We Will Not Share Our Extra Income

WE WILL NOT SHARE OUR EXTRA INCOME

Dear Members of the Press, Artists, and the Public,

In line with a decision taken by the Directorate General of Fine Arts under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, artists employed within the Ministry are being required to pay a certain share to the revolving fund from income earned through work classified as "extra." We wish to share with you the concern and reaction this decision has generated within the arts community and in the wider public.

As is known, the decision in question, taken on 13 March 2023, requires that a portion of the income earned by artists working within the Ministry from activities outside the Ministry's own operations be transferred to the revolving fund. This has caused great indignation in the arts community and given rise to a justified wave of protest among artists.

As artists, we find this decision troubling from the perspectives of law, justice, and artistic freedom. It is neither fair nor reasonable for artists who work to develop and sustain cultural and artistic activity to face an additional levy on their supplementary income. Moreover, artists already pay tax on this income, and this additional demand could leave them in serious financial difficulty.

Furthermore, as stated in our petition to the court, the fact that a similar practice does not apply to theatre and opera artists creates a significant injustice and inequality. Everyone in the arts community must be held to the same standards and treated equitably.

As Kültür ve Emekçiler Sendikası, we will continue our struggle to protect artists' rights and defend artistic freedom. Through the case we have filed at the Ankara Administrative Court, we demand that this unjust practice be halted and annulled.

With our regards,

Kültür ve Emekçiler Sendikası