Reforming the funding system for the cultural sector

The main objective of Reform 3 - Reforming the funding system for the cultural sector, financed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Component 11 - Tourism and Culture, focused on the adoption of the Statute of the professional cultural worker in Romania, a pioneer legislative initiative at European level.

Implemented by the Ministry of Culture through the Project Management Unit, the Statute of the professional cultural worker aims to maximize the creative potential of cultural workers, keeping them active on the labor market, as well as to develop the cultural and creative sectors and increase their economic contribution.

In practical terms, the Statute proposes a coherent framework of social and fiscal protection applicable to atypical professional categories carrying out artistic and cultural activities.

The legislative proposal was drafted throughout a period of only six months by a multidisciplinary team from Romania, with expertise in the cultural, artistic, fiscal and public policy fields, with the support of two international experts within a UNESCO technical assistance project.

Following public consultation and four promoting events organized in major cities from Romania, on April 5th the Statute of the professional cultural worker, a milestone included in the NRRP, was finally adopted by emergency ordinance.

The latter awaits to be promulgated in due time.

The elaboration of a Statute for the professional cultural worker has become necessary given the experience of the COVID pandemic and its impact on those working in the cultural sector.

"We wanted to build a unified framework so that, in situations of risk and beyond, professionals in the sector can benefit from social and fiscal protection." (Mr. Bogdan TRÎMBACIU, Director of the Project Management Unit).

Besides the Statute for the professional cultural worker, within Reform 3, two more legislative acts were approved: GEO no. 83/June 2022, for the amendment and completion of GO no. 51/1998 regarding the improvement of the financing system of programs, projects and cultural actions, which was approved by Law no. 286/October 2022, and Law no. 190/June 2022 for the amendment and completion of the Audiovisual Law no. 504/2002, for the amendment and completion of Government Ordinance no. 39/2005 on cinematography, as well as for the amendment of Law no. 41/1994 on the organization and operation of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company and the Romanian Television Company.

These laws focus on ensuring a stable system of funding for cultural projects and set out a stable financing mechanism from the state budget for the cultural sector.