Ministry of Culture Expands Financial Support for Artists' Creative Activities and Livelihood Stability

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will significantly expand the welfare recipients and support scale for artists’ creative activities and livelihood stability from this year, more than doubling them.

On the 5th, the Ministry announced the '2020 Changes in Artist Welfare' and stated that the target number for the Artist Creative Preparation Fund project will be expanded from 5,500 last year to 12,000 this year, more than doubling. The Creative Preparation Fund is a system that supports artists with 3 million KRW per person annually on a biennial basis to prevent them from stopping artistic activities due to financial difficulties.

The number of documents required to apply for the Creative Preparation Fund has also been drastically reduced from up to 12 types to 3 types, making it easier for artists to apply. The income and property screening targets for support have been narrowed down to the applicant and spouse. Accordingly, artists who have had low income and financial difficulties but were unable to receive benefits from the Creative Preparation Fund due to their parents’ or children’s assets can now participate.

The scale of livelihood stabilization fund loans for artists will also increase significantly from 8.5 billion KRW last year to 19 billion KRW this year. The livelihood stabilization fund loan is a support system for artists who have irregular income and find it difficult to use general financial services, and it was piloted last year. For major products such as jeon-wolse (monthly rent) housing fund loans, the Ministry will raise the upper limit to 100 million KRW considering housing burdens.

Support measures to improve artists’ health will also be expanded. Artists experiencing crises such as psychological anxiety and depression during artistic activities can receive counseling at 32 nationwide psychological counseling centers linked with the Korea Artist Welfare Foundation. While about 450 artists were eligible due to circumstances, the number will be expanded to 800 from this year.

The procedures required when artist parents apply for their children’s daycare will also be simplified.

Until now, when confirming parents’ employment status for full-day classes and priority admission to daycare centers for infants and toddlers, freelance artists could not obtain employment certificates and had to submit separate documents such as self-introduction letters and income proofs. From March this year, related guidelines have been revised so that any artist can prove they are working with just one certificate of artistic activity.

Measures will also be prepared to reduce artists suffering from verbal contract practices. If artists fail to conclude a written contract during artistic activities, they can report this fact and receive relief measures. From June this year, violations can be reported through a reporting and counseling window established within the Korea Artist Welfare Foundation, and legal advice and contract drafting support will be provided.

Cultural and artistic infrastructure will be established at the Seoul Seogye-dong complex cultural facility site (currently the National Theater Company) and Bucheon Film District, and cultural artist support housing will be built. This is expected to provide a foundation for artists to focus on creative activities without worrying about housing costs.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Yang-woo said, "Many artists are experiencing difficulties due to unstable income, status, and work environment. Although this system improvement will not immediately improve their situation, we will continuously develop policies in the future to create an environment where artists can fully demonstrate their capabilities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.