The Voice of Public Artists Is Now at the FIM Table

We have shared the issues faced by state-employed artists with musicians’ unions around the world.

Dear members, our artist friends working in public arts institutions, our fellow travelers,

We are writing this statement not as a news article, but as an important milestone on the path we are walking together. Because this time, we have made the voices of public artists heard not only within our own institutions but also at the table of the world’s largest musicians’ organization.

Turkey’s state artists were represented for the first time at the International Federation of Musicians (FIM)—the world’s largest musicians’ organization, which brings together unions from 70 countries. With the report we presented in Sofia, we brought the precarious working conditions, low wages, and unrecognized rights of 3,800–4,500 artists working in 30 public institutions to the attention of the world’s musicians’ unions.

FIM held its Executive Committee and 21st European Group meetings on November 1–2, 2026, in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. The meetings were hosted by the Bulgarian Union of Musicians and Dancers (UBMD), which is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. It is worth noting that FIM was founded in Zurich in 1948.

Our union was represented by our President, Yavuz Demirkaya, and our Legal Secretary, Burç Balcı. The delegation also included Legal Secretary Hakan Boyar, representing the Birleşik Kamu-İş Confederation, of which we are a member.

Our Legal Secretary, Burç Balcı, presented the “Turkey Country Situation Report” in English at the FIM Executive Committee and Regional Delegates Meeting; the presentation was simultaneously interpreted into three languages. The sessions were chaired by FIM President John Smith, General Secretary Benoît Machuel, and Vice Presidents Tino Gagliardi, Karin Inde, Edith Katiji, Irene Monterroso, and Beat Santschi.

What was included in our report?

According to our report, there are between 3,800 and 4,500 active professional performing artists working in 30 public arts institutions in Turkey. There are 6 state symphony orchestras, 6 regional State Opera and Ballet directorates, the State Polyphonic Choir, and 17 authentic and traditional arts ensembles. Approximately 45 percent of these artists are permanent staff; 40 percent are employed under 4/B contracts; and 15 percent work on a per-performance basis as “extras” or in guest capacities. In other words, 55 percent of public sector artists work without job security.

Seven Structural Problems

1. No right to strike: Law No. 4688 does not grant public artists the right to strike. Although Turkey has ratified ILO Conventions Nos. 87 and 98, genuine collective agreements are not signed.

2. Administrative oversight: Unlike their counterparts in Europe, musicians’ and dancers’ unions cannot sign sector-wide collective agreements.

3. Loss of artistic autonomy: Regulations dating back to 1949, 1957, and 1970 had left decision-making to artistic councils. Since the 2000s, the repertoire and program have been determined by administrative decisions; conductors and artistic directors are appointed directly by the Ministry without a competitive examination.

4. Severe erosion of wages: Statutory performance bonuses are paid at 35 percent below the required amount due to the application of across-the-board pay raises. Highly educated artists receive salaries similar to—and sometimes lower than—those of support staff at the same institution.

5. Precarious 4/B employment: A permanent artist performing the same part on the same stage earns an average of 1,900 euros per month, while a 4/B contract artist earns 840 euros. Opera soloists and virtuosos are employed on a “bit-part” fee basis per piece.

6. Occupational illnesses: Carpal tunnel syndrome, focal dystonia, spinal deformities, and chronic joint damage among dancers are common, but artists are forced to conceal these conditions: artists who take sick leave lose their incentive bonus.

7. Unrecognized intellectual property: Musicians, vocalists, and dancers whose live performances are broadcast on TRT and streamed on digital platforms receive zero royalties. The report identifies this as a violation of the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) and the Rome Convention.

The report also documents venue issues: The Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra lacks an independent rehearsal space at the AKM; the Bursa Regional State Symphony Orchestra operates out of a rented municipal hall plagued by sewer overflows.

Let us repeat one sentence here, emphasizing it in particular: “The artist’s body is their instrument; a compensation structure that does not protect this instrument cannot protect art itself.”

The Joint Agenda We Presented to FIM

Our report was concluded with a six-point draft resolution submitted to the FIM Executive Board:

1. A functioning collective bargaining system: Bringing Law No. 4688 into compliance with ILO Conventions Nos. 87 and 98; the right to strike and genuine collective agreement.

2. Secure careers, equal pay: A path to permanent employment for all deserving 4/B and “extras” artists; equal pay for equal work.

3. Art managed by artists: Autonomous institutions, authorized arts councils, and artistic directors selected based on merit.

4. Healthy artists, healthy art: Recognized occupational diseases, no penalties for illness, and venues meeting FIM standards.

5. Compensation for every performance: Performers’ royalties under the WPPT; artists’ rights in artificial intelligence and digital streaming.

6. A bridge to Europe: Euro-FIM comparison data at our collective bargaining tables and inter-institutional artist exchanges.

Europe’s Musician Agenda

Discussions at the meetings covered the transport of instruments on airplanes, musician health and stress, post-Brexit touring obstacles, and the implementation of the Noise Directive on stage. The second day focused on digital streaming and artificial intelligence: the unauthorized use of music recordings by generative AI companies, digital streaming royalties, and the mandatory collection of royalties from these companies were discussed. MÜYORBİR General Secretary Murat Yıldız also participated as a speaker in these panels.

Next Step: Paris

Our union has been invited to the FIM International Orchestra Summit, scheduled to take place in Paris in 2027. The summit will address the working conditions and professional rights of orchestra musicians worldwide.

Following the meeting, our Board of Directors issued the following statement: “This invitation will provide a historic opportunity to bring the working conditions of public artists in our country up to European standards, amplify the voices of orchestra musicians on a global scale, and develop joint solutions with FIM. We will continue to share the data and contacts we gather with the public.”

Dear friends, this meeting is more than just a calendar entry for us. We are now discussing the precariousness of public artists’ employment, wage inequity, the right to healthcare, and copyright at an international table of solidarity. We will continue to stand together to amplify this voice, make the labor behind the scenes visible, and defend our rights collectively.

In solidarity.