The new Action Plan Towards Fair Pay for Performing Artists by MEIA argues for preparation, rehearsal, call time, and performance to fully count as work and proposes a pilot Sectoral Rate card to benchmark minimum payment and working conditions, starting from theatre.
By Creatives Unite NewsroomThe first comprehensive research on the performing arts in Malta finds gaps and systemic failures, such as inadequate remuneration, a low use of written agreements and a high pressure to work for free, while 22.6% of Performing Artists participating in the survey said “they are not always paid” and 10% are “satisfied with their income”.
“Before setting standards, we must first recognise artistic labour in its entirety, acknowledging preparation, rehearsal, performance, and working conditions”, said Maria Galea, President of MEIA - Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association at the launching of the proposal paper.
The 4-Point Action Plan of MEIA, based on the research by Culture Venture, calls stakeholders, artists and private and public entities “to engage constructively in shaping fairer working conditions for the sector” and establish a sustainable reform based on the following four points:
1. Adopt Fair Payment Principles – recognising all artistic work as legitimate labour, guaranteeing no pay below the National Minimum Wage, securing written contracts, and safeguarding artists’ rights to negotiate and report malpractice.
2. Standardise Payment Models – introducing clear and transparent models that allow consistency in negotiations while reflecting the diversity of artistic roles and contexts.
3. Pilot a Sectoral Rate Card – through a member-led Fair Pay Working Group, beginning with the theatre sector, to establish transparent benchmarks for minimum payments and working conditions.
4. Strengthen Advocacy for Fair Pay – driving sustained campaigns, collective agreements, and engagement with policymakers to embed fair pay as a sectoral standard and a condition for public funding.
Find more here
Image by Tibor Janosi Mozes from Pixabay - Free for use under the Pixabay Content License
