‘Invisible laborers of theater industry cannot benefit from grants’

"Let our theater live"

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The Initiative of "Let Our Theater Live" has released a statement about the invisible laborers of the theater industry in Turkey.

In the wake of a statement by the government regarding the one-time grant to certain groups of businesses amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the initiative has raised concerns that the invisible laborers of the theater world have been unable to benefit from any grants.

"The theater businesses operating in the theater industry and holding a legal entity (producers) have been able to benefit from the pandemic supports unveiled by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism since March 2020," the initiative has said and briefly stated the following:

"However, in the same period, the constituents of the sector performing their art mostly independently and unregistered, such as actors and actresses, directors, designers, light and sound technicians and dancers, have been unable to benefit from any support.

"As it is understood from the 'Grant Support to Shopkeepers and Artisans and Merchants with Legal Entity due to Coronavirus Outbreak', it has been opened to the applications of only the legal entities with tax certificates. As for the above-mentioned occupational groups who are not tax payers, they have unfortunately been unable to benefit from this support as well.

"Benefiting from these grants that are special for the pandemic period is a citizenship right of the laborers of the theater industry who engage in theater activities, but do not have a job description or whose existing job description is deficient, who have not been employed in accordance with their job description and who do not have any social security."

Underlining that the laborers of the theater industry have been unable to get any income and deprived of grants for 15 months, the initiative has addressed the Presidency and demanded that the laborers of the theater industry be taken within the scope of grants with the references of the non-governmental organizations recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (initiatives, platforms, associations and cooperatives) and with the lists to be prepared by them. (AÖ/SD)