"The coronavirus crisis has put freelance creative people in a very difficult position, and the current law wasn't flexible enough to help them," Minister of Culture, Anneli Ott, said on the issue.

"The fresh change enables the state to support the creative people with supplementary €8.5 million and will make the terms more flexible. Hopefully, it will help to reduce the worry regarding income during difficult times."

The most important changes for 2021 are:

•  With the amendment, those who received a creativity subsidy will be able to apply additionally from April 18. Usually, two years have to elapse between application periods.
• A freelance creative person has the right to receive the subsidy also if he or she has received income on the basis of a contract under the law of obligations, or incapacity for work compensation, or incapacity for work pension compensation paid in the event of partial incapacity for work of up to €584, in the month preceding the payment of creative subsidy. Normally, this amount is €292.
• From April 18 2021, in addition to creative subsidy, a creative person may earn up to €584 of incapacity compensation or an incapacity pension paid in the event of partial incapacity for work. Normally, this amount is €292.

Ott said that another important change is one where creative people not belonging to the creative unions can apply for the subsidy via the information system.

The Ministry of Culture will start to process the applications from Monday onwards.

When submitting an application, it is also necessary to include information about an applicant's work in the last three years (the creative works must be published or addressed to the public within the meaning of §9 and 10 of the Copyright Act).

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