Culture sector workers call for fair pay as Cyprus spends 0.5% of budget on arts

Economy Artcost-of-living crisiscultureTop Newsworkers' rights Culture sector workers call for fair pay as Cyprus spends 0.5% of budget on arts Img 3765 Scaled Relevant News Culture sector workers call for fair pay as Cyprus spends 0.5% of budget on arts 4 September 2026 The Jacksons to perform at Monte Caputo, Limassol, in October 4 September 2026 Israel has just put Greece on the defence-industry map 4 September 2026 newsroom 4 September 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Cultural organisations in Cyprus have published a set of policy recommendations calling for fair-pay reform across the sector, following on from June’s ASK PAY TRUST conference in Larnaca. The report, titled “Recommendations Towards Fair Working Conditions in the Cultural Sector,” was published in July by D6 Culture EU as part of the Larnaka2030 project, in collaboration with Culture Action Europe, Dance House Lefkosia and D6 Culture in Transit UK. It was funded by Larnaca Municipality, the Deputy Ministry of Culture and the European Union, and compiled by policy rapporteur Vaggelis Gettos. The document is intended to support dialogue with the Deputy Ministry of Culture and other public authorities, and to feed into wider European cultural policy discussions through Culture Action Europe. Cyprus’s cultural workforce Separately, Eurostat data published in July showed that employment in Cyprus’s cultural sector reached 4.3 per cent of total employment in 2025, matching the EU average, with around 21,900 people employed in the sector. Eurostat figures also showed cultural employment in Cyprus grew by 10.1 per cent between 2024 and 2025, the third-largest increase among EU member states. Funding and pay According to the report, state investment in culture currently stands at approximately 0.5 per cent of the state budget, which it describes as insufficient to meet the sector’s needs. It calls for a substantial increase in available funding, a more balanced funding model combining project and operational support, and a national framework of fair remuneration principles covering performance, rehearsal, exhibition and other fees. The Artists’ Registry debate The report revisits a 2025 draft Artists’ Registry and Grant Bill, which it says was unanimously rejected by the arts community and halted by the relevant parliamentary committee, having failed to resolve questions around income insecurity, intermittent work, unemployment protection, professional classification, social insurance, labour rights and sector representation. The report recommends that any future registry be developed in consultation with, and with the agreement of, the cultural sector, while preserving what it calls the bill’s positive elements, including formal recognition that artists require specific policy attention. Cultural infrastructure The report also raises concerns over cultural infrastructure, citing Dance House Lemesos, which it says lost its premises despite almost twenty years of continuous activity, along with the Phytorio Association of Visual Artists and Theorists and the Cyprus Printmakers Association, both of which it says have been forced to abandon their spaces without alternative solutions from local authorities. International models and next steps The recommendations draw on international examples presented at the conference, including Ireland’s Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme and “Ask! Has the Artist Been Paid?” campaign, Spain’s Statute of the Artist, and Belgium’s Fair Practice Code. Citing Spain’s approach, the report proposes specific legislative steps for Cyprus. These include amending the Social Insurance Law, the Income Tax Law and the Minimum Guaranteed Income Law, along with an administrative act to formally classify artists and cultural professionals as a distinct category under existing regulations. The report concludes that meaningful reform in the sector rarely results from a single legislative measure, and that progress will depend on renewed dialogue and a shared commitment to approaching the process differently from previous attempts. Read more: Artists in Cyprus demand professional recognition and better working conditions Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News The Jacksons to perform at Monte Caputo, Limassol, in October Israel has just put Greece on the defence-industry map Overnight pharmacies on Friday, September 4 “Hold Onto Me” opens in Cyprus cinemas September 17 Cyprus asks beachgoers to stay out of seals’ sea caves as breeding season nears (video) GSP Athletics Academy: Registrations open for the new athletics season starting on 14 September Will Engomi even still exist by the time they figure it out? Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.