Social Hardship

Useful information for artists

The Stiftung Sozialwerk and Deutsche Künstlerhilfe are contact partners for artists facing exceptional social hardship.

 

Social Hardship

The Sozialwerk Foundation of VG Bild-Kunst is an independent foundation under civil law. Within the scope of its possibilities, it provides financial support to authors in the visual arts in personal emergencies, in the event of incapacity to work or professional disability, and in old age. There is no legal entitlement to benefits from the foundation.

The financial resources flow into three different funds of the foundation:

•    Occupational group I Visual artists
•    Occupational group II Photography, graphic design, illustration
•    Occupational group III Film

The foundation receives its funds primarily from the proceeds of VG Bild-Kunst for the exploitation of copyrights. The share to be paid to the foundation is specified in the distribution plan of VG Bild-Kunst. The foundation receives additional funds from donations and bequests.

Application and allocation of funds

The application forms required for an application for support are provided by the Sozialwerk foundation.

In principle, all authors who are members of VG Bild-Kunst and their surviving spouses or registered partners can submit an application to the Social Welfare Foundation, provided they meet the requirements listed below.

Honorary members of VG Bild-Kunst who serve on the committees of VG Bild-Kunst and the Foundation are not eligible to apply.

When submitting an application, it should be noted that the benefits provided by the VG Bild-Kunst Social Welfare Foundation are not a substitute for statutory social benefits, but rather a form of assistance for authors in emergency situations. If social benefits such as cost-of-living assistance or basic income support in retirement are already being received, the individual's necessary living expenses are covered.

Supplementary support from the Social Welfare Foundation can only be granted if the competent authority confirms that the support will not be counted towards their social benefits.

 

The following benefits may be approved:

  • Support in acute emergencies, e.g. through one-off or temporary assistance in the form of bridging payments to maintain existing obligations, or
  • ongoing support in cases of long-term need or underprovision due to accident, illness, or retirement, and
  • support in the form of loans.

Support can only be granted if the following conditions are met:

1. Proof of creative activity, which must be provided by:

  • documentation of activity in the visual or artistic sector (e.g., by submitting exhibition catalogs),
  • submission of copies of appropriate documents (e.g., training documents or diplomas),
  • proof of membership in a recognized professional organization.

2. Proof of personal hardship:

  • To this end, the application form must be returned, completed in full and legibly, personal financial circumstances must be disclosed, and the extent of the need for support must be documented by means of appropriate documents (e.g., medical certificates, accident reports, cost estimates, etc.).
  • In the case of an acute emergency, this must also be documented with appropriate supporting documents.

 

Patricia Tarlinsky

Social Welfare Foundation Office / Geschäftsstelle Stiftung Sozialwerk
Tel.: 0228 91534 22, Fax: 0228 91534 39
Email: tarlinsky@bildkunst.de
 

Deutsche Künstlerhilfe (German Artists' Aid)

In accordance with the wishes of its founder, Theodor Heuss, Deutsche Künstlerhilfe (German Artists' Aid) has the task of providing financial support to writers and artists of all disciplines who have made a cultural contribution to the Federal Republic of Germany through their work and who have fallen into financial hardship due to illness, old age, or adverse circumstances. The grants from Künstlerhilfe are honorary gifts from the Federal President and are intended as an expression of gratitude and recognition. They are not social benefits within the meaning of social welfare legislation.

Deutsche Künstlerhilfe is a special-purpose fund administered in trust by the incumbent Federal President. The Federal President makes use of the Office of the Federal President for this purpose. The federal and state governments pay annual subsidies. In addition, Künstlerhilfe receives donations and earmarked fines.

In view of the limited funds available, only a certain number of writers and artists from each federal state can receive financial support. Depending on the proposal, support is granted on an ongoing basis (three payments per year) or as a one-off payment (which may be repeated). In special cases of hardship, recipients of ongoing support may also receive one-off special grants. In the event of the death of a person receiving ongoing support, the surviving spouse receives a final grant as a contribution to the funeral costs.

The right to propose candidates for support from the Artists' Assistance Fund to the Federal President lies with the ministries of culture or senators of the federal states for writers/artists who are resident in the state concerned. Associations, academies, and individuals are entitled to submit proposals to the federal states. Writers and artists can also apply for support themselves. Applications addressed directly to the Federal President or the Office of the Federal President are forwarded to the federal states for review.

 

Deutsche Künstlerhilfe / German Artists' Aid
Office of the Federal President
Spreeweg 1, 10557 Berlin
Tel.: 030 2000-0, Fax: 030 2000-1999
Email: poststelle@bpra.bund.de

Contact person for the visual arts in the Berlin Cultural Administration:
Simone Hahn Tel.: (030) 90228 534