Berlin gives €5,000 to each artist freelancer amid COVID-19 crisis

Berlin has allocated a €500 million fund to support artists and freelancers during the coronavirus pandemic, offering a flat €5,000 grant (up to €14,000 for those with dependents) to all city residents regardless of income, age, or origin. The fund is administered by the IBB (Berlin Investment Bank). Alberto Caffarelli of the video art collective Alterazioni Video, a Berlin resident for over a decade, described the application process as straightforward: an online queue, a wait for an email, then submission of tax ID and bank account. He noted that 99% of freelancers have applied. Marco Donnarumma, another Italian artist in Berlin, reported initial website crashes and a queue of 160,000 people, but received the €5,000 transfer three days after applying. The emergency bonus can be reapplied for after six months. In contrast, Italy's Cura Italia decree offers only €600 per applicant for cultural workers, and its INPS platform crashed under demand. Berlin's approach reflects a broader commitment to sustaining the creative sector, which is vital to the city's economy and identity.