Round table with members of cultural scene; Credit: Ministry of Culture

On Monday 26 October 2020, Luxembourg's Minister of Culture, Sam Tanson, presented the implementation of the 2018-28 cultural development plan (Kulturentwécklungsplang - KEP) during the 3rd edition of the "Assises culturelles" at the Philharmonie.

Due to rising COVID-19 infections and new measures planned by the government, the event took place in front of an audience of maximum 100 people, whilst a further 700 people followed it via livestreaming.

Drawing up an initial assessment of the cultural development plan was high on the agenda. So far, eight out of 62 recommendations have been fully implemented and 44 measures are currently being drawn up. Culture Minister Sam Tanson noted: “Especially in difficult times, solidarity between the different actors is of paramount importance".

Artists are particularly targeted by the cultural development plan. The Culture Minister recalled the package of support measures implemented within the framework of Neistart Lëtzebuerg, which will particularly benefit new projects and creations by artists. The minister also stressed that the cultural development plan is an instrument that can be adapted to the circumstances and real needs of cultural actors.

Jo Kox, Senior Government Advisor and Implementation Coordinator of the cultural development plan, presented the new kep.lu website, which is currently in beta. In the “implementation” section, a bar indicates the evolution in percentages of each recommendation and refers to detailed documentation.

During a round table chaired by local writer Samuel Hamen, various members of the cultural scene exchanged their views on the COVID-19 crisis and reacted to questions and comments from the public. Dancer and choreographer Simone Mousset has found that she and her colleagues have worked in a fast paced system and she hopes that in the future there will be more room for humanity towards artists. Artist Filip Markiewicz argued that the public is perhaps now more aware that the life of an artist is by definition already a risk zone, even without a health crisis. Other participants included Marc Nickts, Manager of Sacem, Odile Simon, Director of the Cube 521 regional cultural centre, director Anne Simon, Michel Polfer, director of the National Museum of History and Art (MNHA), and Marc Rettel from Reading Luxembourg. Despite the sectoral differences, all the participants saw the need to rethink: on the one hand, for artists to rethink their way of working and on the other hand, for society to rethink its recognition of culture as an important social factor.

Tammy Tangeten from the Ministry of Culture then provided an overview on the reform of an amended law relating to social measures for the benefit of independent professional artists and intermittent entertainment workers. For the start of the 2019 school year, the Ministry of Culture launched a public consultation aimed at reflecting on the usefulness of adapting this law.

The Ministry of Culture is currently considering the following avenues for independent professional artists:

- a reduction from three to two years of the reference period for artists without a university degree;

- a relaxation of entry conditions for newly graduated artists;

- a revision of the principle of aid distribution and simplification of the formalities required in the context of the request for obtaining the right to aid.

For intermittent workers, the following avenues will be analysed in more detail:

- a review of the consistency between the condition of membership continuously for at least six months before the request and the various possible contractual situations;

- an extension and definition of activities that can be taken into account in the calculation of working days;

- setting up an electronic platform for the management of days.

Moreover, Catherine Decker from the Ministry of Culture presented the work that preceded the creation of Luxembourg's arts council, now called Kultur:LX, which is in charge of exporting Luxembourgish culture. As a next step, the non-profit association will hire a coordinator, as well as staff responsible for finances and communication, and will take care of the progressive integration of the missions (music:LX, Reading Luxembourg, aids for mobility of the National Cultural Fund, Trois-CL) and the regrouping of export activities.

In addition to these two main themes, the Minister of Culture highlighted the new heritage law, which also covers an entire chapter of the cultural development plan. The bill is tabled, the Government Council has given its opinion and, for the past few weeks, the Culture Minister has been regularly discussing the various paragraphs of the bill with MPs in the cultural parliamentary committee.