“Not for celebrities, not for stars.” The act on securing artists passed

The regulations are primarily of a social nature - their main beneficiaries are artists with the lowest and irregular incomes.

Who will receive subsidies for premiums?

The most important element of the act is the mechanism for subsidizing contributions, which is addressed to artists with income below a certain threshold. They are intended to cover artists whose average monthly revenues over the last three years have not been higher than 125%. minimum wage, i.e. approx. PLN 68,000 PLN gross per year. It is estimated that the subsidies will cover approx. 21,000. people.

An artist with a small income will receive a subsidy from the state for contributions up to the minimum wage. The funds will be recorded in accounts at the Social Insurance Institution and transferred automatically. You will be entitled to the subsidy until you reach the adopted income threshold that will allow you to pay your contributions independently. The right to the subsidy will not be granted indefinitely - it will be determined for a given year and regularly verified so that the support goes to people who meet the conditions specified in the Act.

Lots of misunderstandings around the project

During the parliamentary debate on the project of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Marta Cienkowska assessed that "there were many misunderstandings" around it.

Answering the question about who the support would go to, she said:

Not to celebrities. Not to the stars. Not to artists who earn huge amounts of money. You are entitled to the subsidy only if the artist's average annual income over the last three years does not exceed 125 percent of the minimum wage. Income from all sources counts, including copyright. Therefore, recognition is not a criterion, only income - emphasized Cienkowska.

She recalled that "entrepreneurs are excluded from the system." Running a business precludes obtaining the status of an artist, and undertaking it means its expiration - explained Cienkowska.

Talking about how the subsidy works, Cienkowska explained:

No artist will receive a single penny from this bill. The payment is cashless and automatic. It goes to ZUS and supplements social security and health insurance contributions up to the level calculated from the minimum wage. Only to this level and only in the months when the artist's own income is not enough.

This is not an additional pension

Marta Cienkowska continued: The artist still pays his own contributions. If he earns more, the subsidy decreases or disappears. This is not an additional pension. At best, this is a path to a minimum pension. ZUS decides on the additional payment for a period of up to 12 months. Income is confirmed by the National Tax Administration. In the remaining scope, the artist submits a declaration under pain of criminal liability. The decision of ZUS may be appealed to the labor and social security court. There is one goal. An artist who works from project to project, under contracts for specific work, cannot lose the right to a doctor, benefits and pension continuity just because he has not had any orders for several months. We don't finance careers. We ensure continuity of insurance, she said.

She emphasized that to receive support, "it is not enough to call yourself an artist."

You must demonstrate documented achievements, that creativity constitutes a significant part of professional activity, and income from it in each of the last three years. There is no register of artists. The state does not judge the value of art. It only assesses whether someone actually pursues an artistic profession, explained Cienkowska.

What does the work of the Opinion Committee look like?

The Review Committee consists of 145 people because it must represent all areas of creativity. 120 members are recommended by artists' organizations, 10 by collective management organizations, and 5 each by the Minister of Culture, the minister responsible for social security and the president of ZUS.

Applications will be assessed by a three-person team. The Commission only gives opinions. The decision on the status is made by the director of the Center for Artistic Education and Work. An appeal may be made to the Minister of Culture and then a complaint to the administrative court. ZUS decides on the additional payment.

How much will it cost?

In the first full year of operation, i.e. in 2027, the system will cost approximately PLN 375 million. PLN 252 million are subsidies to premiums. 101 million are sickness benefits and other benefits. PLN 21 million is for the operation of the system in all institutions combined. Administrative costs are less than 6%. the total, and in the fourth year of the system's operation, just over 2%.

The money will come from the state budget - not from contributions from other insured persons and not from the Social Insurance Fund. On the contrary: insurance funds and the National Health Fund will gain new influence. The act introduces an expenditure limit for the years 2027-2036, but with a correction mechanism. After three years, an evaluation is planned, which will check, among other things, whether anyone gives up their job or activity to join the system.