The Law on Creative Workers and Creative Unions regulates relations between artists’ unions and the government, provides governmental subsidies for support of those organizations as legal entities under public law and guarantees their participation in the development of cultural programmes and decision-making. However, it was only until 2000 (prior to the Rose Revolution) that the state budget of Georgia assigned governmental funding to the main cultural unions of national significance – the Artists’ Union, Writers’ Union, Composers’ Union, and Theatre Workers’ Union. From 2001 until 2003, governmental funding was assigned to the Writers’ Union only and, since 2004, state subsidies to art unions have been stopped. However, the state and municipalities support associations and organizations indirectly by financing events, festivals and exhibitions which are arranged by the unions.
Georgian art unions are:
- Artists’ Union of Georgia;
- Designers’ Union of Georgia;
- Writers’ Union of Georgia;
- Composers’ Union of Georgia;
- Architects’ Union of Georgia;
- Union of Cinema Workers of Georgia; and
- Union of Theatre Workers of Georgia.
After the Rose Revolution the art unions, which represented a rather powerful authority in the Soviet period, found themselves almost on the level of newly established NGOs, though they still obtain some capital and human resources to maintain and rehabilitate their function of support to artists. Legislative amendments have enabled this once powerful ideological structure to change in order to meet the needs of the contemporary free community. However, these unions need some indirect but effective measures for state support and, through the unions, for support of artists.
Under Georgian law, art unions are trade associations, with the status of a legal entity under public law, which unite at least 5 creative workers in literature or art.
Membership is voluntary and aims to support members’ artistic development, advocate for their rights, and promote Georgian culture.
Unions operate independently under their statutes, which dictate membership terms, rights, and responsibilities. The law distinguishes between national unions, local unions, and international unions, allowing unions to expand their operations across regions or internationally. Creative workers have access to social insurance and pension plans per general Georgian legislation, though no specific or enhanced benefits are stipulated under this law.
Unions may receive financial support from the state or local governments, though such funding is tied to specific programmes rather than unrestricted financial support. The law mandates state oversight of the unions’ financial activities to ensure legal compliance, but unions are otherwise granted autonomy.
The government guarantees property rights for unions and can facilitate partnerships with foreign entities to support Georgian cultural outreach.
The entrepreneurship aimed at profit-making in concrete cases specified by the law (Law on Nonprofit Organizations) may be subsidiary in the support of the activities of nonprofit organizations. However, this provision is idle and creative unions are suffering a financial crisis.
The legislation in this sphere is adequate however there are some problems in the execution of the acts of legislation and their administration. The Tax Code provides no benefits for art unions.
Recently, Georgian real estate has become the object of active interest from investors. This interest has led the state to sell the assets of some creative unions. In spite of their protests and attempts to restitute their property through the court, the unions have not been successful. One example is the sale, by the Ministry of Economic Development of Georgia, of the holiday home for composers located in the resort-city of Borjomi (reported by the news agency Reuters), with a starting price of 4.5 million USD.
2020-2024
No major changes have taken place in recent years. Despite the new Culture Strategy 2025, the situation remains unchanged:
The trade union system in Georgia is weak and ineffective, and cultural sector unions play a minimal role in protecting the rights of artists and cultural workers.
Creative unions lack the financial, institutional and infrastructural capacity to effectively fulfil their stated goals. In addition, these unions rarely commission or provide legal services, nor do they conduct awareness-raising campaigns.
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