According to the German Artists’ Social Welfare Fund (Künstlersozialkasse – KSK) the average annual income of artists and publicists is expected to rise by 280 EUR from 2006 to 2007. This is an increase of 2.5%. Every year the artists and publicists insured at KSK have to pre-assess their revenue. In 2007 all artistic categories expect higher income. The highest evolution is registered in the category “word”, the lowest in the category “performing arts”.

 

Despite this positive development the average annual income of people involved in culture who are insured at KSK remains very low. According to the Federal Statistical Office the gross monthly earnings of salaried employees amount to 3.510 EUR, which represents an average annual income of 42.120 EUR. The average annual income of artists and publicists comes up to a quarter of that: approx. 11.000 EUR. Olaf Zimmermann, head of the German Cultural Council, underlined: “If you take into account that most of the artists and publicists have a university degree you see even more clearly how low the income of artists actually is.”

 

Source: Press Release of the German Cultural Council, July 17^th 2007