount of the allowance and the employer's share of social security contributions. The application for the reimbursement should be made using the specific form;
- persons exercising a self-employed or liberal professional activity benefit from a compensatory allowance fixed on the basis of the contribution base, without exceeding 4 times the social minimum wage for unskilled workers;
- employees in the public sector continue to receive their pay and benefits. Public sector employees are those employed by:
- the State;
- communal authorities;
- associations of communes;
- public establishments and services under the supervision of the State or the communes;
- parastatal bodies; or
- the Luxembourg national railway company
The allowance is reimbursed to the employer or the self-employed person on the basis of a declaration (see 'Online services and forms'), which must be sent to the minister responsible for culture after the end of the cultural leave and no later than 1 February of the year immediately following the year in which the leave was taken.
Impact of the cultural leave on working relationships
Cultural leave is treated as a period of actual work. During cultural leave, the legal and regulatory provisions regarding social security and protection from dismissal remain applicable for beneficiaries.
Online services and forms
Who to contact
Ministry of Culture
-
Ministry of Culture
- Address:
-
4, boulevard Roosevelt
L-2450
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
B.P L-2912 Luxembourg
- Phone:
- (+352) 247-86600
- Email address:
- info@mc.public.lu
- Website:
- https://mc.gouvernement.lu/en.html
For measures put in place during the state of crisis, contact: declaration-aide@mc.etat.lu
Related procedures and links
Procedures
Links
Legal references
- Code du travail, Livre II, Titre III, Chapitre IV, Section 3
-
Loi du 6 janvier 2023
portant institution d’un congé culturel
-
Règlement grand-ducal du 25 janvier 2023
fixant les modalités d’application du congé culturel
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