General national economic measures

*small business relief or other financial support

*company tax relief

*income support for employees

*income support for freelance workers

*tax returns and or VAT returns suspended/delayed

More information:

National

The Government has approved a package of measures for companies and workers in 2020:

€9.2b was allocated to support companies, with €3bn in credit lines to help with cashflow. (This was re-tooled from an existing SME credit line from 2018, and still carries heavy loan costs to businesses)
€5.2b in tax postponements and deferrals.
€1b in delayed social-security contributions.

Regional

Lisbon presented a series of measures to support businesses. Among others:

-Full exemption from rent payments for all commercial establishments in municipal spaces (city council or municipal companies), which are closed (until June 30, 2020).
-Full exemption from rent payments for all social, cultural, sporting and recreational institutions installed in municipal spaces (until June 30, 2020).
- Suspension of the collection of all fees related to the occupation of public space and advertising to all commercial establishments, with the exception of banks, credit institutions and insurance companies. The fee suspension period started retroactively from March 1, 2020 and ended on June 30, 2020.
- Ensure the implementation of the investment plan for 2020 and subsequent years of the Lisbon Chamber and municipal companies (estimated at 620 million euros), as a way of strengthening the public service, supporting employment, and preserving productive capacity.
- Creation of a support team for micro, small and medium-sized companies (Lisboa Empreende).
- Creation of a marketplace that joins the needs of companies, institutions and municipalities, with the skills and offers of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Lisbon. Enable startups to continue to function by developing technological solutions to today's challenges.
- Ensure cultural agents' full payment for contracts already signed, namely by EGEAC, by recalendarising their adaptation schedules for online transmission to reinforce support for the entity's structure.
- Accelerate payment to cultural entities in the city that are already receiving support, with a view to supporting the maintenance of the respective operating structures.
- Expansion of the support system to agents and activities in the cultural sector that are currently not covered by municipal support, namely through the Emergency Fund

More information here.

National measures specific to the music sector or to culture in general

National

-The various measures already approved by the Government also applied to the culture sector. To assist in clarifying all issues related to the applicability of these measures in the arts and culture sector, a website directed to culture was created (www.culturacovid19.gov.pt) and an email for requests for further clarification (cultura.covid19@mc.gov.pt). Unfortunately, some of the above-mentioned measures were difficult to apply to small music labels with Manager-Owners structures falling outside the scope of the social security support mechanisms.

-From the Ministry of Culture and DGartes (Arts Council) there was an initial 1M for Creation projects during the lockdown but only that a few music companies managed to get approved for. An additional 3M line was released via the DGartes.

-A bigger 30M line for Cultural Programming / Adjustments should theoretically become available for Municipalities, however as of October that is still to be confirmed.

- Most music organisations and professionals however people in music seem to “fall through the cracks”. For example, there is no adequate support via social security for small business owners and these are also hard hit. The moneys made available have been made available via the Arts Council and there has not been anything sector-specific to music

Regional

See above under “general economic measures”, some measures taken by Lisbon apply to the cultural sector.

Health measures

Covid-19 measures and restrictions in the country can be found on the government's website .

Measures taken by local collecting society organisations

-As a first response, GDA, the Artists’ Society, and Audiogest, the Producers’ society, announced a legal helpdesk for artists and labels to navigate the complex procedures with regards to governmental support.

-GDA, the Portuguese management organisation of artists’ (including performers) rights launched a plan to Support Artists - AARTE , which comprises the creation of an Emergency Fund, in the global amount of € 1,000,000.00 (one million euros): https://www.gda.pt/pt/gda/noticias/arquivo/linha-de-emergencia-da-gda-arranca-com-o-apoio-cartao-de-com.

-Authors’ collecting society SPA set up a €100,000 a solidarity fund. It is also offering advances on royalty payments to cooperator members (potentially ruling out beneficiaries, who account for the vast majority of members). More information here.

-October 2020 update: On the rights society side the Artists Society GDA have been handing out 200 € food cards for those hardest hit. Together with the producers society Audiogest they have announced a wider support programme that has been published but has not yet started.

Other music funds available

The Gulbenkian foundation launched a €5m Emergency Fund which spans five areas: Health, Science, Civil Society, Education and Culture.

As regards the cultural and artistic sector, emergency support is given to artists or artistic production entities that have seen their projects cancelled or in areas to which the Foundation commonly attributes support in the form of the partial subsidy of lost earnings and contributing towards meeting living costs. Generally speaking this means classical music, but local independent music association AMAEI is awaiting results from applications from some of its members to this fund.

The foundation also give more flexibility to supports either already granted or undergoing approval, including their redefinition and rescheduling, so as to guarantee the survival of the productive structures most affected.

More information here.

Support from national radio and other media

Radio station playitsafe.pt programmed some live concerts and interviews to support emerging artists: https://www.playitsafe.pt

Social media campaign to promote music during the crisis

Instagram: "Festival Eu Fico em Casa" - I'm staying at home - with live concerts. https://www.instagram.com/festivaleuficoemcasa/

Facebook: “Wash Your Hands Say Yeah” Festival with love concerts:

https://www.facebook.com/washyourhandssayyeah/

Business and other expected losses

Independent labels are heavily impacted by the paralysis of the live sector. The situation is currently critical for most of them , especially as only a few of them were able benefit from SME loans to stay afloat.

For more info:

AMAEI - Associação de Músicos Artistas e Editoras Independentes - https://amaei.net - anarita@amaei.net

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