Applications for aid for culture workers to start tomorrow
The order in which they are received will not determine whether they are awarded
BarcelonaProfessionals in the performing arts, visual arts, music and other cultural activities, be they artistic, technical or teaching, will be able to apply for the 750 euro grant approved by the Government from tomorrow to alleviate the situation of the group as a result of the pandemic. As stated in the ACN, the criteria for granting aid is the presentation of the application within the deadline, which is seven calendar days, provided that the requirements are met. The order in which the applications are received will not be taken into account when establishing whether the grant is given. This aid is expected to reach 8,000 professionals. The Culture and Work, Social Affairs and Families departments have increased the allocated budget, from €3.6m to €6.5m.
A lowering of the income threshold has been agreed with the representatives of the sector in order to favour the most affected people. Specifically, the income obtained during the first three quarters of 2020 by the beneficiary must not exceed €13,000 gross. The income level criterion has also been introduced, in agreement with the representatives of the sector, which will be taken into account in the event that the number of applications exceeds the amount available, giving priority to those with the lowest income. The application must be made through the website of the Department for Work, Social Affairs and Families.
"Fairer and more of it"
The secretary general of the Department for Work, Oriol Amorós, explained on Wednesday in an interview with TV3 that the aid was stopped because "it was planned in a way that perhaps there were no resources for everyone and the chronological order would again generate discomfort". "We have spoken with the sector, we have listened to it and we have incorporated its proposals and the criteria of income will be used, if it is necessary to discriminate," he said. For him, this dialogue with the sector has allowed them to jointly create a "fairer aid and more of it" and that will be able to reach everyone. Amorós stressed that new systems of direct aid had to be created by an administration that "does not have all the information on incomes or contributions", nor does it have the resources of all the administrations, while people have suffered a lot and have gone through very difficult situations.
The Generalitat approved on Tuesday the decree that will regulate this aid, and the budget for the subsidies is increased from €3.5m to €6.5m and it is established that the criterion to grant the aid is the presentation of the request within the deadline, fulfilling the requirements and according to the budget availability. In the event of insufficient funding, and provided that the amount cannot be increased, aid must be granted as a priority to the beneficiaries with the lowest income.
