In the communist times artists were considered a privileged group. A large network of holiday resorts and artist residences served the members of the official professional associations. Their professions were held in official esteem and the system promoted the cults of the most eminent. Many of today’s awards and fellowship grants originate from the communist era. Dissidents and those whom the power kept alien to the communist conception of culture were nevertheless excluded from such favours.
The current NER System of National Cooperation has returned to placing special emphasis on individuals. The number of artists and cultural professionals who are entitled to lifelong annual annuities above the age of 65 is well above a thousand, and those having reached this age threshold and drawing the monthly annuities total a few hundred persons at any time. The various groups and their gratifications are listed at 4.1.3.
Between the above-mentioned provisions for the elderly and the impressive array of public art fellowships the lately established Térey Grants offer existential backing to 45 middle-aged writers
These signals of the recognition of the role of artists in society are in contrast with the modest conditions and indeed precarity of the greater part of employees in cultural institutions and the artists in self-employed status. The advantageous self-employment tax scheme (kata) was abolished in 2022, which also caused significant disadvantages for workers in the cultural sector.
Beyond financial hardships, most of the independent art groups complain about signs of demonstrative neglect on the part of the cultural administration of the state. This is a major difficulty in theatre and film, where many independent companies have disappeared. Well-known theatre and film directors have been forced to leave the country due to lack of jobs.
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