Composers’ Information Day on New Social Welfare Scheme for Artists

Composers’ Information Day on New Social Welfare Scheme for Artists

No detail yet from government departments on accreditation for music performers.

The Contemporary Music Centre (CMC), together with Irish Equity and the Musicians’ Union of Ireland, will host a Composers’ Information Day on the new social welfare artists’ scheme on 24 July in Liberty Hall, Dublin. The event is free and will run from 11am to 3pm.

Last week it was announced that the Government’s scheme for self-employed artists, which was launched in 2017, is to be extended to musicians and composers from this September. The scheme allows artists to receive Jobseeker’s Allowance for 12 months without having to undertake educational courses or training not related to their chosen profession. CMC has over 200 composer members and campaigned for their inclusion in the scheme. The event on 24 July is open to all composers whether CMC members or not.

The artists’ scheme is part of the Creative Ireland programme and was initially rolled out for writers and visual artists who were affiliated to the Irish Writers’ Centre and Visual Artists Ireland respectively. One of the conditions of the scheme is that an artist will need ‘a certificate/membership card from a relevant professional body’.

There is no detail yet on which organisations music performers will have to be accredited to. In response to an enquiry from the Journal of Music, the Departments of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Employment Affairs and Social Protection said that arrangements will be put in place by September:

The extended scheme will come into operation in September 2019. In the intervening months, the Departments of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Employment Affairs and Social Protection will continue to work together to put suitable arrangements in place for the smooth operation of the scheme including the process for the accreditation of artists.

To register for the CMC information day, see here. For further details on the scheme, visit http://m.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Jobseekers-Allowance.aspx and scroll down to the section titled ‘Artists’.

Published on 15 July 2019

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