Collective Bargaining Is Urgently Needed in the Arts Sector
International Association of Art (IAA) Europe welcomes the draft guidelines on the application of EU competition law to collective agreements regarding the working conditions of solo self-employed persons.
We strongly support the aim of the draft to ensure that competition law does not stand in the way of collective agreements to improve the working conditions of solo self-employed persons.

It is important to clarify and develop the legislation regarding the right for collective bargaining for all solo self-employed, whether working in traditional off-line environment or on digital/online platforms. The lack of collective bargaining contributes to poor job quality, low income and limited social protection. The solo self-employed lack of the individual bargaining power to negotiate their terms and conditions, specifically also in the arts and culture sector in Europe, and thus their economic position is considerably weak. Solo self-employed artists have an imbalanced negotiating position vis-à-vis their contractual counterpart, leading to underpricing and to having little say over their working conditions. This applies both for those working through digital platforms and to those whose work is physically distributed.

We consider collective bargaining an appropriate, important and most efficient tool to improve their situation.

 

The market mechanism drives the consumer prices down in the arts too, but often to such extremes that it leaves most artists without a decent pay. The current situation in Europe is that the whole population has access to more art - visual art, films, music, literature, performing arts, etc. - than ever before and people are also consuming more art than ever before. This is an abundance that even the richest monarchs of previous times could only dream about. And yet, it is now getting more and more difficult for the artists to get significant
income from the content they create and which people consume. One of the main reasons for this paradox is that artists have such a weak negotiation position when the rates of pay are negotiated and standards created.
 

A single artist can rarely actually negotiate with a big museum or other, similar institution, or with an international corporation. The majority of artists can only meekly accept the terms offered. The economic trend of sliding towards ever smaller payments to artists is blatantly visible in music and literature, but it is also affecting the visual arts. Especially in the digital domain visual artworks are now increasingly shared either without the artists' permission or the artists receiving less and less compensation. (See also chapter 2 “Fair Pay, Collective Bargaining...” in the Voices of Culture report on “Status and Working Conditions for Artists..”, June 2021, structured dialogue between the European Commission and the cultural sector,
https://voicesofculture.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/VoC-Brainstorming-Report-Working-Conditions-2.pdf)

 

If artists could use collective bargaining efficiently, they would much more be able to improve their working conditions and have real power in the negotiations where the "fair and appropriate payments" are defined and agreed upon.
 

We welcome that the draft guidelines recognize the principle set in the Copyright Directive that authors and performers shall be entitled to receive appropriate and proportionate remuneration when they license or transfer their exclusive rights for the exploitation of their works and any other subject matter protected by copyright and related rights. We support the clarification that the Commission will not intervene against collective agreements concluded by solo self-employed authors or performers with their counterparts in pursuance to the Directive.

It is of importance to stress here nevertheless, that the directive and its principles described above do not necessarily effectively strengthen the negotiating position of visual artists, as on the one hand, some national copyright laws in the European Union provide for the extinction of the exclusive exhibition right of visual artists once works are initially published (so they cannot refer to the directive’s principles of fair remuneration at that point anymore), or on the other hand, where the exclusive exhibition right remains with the artist, a remuneration on its basis is only rarely put into effect, despite the directive’s efforts to support this goal and often also despite national laws calling for a fair remuneration of artists.
 

We also want to stress that the draft guidelines should be developed bearing in mind that the visual arts sector in Europe generally lacks employment structures since there is only very limited number of permanent or fixed-term jobs on the market. Artists are often forced to work in precarious circumstances and work on a contractual, freelance and intermittent basis, which result in lower income that also has the tendency to fluctuate and remain uncertain.
 

In many cases, visual artists fall under the group of solo self-employed persons working “side-by-side” with workers, as described in the guideline. Yet, considering the arts market structure, a quite substantial group of visual artists in the European Union will not meet this provision. Nor will their counterparty have an annual aggregate turnover exceeding EUR 2 million or a staff with headcount equal or more than 10 persons. Yet the number of cultural professionals and artists is growing, just as the economic importance of the cultural sector
for the European Union, while working conditions in the sector become more and more unstable. (See also the study “Creating Growth: Measuring Cultural and Creative Markets in the EU”, by Studio EY France, commissioned by GESAC in 2014, https://kreativneindustrije.me/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/07-Measuring-cultural-and-creative-markets-in-the-EU.pdf)

The visual arts sector lacks clear definition of fair and appropriate payment standards for the artists' work. And the sector doesn't even have in most countries any kind of negotiation practice or framework through which artists could have real impact on how much they are paid for their artworks, working hours and services.
 

To fix this problem the guidelines on collective bargaining of self-employed should clearly state that the recognized and representative organizations for cultural professionals have the right to bargain collectively on behalf of all their self-employed members.

 

News

  • 16th General Assembly of IAA Europe elected new President and Executive Committee

    IAA Europe Helsinki photo by Sara Rantanen

    The 16th General Assembly of IAA Europe took place on September 23 in Helsinki, Finland.

    Teemu Mäki from Finland was elected as the president of International Association of Art Europe. Teemu Mäki has been the chairman of the Finnish Artists Association since 2018.

    As Vice President the General Assembly elected Sara Edström from Sweden and Anders Werdelin from Denmark continues as Treasurer.

    Other members of Executive Committee are: Hilde Tørdal from Norway, Jerome Ince-Mitchell from UK, Egle Ganda Bogdaniene from Lithuania, Marcel Noack from Germany, Maria Moroz from Poland and Andrea Kristek Kozarova from Slovakia as well as Katina Kosta from Cyprus as nonvoting member of the Committee.

    The National Committee of Finland - Artists’ Association of Finland will also take over IAA Europe’s office from Slovak Union of Visual Arts, the Slovak National Committee, in next weeks.

    The day before the Assembly the Symposium Building Artists’ Futures - Strengthening solidarity was organized by IAA Europe, Artists’ Association of Finland and a-n The Artists Information Company (UK).

     
  • REGISTRATION OPEN: IAA Europe - General Assembly and Symposium "Artists on the Run" September 22-23, 2022 in Helsinki, Finland

    Dear IAA Europe friends and colleagues,

    registrations are OPEN now for

    1/ IAA Europes Symposium Building Artists’ Futures / Strengthening Solidarity

    co-hosted by the Artists’ Association of Finland, IAA Europe and a-n The Artists Information Company (UK)

    Showing solidarity for our colleagues at the National Union of Artists of Ukraine, this year’s IAA Europe Symposium invites visual artists, curators and cultural organisations to share ways to support artists seeking refuge.

    Building Artists’ Futures will question why creating and exhibiting art matters in times of war and explore what the IAA Europe and the wider international art community can do to establish sustainable support networks. Speakers will share their experiences of programmes aimed at supporting artists seeking refuge to continue their practices and offer their views on how to deepen the representation of Ukrainian artists, artworks and cultural events that make Ukraine an important part of Europe.

    The Symposium will take place on Thursday 22nd September 2022 in Ode – Helsinki Central Library, Helsinki, Finland. This is an in-person event that will not be recorded. The full programme of speakers will be announced shortly.

    Please register here

    Programme here

    2/ 16th General Assembly of IAA Europe (with elections of new board)

    Please register via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    With any questions please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Slovak Union of Visual Arts – Mrs Andrea Kristek Kozarova (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., mobile: 00421 915 713 315, in case of out of office - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

    Looking forward to meeting you in Helsinki

     
  • IAA Talk - World Art Day - Artists on the Run

    Join us virtually and meet your colleagues from (not only) visual artists organizations and networks worldwide during our third online debate - IAA Europe Talk: Artists on the Run, which is organized

    on the occasion of the World Art Day.

    We have speakers from various countries (Austria, Norway, Sweden, Ukraine, USA) again and due to current situation in Europe we will focus on situation of artists at risk. Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, we will discuss concrete initiatives in various countries and aid measures for refugee artists and artists at risk, regardless of origin. What is needed the most? Furthermore, the talk will focus on the exchange and networking of such initiatives. We will have inputs by representatives of National Union of Artists of Ukraine, Swedish Artist Residency Network, International Cities of Refugee Network, Artists Help Ukraine and Artists at Risk Connection.  

     

    We will also announce details of 2022 General Assembly of IAA Europe.

    Topic:       IAA Talks 3 - World Art Day - Artists on the Run
    When:      Apr 21, 2022 05:00 PM Paris
    Where:    Zoom

    We are limited to 100 participants, please be so kind to confirm your participation via

    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    IAA Talks World Art Day22 ArtistsOnTheRun

     
  • Declaration of Executive Committee

    logo UA

    The Executive Committee of IAA Europe strongly condemns the Russian war against Ukraine and is shocked by this aggression against the people of Ukraine and the European peace order that has been achieved. As an association, we believe in the preservation of democracy and in solidarity among people. Our thoughts are with the citizens of Ukraine in view of their great suffering.

    We are temporarily suspending membership of the National Committee of Russia (Union of artists of Russia) and National Committee of Belarus (Belarusian Union of Artists) in IAA Europe until we hear their official statement condemning this war. The General Assembly of IAA Europe (September 2022) shall decide on further steps.

    Alongside Ukrainian artists we know many Russian and Belarusian artists are at risk right now, because they openly stand against Putin and his regime. We should unite and offer all artists regardless of origin shelter and help, advancing freedom of expression, defending democratic values and promoting international solidarity.

    We are also offering a membership fee free year to the National Committee of Ukraine (National Union of Artists in Ukraine) and recommend to all NCs to issue free IAA card to all professional visual artists from Ukraine who will apply for it. We are collecting the information about opportunities for Ukrainian artists leaving their country, all of them will be shared on IAA Europe website.

    Read more ...  
  • IAA Europe Contribution Consultation on Draft Guidelines Collective Bargaining Self-Employed

    Collective Bargaining Is Urgently Needed in the Arts Sector
    International Association of Art (IAA) Europe welcomes the draft guidelines on the application of EU competition law to collective agreements regarding the working conditions of solo self-employed persons.
    We strongly support the aim of the draft to ensure that competition law does not stand in the way of collective agreements to improve the working conditions of solo self-employed persons.

    It is important to clarify and develop the legislation regarding the right for collective bargaining for all solo self-employed, whether working in traditional off-line environment or on digital/online platforms. The lack of collective bargaining contributes to poor job quality, low income and limited social protection. The solo self-employed lack of the individual bargaining power to negotiate their terms and conditions, specifically also in the arts and culture sector in Europe, and thus their economic position is considerably weak. Solo self-employed artists have an imbalanced negotiating position vis-à-vis their contractual counterpart, leading to underpricing and to having little say over their working conditions. This applies both for those working through digital platforms and to those whose work is physically distributed.

    We consider collective bargaining an appropriate, important and most efficient tool to improve their situation.

    Read more ...  
  • AIAP/IAA Declaration against the Invasion of Ukraine

    AS THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ART (AIAP/IAA) AND THE OFFICIAL PARTNER OF UNESCO, WE DECLARE OUR UNSHAKABLE OPPOSITION TO ALL WARS.
    As the International Association of Art (AIAP/IAA) and the Official Partner of UNESCO, we declare our unshakable opposition to all wars.
    No winners or losers emerge from a war. Each side loses lives, honor and prestige, and the whole world pays for the pain and misery that results.                                                                 Our historical records are filled with shameful accounts of wars and theconsequent judgment and condemnation of the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity and nature.

    As the French politician Jean Jaures said in 1903, Courage lies in not allowing force to settle conflicts that reason can resolve.”

    We urge all concerned parties to intervene immediately in the ongoing war in Ukraine.                                                                                                                                                                We do not wish to speak as diplomats or politicians who sympathize with any of the factions involved, for we side only with peace, human rights and democracy.                                          We don’t want to judge what is right or wrong in the ongoing polemics that have led to war between Russia and Ukraine.                                                                                                         We only ask the United Nations and other international organizations to join the side of peace at once to stop the ongoing bloodshed that sadly began yesterday.
    We remind Russia that no country’s interests can be defended by bloodshed.                                                                                                    

    Read more ...  
  • Fair Pay for Artists - Event Programme

    Fair Pay for Artists: Exhibition Payment Symposium 2021, co-hosted by the International Artists Association Europe (IAA Europe), the Artists’ Association of Finland and a-n The Artists Information Company.

    Symposium is free to attend but registration is required. You can register for online or in person version until September 5 via this link (hope most of you already used priority booking option announced for IAA Members before summer, if not, please do so now)

    https://link.webropolsurveys.com/Participation/Public/c0987209-6c6b-41f0-a254-96566e965f16?displayId=Fin2311658

    Date and place: Friday 24 September 2021, 10 am – 3.30 pm (UTC+3)

    In person: Central Library Ode: Maijansali, Helsinki, Finland
    Online: Zoom

    Event programme:

    10.00–10.15 Welcoming words: Julie Lomax, CEO, a-n The Artists Information Company

    10.15–10.30 Opening speech: Antti Kurvinen, Minister of Science and Culture, Finland

    10.30–11.15 How will artists get paid in the future? The rising importanceof getting commercial income not only from selling art, but also from presenting art: Teemu Mäki, Chairman, The Artists’ Association of Finland

    11.15–12.00 Kunstenaarshonorarium – the exhibition payment model in the Netherlands: Rune Peitersen, Platform BK

    12.00–13.00 Lunch

    13.00–13.45 Our collaborative working strategies, within the individual institutional, survival model: Jane & Louise Wilson, Newcastle University

    13.45–14.00 Break

    14.00–14.45 Panel discussion: Implementation of the exhibitionpayment model in Finland as a political process.

    Henri Terho, Special Advisor, Arts Promotion Centre Finland
    Sakarias Sokka, Researcher, Cupore - Center for Cultural Policy Research
    Paula Risikko, Chairperson, Education and Culture Committee of the Finnish Parliament
    Moderator Annukka Vähäsöyrinki, Director, The Artists’ Association of Finland

    14.45–15.30 A representative from W.A.G.E

    15.30 Closing words

    The event is hosted by Laura Boxberg, Head of Communications at Frame Contemporary Art Finland

     
  • Fair Pay for Artists: Exhibition Payment Symposium

    SAVE THE DATE

    Fair Pay for Artists: Exhibition Payment Symposium will take place on Friday 24 September 2021.

    Co-hosted by the International Artists Association Europe (IAA Europe), the Artists’ Association of Finland and a-n The Artists Information Company,
     
    the Symposium invites visual art professionals, organisations and decision-makers to discuss exhibition payment models.
     
    Speakers from the US, UK, Netherlands and Finland will share examples of different exhibition remuneration models, provide concrete tools for advocacy work and offer experience and insight into the visual arts industry as it recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic.
     
    Full details of the speakers and how to attend the Symposium will be announced in Summer.
     
     
     
  • IAA Talks 2021 - World Art Day

     invitation IAA Talks World Art Day
     
    IAA Europe still works online only no matter how happy we would be to meet you all in person.
     
    We would like to invite you for our second online debate - IAA Talks, which is organized on World Art Day - April 15 to celebrate together this special day. Join us virtually and meet your colleagues from visual artists organizations worldwide.
     
    We have three speakers from various countries again:
     
    Bedri Baykam (Turkey) - President of IAA I AIAP
    April Britski (Canada) - National Executive Director of CARFAC
    Ruben Steinum (Norway) - President of Association of Norwegian Visual Artists
     
    We will focus on financial situation of visual artists in Covid year, schemes of help and challenges for cultural and creative sector.
     
    We will also announce details of 2021 Fair Pay for Artists Symposium and General Assembly of IAA Europe.

    Topic: IAA Talks 2 - World Art Day - Paying artists

    When: Apr 15, 2021 07:00 PM Paris

    Where: Zoom

    Meeting will be recorded and published on Youtube channel for further share with your contacts.

    We are limited to 100 participants, please be so kind to confirm your participation via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to get Zoom link details.

     
  • IAA Europe and Voices of Culture

    We are pleased to inform you that IAA Europe has been selected as one of 46 participants in the structured dialogue on 'Status & Working Conditions of Artists, Cultural and Creative Professionals'.

    You can find the full list of selected organizations on website: https://voicesofculture.eu/2021/03/08/participants-status-and-working-conditions-of-artists-and-cultural-and-creative-professionals/

    http://www.voicesofculture.eu/

     
  • IAA Talks - first edition

    The 2020 Corona pandemic has catapulted the world into an unprecedent crisis, medically, socially and economically. This situation has also considerably weakened the social and economic status of artists and of cultural operators, who work most often as freelancers or form small-sized enterprises and are especially vulnerable to economic instability. But also larger institutions of the cultural sector suffer of restrictions in public life and easily fear a loss of state support, when economic pressure weighs hard in political decision-making.

    It is under this impression that IAA Europe starts with a series of online debates in the fall of 2020 to bring its members and supporters closer together, to discuss what can be the role of artists associations and especially their international reunion in those times. How can we support artists internationally and assemble material for a successful publicity and advocacy work?

    Read more ...  
  • World Art Day - 15 April 2020

    IAA Swedish National Committee Konstnärernas Riksorganisation, Swedish National Commission for UNESCO, Freemuse and the Swedish Arts Council invite you to an online breakfast seminar Wed, 15 April 2020 (09.00 – 10.45 CEST) discussing the current state of artistic freedom globally. The seminar will be livestreamed on YouTube. Register here on eventbrite.

    The encouragement of diverse cultures and tolerance and expressions of these mean encouragement of democratic participation in society for all.

    As the world collectively shifts online in isolation, what does this mean for the state of artistic freedom? In some countries, this means mass surveillance and censorship. In others, this equates to even more losses to the civil society space and cultural sphere. In the only public space that we can access – online and social media platforms – this means further limitations on women and LGBTI persons, specific groups that even under normal circumstances face severe targeting which limits their artistic freedom.

    The state of artistic freedom is in a critical state. On World Art Day, we invite you to join the conversation about the state of art and culture, its challenges and how together we can improve the right to freedom of artistic expression for all. (more...)

     
  • Effect of Covid-19 on the European CCS and on Creative Europe

    IAA Europe joins in on the plea of Culture Action Europe members:

    The coronavirus has affected all countries in Europe, and it is already evident that the cultural sector is and will be heavily impacted. We stand in solidarity with every person and organisation that are affected by the virus not only in Europe but also elsewhere in the world, and by the measures taken to contain it.

    On behalf of European Cultural Networks, platforms and cultural organisations, Culture Action Europe wrote a joint letter on the 20th of March, 2020 to the Commissioner Gabriel and Members of Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC). The letter lists proposals regarding the ways to cope with the consequences of COVID-19 on Creative Europe and the European Cultural and Creative Sectors. (more...)


    We warmly encourage our members and all professionals in the cultural sector in Europe to participate in the survey that Culture Action Europe has published together with the European Cultural Foundation. Find the survey here.


    More helpful ressources with regards to Covid-19...

    On the Move compiles country specific and international information, initiatives and links from the cultural sector, especially concerning the issue of mobility (the list is regularly being updated).

    Res Artis has put together a very helpful list of FAQs and offers more external ressources on its website, especially concerning the issue of artists residencies.

     
  • IAA Europe with a new President

    General Assembly and Conference on the EU Directive on ‘Copyright in the digital Single Market‘ in Bratislava

    On 22 and 23 November 2019, IAA Europe‘s 15th General Assembly took place in Bratislava/Slovakia. As already decided at the General Assembly last year, Werner Schaub handed over the Presidency of the IAA Europe to Andrea Kristek Kozárová, Slovak Union of Visual Artists (SUVA). Thus, the National Committee of Slovakia will also take over IAA Europe’s office from IGBK, the German National Committee. Delegates warmly thanked Werner Schaub for his longstanding work and welcomed Andrea Kristek Kozárová as the new President.

    The day before the assembly, the conference ‘Legal and social statutes of artists in Europe – 30 years after the Velvet Revolution: Focus on the Directive (EU) 2019/790 on Copyright in the digital Single Market‘ was organised by IAA Europe, supported by the Norwegian Collecting Society KOPINOR. National implementations of the Directive were discussed as well as impacts for IAA Europe members from EFAT/EWR countries.

    The General Assembly adopted a resolution on the implementation of the EU Copyright Directive 2019 for an appropriate and proportionate remuneration of visual artists in Europe. Read the full text of the resolution here.

     
  • IAA Europe Conference and General Assembly in Bratislava – 22 and 23 November 2019

    Legal and social statutes of artists in Europe – 30 years after the Velvet Revolution: Focus on the Directive (EU) 2019/790 on Copyright in the digital Single Market

    On 22 and 23 November 2019 IAA Europe gathers for its 15th General Assembly in Bratislava at Gallery UMELKA, the building where citizens launched the civic movement Public Against Violence in November 1989, part of the so-called Velvet Revolution and helped to restore freedom and democracy in Slovakia.
    The gathering and accompanying conference take place upon invitation of the Slovak Union of Visual Arts (SUVA); the conference will focus on the legal and social statutes of artists in Europe, more specifically on the national implementations of the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market.

    At its conference, IAA Europe will discuss the consequences the EU directive will have for visual artists and artists' associations in Europe, be it in EU member states or EFTA/EEA countries. What can be done to make sure the directive is being implemented in favour of the rights holders/artists, and more specifically of visual artists? The conference is very much about knowledge exchange, which becomes even more necessary after the adoption of the strongly discussed directive and with its national implementations ahead in the next years.

    The conference is open to the public and free to access. Find out more about the conference programme here – programme (pdf).

    Date: 22 November 2019
    Venue: Gallery UMELKA, Slovak Union of Visual Arts, Dostojevskeho rad 2, Bratislava, Slovakia.
    Registration required (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).


    On 23 November 2019, the 15th General Assembly of IAA Europe will take place at Gallery UMELKA in Bratislava.
    The General Assembly is hosted by the Slovak Union of Visual Arts and organised in cooperation with IGBK Germany.

     
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