The artists’ social fund is unique in Europe and offers artists and publicists the chance to secure themselves socially with the help of affordable contributions. The prerequisites for being accepted are tight and not every freelance artist is accepted by the artist’s social security fund.
What is the Artists’ Social Security Fund?
The German Artists’ Social Insurance Fund (KSK) gives artists extremely cheap access to statutory long-term care, health and pension insurance. Unlike the voluntarily insured self-employed, KSK members only have to pay half of the social security contributions.
The artists’ social security fund in detail
The Artists’ Social Fund was founded in 1983 with the aim of enabling independent artists and publicists to take out statutory social insurance and thus to strengthen the freedom of the press. Since artists often only sell their works to a few buyers or publishers, they suffer a marketing disadvantage, which the KSK wanted to compensate for. Around 180,000 freelance artists and publicists are currently insured in the artists’ social insurance scheme, and the trend is rising. All those who have managed to be accepted by the KSK enjoy the advantage of only having to pay 50% of the contributions to statutory health, long-term care and pension insurance . As a result of this fact, KSK members are treated like ordinary employees in terms of social security law.
The fee is currently around one billion euros per year, although only half of this amount is raised by the artists themselves. 20 percent are paid by companies and publishers who use the services of artists. The remaining 30 percent is contributed by the state.
The artist social insurance as a health insurance for freelancers
In order to be accepted into the KSK as a freelancer , you must be self-employed and not only temporarily. The freelancer must also essentially carry out his artistic or journalistic activities in Germany and provide evidence of a minimum annual income of 3,900 euros. There is an exception in this context only for young professionals who are allowed to earn less in the first three years.
The benefits of the artists’ social fund
Despite the low contributions, the KSK benefits are very extensive and correspond to those of other compulsory insurances. The focus of the KSK are:
- Payment of care allowance, sickness allowance and pension,
- Early sick pay,
- Accident insurance
Registration with the artists’ social insurance fund and the application process
In order to benefit from the services of the KSK, the artist or publicist must register with the artists’ social insurance fund in advance. In order for the registration to be successful, however, certain premises must be met.
requirements
In order to be accepted into the KSK, the artist or publicist not only has to generate at least 3,900 euros per year with his activity, but also has to meet other requirements. For example, the profession must be able to be assigned to the areas of art or journalism and it must also be carried out on a commercial basis. People who only carry out artistic activities temporarily cannot become members of the Artists’ Social Fund.
Artists are generally considered to be musicians and artists who create or teach performing or visual arts. This group also includes freelance writers, designers and journalists. It becomes more difficult in other professions, such as photographers, graphic artists, caricaturists or dance teachers. Although these groups of people are considered to be artists, they may not be able to take out insurance with the KSK. In addition, professional groups such as artisans, tattooists or florists are not considered artists. They are also denied access to the KSK.
Who can become a member?
As already mentioned above, the artists’ social security fund is for artists and publicists who earn their living with their work. Who exactly falls under the terms artist and publicist?
- An artist is a person who creates music, visual and performing arts, empties them or practices them. This group includes, for example, make-up artists, game designers, audio designers and trick managers, to name just a few examples.
- As publicists are called journalists and writers, since the year 2011 but also bloggers who publish their texts for free on sites that they own and are financed by advertising and contest the by selling advertising space living.
The following is a list from which you can see which professions can become a member of the Artists’ Social Fund.
| activity | activity | activity | activity |
| acrobat | Figure skaters at ice show | Librettist | Assistant director |
| Action artist | entertainer | song writer | Director |
| Solo entertainer | Experimental artist | Songwriter | reporter |
| arranger | Advertising / public relations specialist | Light designer | reciter |
| Art director | Puppeteer | painter | Singer |
| artist | filmmakers | Puppeteer | Singer performer |
| Audio designer | Film and video editor | Makeup artist | actor |
| Instructor for publ./art. activity | Photo designer | Media designer | writer |
| author | Photographer (artistic) | Media artist | Showmaster |
| Ballet teacher | Game designer | Fashion designer | Songwriter |
| Ballet master | Foley | Moderator | Game designer |
| Ballet Dancers | Storyteller | Multi-media designer | Game master |
| Photo reporter | Graphic designer | Musical advisor | Speaker (radio, film, advertising) |
| sculptor | Graphic artist | Musical director | Speaker educator (e.g. of actors) |
| Photo journalist | editor | Music editor | Still photographer at film / television |
| Image director | illustrator | Musician | Stuntman |
| Set designer | Industrial designer | Music teacher | stylist |
| Stage painter | Influencer | Object maker | Dubbing author |
| Büttenspeaker | Instrumental soloist | mime | Voice actor |
| choreographer | Interface designer | Performance artist | Production designer |
| Choirmaster | journalist | Sculptor | dancer |
| clown | cabaret artist | Press photographer | Dance master |
| Colorist | camera operator | PR specialist | Dance teacher |
| Comic artist | Kapellmeister | publicist | Technical Editor |
| Comedian | cartoonist | Puppeteer | Lyricist |
| Emcee | comedian | Journalistic translator | Copywriter |
| cutter | Communication designer | Quiz master | Textile designer |
| Designer | composer | editor | Theater pedagogue |
| poet | Concept artist | Travesty actor | mixer |
| conductor | correspondent | Animator | Web designer |
| Disc jockey | Costume designer | translator | Commercial photographer |
| Trainer | critic | Entertainers | Advertising spokesperson |
| Dramaturge | Layouter | Author of adaptations | Science journalist |
| Screenwriter | Teacher for publ./art. activity | Video artist | wizard |
| Editor at the film | Editor | Make-up artist | Illustrator |
