fot. Danuta Matloch / MKiDN

Immediately after the announcement of restrictions on the activities of cultural institutions in connection with the epidemic threat, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland began working on solutions to compensate for losses related to suspension of activities in the cultural sector. The Minister of Culture and National Heritage prof. Piotr Gliński participates in the works of the Government Crisis Management Team, representatives of the ministry also participate in works coordinated by the Ministry of Development and the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy aimed at limiting the losses of Polish entrepreneurs and the Polish economy.

The Anti-Crisis Shield, prepared by the Polish government and adopted by the Parliament, assumes state support for artists, employees of the cultural sector, as well as companies and non-governmental organizations dealing with culture, whose activities cannot be continued during the period of the epidemic, an increase in funds for social assistance for artists and additional support for the development of new forms of sharing culture online and activation after the restoration of activities. We estimate that the total value of support for the cultural sector in various forms may have a value of up to PLN 4 billion (ca. 883 million EUR).

The specific regulations and information is available (in Polish) here:
https://www.gov.pl/web/kultura/tarcza-antykryzysowa-dla-kultury

Among the instruments the sector could find:
• In accordance with the decision of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage in the minister’s grant programs (currently there are 32 programs – it’s a major instrument to support the sector in Poland – starting from books, heritage protection, music, promotion of Polish culture abroad, digital culture, film, visual art etc.) announced so far, in justified cases the managing authorities will apply an individual approach to each applicant allowing the implementation of specific tasks under changed conditions and continuity in conducting cultural activities. Therefore the sector can still receive the financial support for various activities. Moreover, the overall budget for the programs was increased by additional 60 mln PLN (13,2 mln EUR).
• Social assistance for artists: Social assistance from the Culture Promotion Fund can be obtained by artists who are in a difficult financial situation. The Minister of Culture and National Heritage has made efforts to increase the funds allocated to social assistance for artists and cultural proffesionals. The social assistance provided to artists is 1800 PLN (ca. 398 EUR) exempted from taxes.
• Due to the status of an epidemic threat or epidemic status, it is not possible to display movies in cinemas. Therefore, it was proposed to change the regulations on film and audiovisual production, indicating that “film” is also a production that has not been shown in the cinema. This is to enable the the audiovisual sector to receive grants/subsidies from the Polish Film Institute also for audiovisual productions which will be presented on digital platforms (VOD).
• The amendments to the “Act on audiovisual incentives” was also introduced and it allows extending the deadlines and simplifying the procedures for submitting applications for financial support for audiovisual productions.
• The Polish Film Institute on the 7th of April opened a call for scholarships for moviemakers that due to coronavirus epidemic found themselves in a difficult position. The amount of scholarship (it’s possible to receive it three times, but only once in a quarter) is 2400 PLN (ca. 530 EUR). 187 moviemakers received a scholarship in a first call.
• Additionally, after the end of the epidemic, the Minister of Culture and National Heritage plans to announce a large grant program whose main goal will be to revive cultural activities and offset any losses that the cultural sector has suffered through the restrictions. Currently, conceptual work is underway to develop the optimal scope of support.
• On the 3rd of April 2020 the Minister of Culture and National Heritage has announced a special grant program “Culture on-line” (Polish: “Kultura w sieci”) addressed to a wide range of stakeholders conducting cultural activities. The goal of this program is to finance a change in the form of dissemination of cultural activity, especially via the Internet. This will help to develop new activities on-line. The total budget of the program, estimated at 20 mln PLN (ca. 4,4 mln EUR), was increased to 80 PLN (17,7 mln EUR) as the number of applications reached 12 000.
◦ The call for proposals was announced on 6th of April and the deadline is 21st/22nd of April.
◦ The program consists of two elements:
 Grant programme (budget: 60 mln PLN / ca. 13,3 mln EUR) for activities on-line between 1st of May until 30th of October, 2020 for cultural institutions, church, NGOs, business entities in culture. The available grants are between 5-150 000 PLN (ca. 1100-33000 EUR. This part is managed by the National Centre for Culture (Narodowe Centrum Kultury);
 Scholarship programme (budget: 20 mln PLN / ca. 4,4 mln EUR) for activities on-line between 1st of May until 30th of October, 2020 for culture individuals for various activities on-line. This part is managed by the ministry.
• Moreover, the individual artists and cultural entities may benefit from the general regulations implemented by the Polish government and local authorities as a support in times of crisis, such as: reduction of local taxes and rents, change of payment dates of tax installments, loans to cover the running costs of running a micro-enterprise, co-financing of part of employee remuneration costs, etc.

Moreover, the Polish Prime Minister will address the European Commission for a possibility to apply 0% VAT on printed books (currently in Poland it’s 5%). It is an initiative of the Polish President and Minister of Culture based on a proposal issued by publishers and booksellers.

The vast majority of cultural institutions subordinated to the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage have transferred their daily activities to the internet, offering various exhibitions, concerts, seminars, workshops for children and youth and access to their audiovisual archives, using for example the possibilities of Google Arts & Culture platform. The list is available here (in Polish): https://www.gov.pl/web/kultura/kultura-w-sieci