Guide to fair pay in the local cultural sector

Underpaid workers, unpaid overtime, improper use of volunteers; it all happens in the cultural sector. With sometimes even excesses such as exploitation. Municipalities can do something about this and to help them on their way, the VNG in cooperation with Platform ACCT / fairPACCT has published the manual ‘Of estimable value – Fair pay in the local creative and cultural sector’.

Value of culture

Culture should be attractive, reachable and accessible for all residents, according to VNG in the proposition ‘Together securing culture’. Culture connects, inspires and is a source of pleasure. With culture you can make the difference in the development of people, from young to old. And that comes at a price.

Future-proof industry

Culture is an essential part of local facilities, but its future is at stake. Therefore, it is important to take cultural offerings seriously and reward creators fairly. Local government in particular, as the largest funder, must get to work on a fair cultural playing field. And that doesn’t have to be grand and compelling right away. It can be done with various actions, which the VNG and Platform ACCT / fairPACCT have mapped out together.

Obligation

The principle of fair pay is not optional. The collective bargaining agreements for a number of sub-sectors make fair pay mandatory for a number of organizations in the cultural sector. Thanks to the collaboration with Platform ACCT / fairPACCT, the handbook provides insight into those collective agreements and fair pay practice tools from fairPACCT. They play a role when the municipality acts as subsidizer. Administrative agreements and government policy mean that fair pay is actually already an obligation, even for municipalities. It helps enormously if those municipalities can refer the sector to the practice instruments.

Finance

The guide also explains the cost of the commitment around fair pay. It is an exciting development, because with an unchanged budget, fair pay can come at the expense of cultural offerings. Other financial sources are often difficult to find and are not structural. Finances simply have to come from the length or breadth.

Webinar

On Thursday, Oct. 10 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., VNG and Platform ACCT / fairPACCT are organizing a webinar to explain the manual and where municipalities are welcome to get informed on this topic and can learn how to apply fair pay in the local cultural and creative sector. More information to follow.