Petition richtet sich an: German Government & Ministry of Finance

The corona virus is spreading rapidly. This is accompanied by numerous measures. Regardless of whether they are justified or not, they have a direct impact, not only on the firms, companies, corporations, etc. affected. But also - because of cancellations of events such as concerts, trade fairs, performances in theatres, opera houses and concert halls, etc. - on several freelancers who make their living from the income of such events.

Due to this freelance status, many of these artists (including singers, instrumentalists, event and stage technicians, photographers, film artists, freelance authors and journalists etc., but ultimately every freelance worker, from day care to many employees in museums and memorials; see final remark) live on the edge of the subsistence level anyway, but the current mass cancellation of events threatens to push them over this edge. The legal regulations for loss of earnings do not apply either.

The legal regulations for loss of earnings only apply if you have to be quarantined yourself. As with all other people, however, bills and liabilities, rent, electricity, living expenses and much more still have to be paid, and often whole families are threatened by this loss of income.

I therefore call upon the federal and state governments to not only concentrate on companies and their employees when it comes to the proposed financial aid and support. The oftentimes precarious situation of the above-mentioned freelancers/artists has to be taken into account and the financial aid should be extended to them as unbureaucratically as possible.

Many of my colleagues are not in a position to easily survive a month or two without income, which might be necessary in the current situation. Society may be able to do without cultural life for some time. But if it does so for too long, we could end up in a situation with nobody left to revive it.

So please: don't forget about the artists!