Immediately after the announcement of the restrictions to the activities of cultural institutions in view of the threat of pandemic, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage began to work on solutions to compensate for the losses associated with suspension of activities within the cultural sector. The minister of culture and national heritage, Piotr Gliński is taking part in the work of the Government Crisis Management Team, while other ministry’s representatives participate in the work coordinated by the Ministry of Development and the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy aimed at reducing the losses of Polish businesses and the Polish economy.

Enterprises, the self-employed and those employed on the basis of civil law contracts within the cultural sector can take advantage of the measures proposed within the programme. The “anti-crisis shield” will include, among other measures, state support to cover 40 per cent of employee salaries up to the amount of the average salary in the national economy, and people running their own business and working as contractors or on commission will be able to claim a one-time payment of up to 80 per cent of the minimum wage.

In addition, special solutions for the cultural sector will include:

1) Two new grant programmes:

a) Creativity Online – grants for the development of digital forms of artistic presentation, to be launched as soon as possible

b) An additional programme to compensate for losses to culture caused by the pandemic to be launched once the threat subsides.

2) Flexible approach to the implementation and disbursement of tasks in ministerial programmes

3) Amendments to the Cinematography Act allowing film premieres on VOD platforms online, and an extension of the Polish Film Institute’s agreements for film productions

4) Amendments to the Audio-visual Incentives Act extending the deadlines and simplifying the procedures for submitting applications for financial support for audio-visual productions

5) Increasing the scope of social assistance (grants) for people working within the cultural sector

6) Solutions arranged by the National Institute of Freedom (reporting to the Chairman of the Committee for Public Benefit) for non-governmental organizations, including organizations operating in the cultural sector, and introducing, among other measures, a flexible approach to the implementation and disbursement of projects

The Minister of Culture and National Heritage will inform about the details of the solutions presented as they are being implemented. Simultaneously, the Minister of Culture would like to thank artists, creators and people working in the cultural sector for their responsible attitude and express his highest appreciation for initiatives related to presenting artistic work and sharing digital collections and resources online. The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage will promote such solutions, and one of its new grant programmes is to support the development of such proposals.

State support for creators and artists, workers within the cultural sector, cultural companies and NGOs whose activities cannot continue during the period of the pandemic, an increase in funding of social aid for artists and additional support for the development of new forms of online access to cultural content and stimulation once activities resume – these are some features of the ‘anti-crisis shield’ for virus-hit economy presented today by President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

Source: https://www.gov.pl/web/kultura/mkidn-tarcza-antykryzysowa-obejmie-ludzi-iinstytucje-kultury