Discussions as part of the “visual artists | diverse conditions” project also repeatedly included debates on the pension situation of visual artists in various European countries.
The considerations are based on discussions with European artists’ associations about the retirement provision of visual artists in the context of their specific employment biographies. They do not offer a scientific or systematic study, but can provide impetus to actively address the issue of old-age poverty among artists in Germany.
It is worth taking a closer look at the professional group of visual artists when dealing with pension insurance issues. Their employment situation is exemplary for the high number of solo self-employed persons in the cultural and media sector and for a progressive change in working life – a reality that social policy measures must continue to pay attention to in the future.
What effects do characteristics such as age, gender, origin/language and geographical location (or place of residence) have on the work of visual artists, in addition to country-specific cultural, art and socio-political conditions?