Mutual learning on inclusive social protection for artists and creative workers

Following the previous workshop held in February 2025, which focused on how vulnerable groups can access unemployment benefits after losing their economic activity, this edition turned its attention to access to social protection for artists and professionals in the cultural and creative sectors. 

These workshops aim to support Member States and contribute to the implementation of the principles set out in the Council Recommendation on access to social protection for workers and self-employed. 

The objective of the workshop was to facilitate the exchange of experiences, explore the advantages and disadvantages of establishing specific schemes or set of rules for artists, and inspire further policy reforms at national level. It also served as a follow-up to the European Parliament resolution of November 2023 which included recommendations for an EU framework addressing the social and professional situation of artists.

Background   

Principle 12 of the European Pillar of Social Rights states that “regardless of the type and duration of their employment relationship, workers, and, under comparable conditions, the self-employed have the right to adequate social protection”. To implement this, the Council adopted a Recommendation on access to social protection for workers and the self-employed in November 2019. The aim is to ensure that all workers and the self-employed, including artists, have formal access to, and contribute to, effective, adequate and transparent social protection systems. 

Cultural and creative professionals form the backbone of the cultural and creative sectors in EU countries, which employ approximately 7.8 million people (as of 2023) – almost 4% of total employment in the EU. In response to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Parliament adopted a resolution in November 2023, offering recommendations for an EU framework to improve the social and professional situation of artists and cultural workers. The resolution encourages Member States to establish or refine an "artist status" for professionals in the cultural and creative sectors (CCS), and to ensure their access to adequate social protection.

In 2023, the EU Member States’ experts report on The Status and Working Conditions of Artists and Cultural and Creative Professionals under the Open Method of Coordination highlighted the significant barriers faced by CCS professionals in accessing social protection. These challenges stem from non-standard employment practices, a mix of employment statuses, intermittency and irregular income, which often result in gaps in coverage. 

The workshop's thematic papers, presentations and interactive discussions helped identify practices and reforms implemented by Member States to improve social protection coverage to artists and creative professionals across the EU. A key focus was the “status of the artist” and the diverse social protection systems designed to support them. Participants also explored how to adapt rules to address the specific needs of artists, finance a fair and adequate social protection system and ensure effective access to social protection schemes.