Additional Aid for Performing Artists Extended until End-February 2021

In the context of the extension of COVID-19 health measures and their impact on professional cultural activities, the specific regime of additional aid for independent professional artists and entertainment workers in Luxembourg has been extended from 1 January until 28 February 2021.

In its meeting of 18 December 2020, the Government Council approved a draft Grand-Ducal regulation extending the period during which the damaging impact of the health crisis on the cultural activities of workers in this sector may result in additional financial assistance.

This additional aid scheme guarantees in particular:

- social assistance for independent professional artists, with the possibility of paying monthly social assistance up to the minimum social wage for qualified people (instead of 50% of the minimum social wage for qualified people, in "normal" times);
- additional daily allowances for intermittent entertainment workers (up to 20 daily allowances per month) in the event of involuntary inactivity (compared to the 121 daily allowances provided for in "normal" times).

Luxembourg's Minister of Culture, Sam Tanson, insisted on the need for this measure: "While we all keep the hope of a resumption of cultural activities and a return to a certain normality in 2021, it is our duty today to do everything possible to help artists and intermittents get through the crisis. The extension of additional aid is in line with the logic that I have been pursuing from the start, and which aims to support the cultural professions most affected by this crisis”.

The cost of this measure is estimated at €480,000. Between March and August 2020, a first period made it possible to release some €930,000 in additional aid for the benefit of professional independent and intermittent performing artists. Following the new health restrictions, the additional aid scheme was initially reintroduced for the period from 1 November to 31 December 2020.