UNION OF ASSOCIATIONS OF VISUAL ARTISTS.
President: Francesca Llopis 1ª
How is affecting the economic crisis to the artists?
This crisis affects to us specially. As we know in this country the situation of the contemporary
art always has been in precarious, but now more.
At the moment it seems that all the artistic capital of which we arrange is historical and however
it has demonstrated that the investment that took control of artists as Velazquez to Tapiés has
been very profitable for the economy of the country, but now does not consider us like so to the
contemporary generations. It is evident that if is not reversed in the present proposals it creates
an emptiness of the artistic patrimony in the future.
In the same way which there are cuts in education, these also affect artists which they are
dedicated to her like second option, although are the fundamental one for their economy and
are many cases. The cuts in the public cost affect the hospitals and to the schools and that it
infuriates much to us, but before they arrived at the museums and centers from art and that
touches to us directly
All the cuts that are applied to centers and museums directly affect the artists, since there are
less exhibitions, less orders and less than everything. Of course, that this policy of contempt to
the contemporary art from the institutions, also dissuades to the collectors and all promoter of
art, that in a time not very distant began to form their collection or has to propose new projects
that at the moment they do not undertake.
But the paradox of which occurs, according to some economists, which will remove to Europe
from the crisis is its creative potential, the knowledge. For that reason we do not understand the
politicians who conceive the culture like a cost and not like an investment. We would not have to
be resigned and we would have to work and - coverall better together, united.
2ª Imagino that one of the pressing problems has to do with the quotations the Social
Security. For years she has been one of the main demands to obtain a special regime
that it contemplates the specificity of the sector of the creators. Has been obtained some
advance?
We presented/displayed our first project of the Statute of the Artist, accompanied by an
exhaustive study of as it has been the fiscal situation of the artists in Europe to minister Sinde
for already two years. We questioned like paying independent ones, that allows the access us
to the social security and but, if we did not enter monthly. Our work although is stable is not
always profitable and if we did not pay the independent ones we turned black market interests
this to him to the Spanish economy?
For the first time in our history, the artists and creators (visual theater, circus, dance, illustration,
arts, writers, musicians, etc) we are working together in a climate of confidence and
collaboration to obtain a Statute of the Artist and the Creator. This represents a new approach
and we set out: first to order a legal study that includes the legislative changes necessary to
improve the condition of the artist and that us homologue with the European standards. We
have obtained the traverse financing of the CoNCA, the advice of the arts of Catalunya.
Second, we have requested meetings to the political parties that will concur to the elections of
the 20 of November so that they include in its program a commitment with the development of a
good Statute of the Artist. This form to work, since there am saying, had never occurred before.
Each sector has gone by its side without obtaining no significant change. From now on we go
together.
I will present/display the registration points:
A system by which the quotation obligations calculate at the most on the base of the annual
benefit of the artist or on the income of the artist, contemplating also, a threshold of exentos
income guaranteeing, also, minimum benefits.
A system in which quotas settle down that respect the necessary balance with the level of
income of the artists.
System that avoids the double quotation, this is, which it considers those cases in which artist
already quotes to the Social Security, in the regime that is.
A outside voluntary system of inclusion that, for want of certain level of income.
A system that implies in addition to the artist, to other cultural agents who take part in the
operation of the visual creations,
Proposal On the fiscal treatment of the artist. IRPF
The redistribution of the entrance obtained throughout the exercise in which the entrance is
obtained and other future exercises whose number can vary based on the post of the entrance.
The second possibility is in allowing to drag the loss that takes place during the exercises in
which there have only been expenses until the exercise in which the benefit takes place.
The third possibility would be in applying a reduction directly to the entrance that is obtained in a
determined exercise, if it is credited the irregularity from he himself and who the period of
generation of he himself has extended for more than a fiscal year. Our legislation already it
contemplates east mechanism but only for certain exceptional cases, within which they are not
including the situations that occur in the activity of the artist.
The fourth option would consist is to establish a threshold of income, below which the artist was
free to pay.
3ª Already in May of 2009 the UAAV presented/displayed an exhaustive document, the
Plan of Rescue of Visual Ates, between whose urgent measures it considered that of
Cultural call 1% (percentage that all public work must destine by law to this aim) a 33%
were dedicated to the promotion of the present art. Has been obtained some commitment
on the part of the public administrations?
With the Plan of rescue which we presented/displayed the ministry year 2009 we anticipated
ourselves to the present crisis with a program of diverse actions for the public administration,
that have of course not been fulfilled.
The application of cultural 1% is a very important aspect that it is almost never fulfilled. That is
to say, this 1% on the value (estimated) of a public work get used to investing totally in historical
patrimony, it is to say restoration of historical and archaeological buildings, and seems that it
has not been understood that what we produce the contemporary artists, also it is patrimony.
We of this 1% requested that 33% are applied to the contemporary art , that is to say, one third
part, which serious one adds very healthful for the situation of the artists in the crisis or without
her. With this budget works by order for spaces can be made certain public. Evidently this 33%
of 1% would be due to administer with public aid, already that we spoke of public money,
following the code of good practices.
4ª Also for years the artists has been demanding that the formula of the contract
institutionalizes when they participate in exhibitions, as much with public institutions as
with deprived galleries, where the repayment of its work is reflected clearly, as it
happens in any other productive scope. Really is fulfilled this exigency?
The UAAV vindicates this aspect essentially since it is the base for the profesionalización of the
artists:
1- The right to the remuneration of the artists by the made work (like the one of any other
professional or worker within the framework of the society in which we lived).
These honoraria are due to apply in exhibitions and any activity made with a public institution;
museums, centers of art, conferences, factories and other tasks of our professional activity like
artists.
Also, the public institution must take responsibility of the production of the works that are made
for these acts.
2- The respect to the author rights. For the artists these rights are fundamental, but frequently
not respected. The resignation of the author rights cannot be forced who the work of the artist
generates, nor are due to demand donations in exchange for the exhibitions, but either to
extend the collection of the museum with the purchase of work to the artists and in their case to
the curators, that for this they are.
3- The establishment of the contract in writing. Really, the UNION demands a contract
between the artist and the institution in defense of the rights, duties and obligations of the two
parts, thus to obtain to the Maxima transparency in the professional and labor exercise.
This contract also must be made with the galleries and any deprived transaction, since without it
we lose the control of our work and the security of collection. It is the best way to avoid the
recurrent sale without invoice to thicken the submerged economy, endemic disease of this
country.
It is necessary that the professionals we recognize ourselves as so and we activate the contract
system to regulate our professional relations.
5ª Cree that is fortifying the asociacionista weave with the increasing precarización of
the work of the creators or that, on the contrary, is debilitated?
The associative dimension of visual artists that exists in Spain has facilitated much the
professional conscience of such, as well as the contract information and rights, in the same
Web of the UNION www.uaav.org and of each association.
At the moment the associative system is with good health, the same UNION has turned 15
years of existence and counts on 8 associations: Valencia, Castellón and Alicante (Balearic
AVVAC), Catalonia (AAVC), Castile and Leon (AVA), Islands (AAVIB), Canary Asturias (AAVA),
Aragón (CAAV), Islands (AICAV) and Andalusia (UAVA). The necessity to confront this crisis
and to have a debate table to raise new proposals, to look for solutions and to put the creativity
in march to advance at a so uncertain time, causes that the collective work has an impressive
value and sense.
An association of artists needs resources and economic support to be able to advance. The
partners make their contribution, who do not cover the programs necessary to develop basic
subjects, we put an example: the continuous formation. We are not unions and therefore the
work ministry does not subsidize this professional necessity to us. However yes which we must
have a total complicity with VEGAP, since we are who we generated the author rights. Thus and
all our activity has taken to us from the 2002 a:
1. - to publish “Manual of Art and Legislation”, character publication introductorio on legal and
labor the subjects that they affect the visual artists.
2. - to position to us to favor of the integration of the art in the educative system in the new laws
of education: Decree of Humanities, Law of Arrangement of the Universities and Law of
Quality of Education.
Another field of attention has been defense of the author rights and its collective management
to traverse VEGAP. In the last years the estámos associations caused the use of the opened
licenses, type Creative Commons.
At the moment our center of interest is centered in:
- the attainment and implantation of Statute of the Artist and
- the reformulation of the Law of the Patronage in relation to the implied ministries.
- At internal level we want to consolidate the flows of communication between the associations of
artists (harnessing the Web of the Union, that at the moment has more of 300mil annual visits)
- as well as to support to the new associations that are being generated in all the country.