On November 4, 2016 the IGBK and IAA Europe cooperated on an international workshop on social security and artists' mobility in Europe, that took place in the Haus der Kulturverbände in Berlin.
The event followed up on a workshop that was initially organised by the IGBK in 2010 in cooperation with the representation of the European Commission in Germany.
The central questions to be explored in 2016 were:
- What are the obstacles faced by artists working internationally within Europe today with regard to social security insurance issues?
- To what extent have the information systems for freelance artists in Europe improved over the last years?
National Committees of the International Association of Art (IAA) Europe, service points, European networks, social security organisations, the EU Commission, the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and further experts took part. Furthermore the focus for the over 60 participants from 21 European countries was put on the exchange of current questions with regards to social security systems for visual artists on the national level.
An extensive documentation of the Workshop can be downloaded here as well as the speakers' presentations:
- Eudes Ajot/La Maison des Artistes,
- Dr. Carroll Haak,
- Reinier Klock/DutchCulture,
- Daniela Koweindl/IG Bildende Kunst,
- Marie Le Sourd/On The Move,
- Carla Osman/Generaldirektion Beschäftigung, Soziales und Integration der Europäischen Kommission,
- Mats Söderlund/KRO Schweden,
- Gerhard Suhrenbrock/Künstlersozialkasse,
- Jens Van Lathem/Kunstenloket.
The new IAA Europe member organization "a-n The Artist Information Comany" (United Kingdom) published an article on their website shortly after the workshop. In December 2016, IGBK Managing Director Thomas Weis reported on the results of the workshop in the "Kulturpolitik" magazine of the BBK.
