PHOTO: © Margaux Nieto

Former chairman of PlayRight Luc Gulinck will be the chairman of the new Commission du travail des arts/Kunstwerkcommissie (‘Working in the Arts Commission’) as of 2024. This was announced by authorised minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) on 4 December. The Working in the Arts Commission is part of the Working in the Arts reform, which improves social security for art workers in Belgium.

Luc Gulinck was chairman of PlayRight’s Board of Directors between 2009 and 2019. He is an independent lawyer and business consultant specialising in the international music and audiovisual industry. His expertise is in authors’ and neighbouring rights and the legal and business aspects of the arts and culture sector. Attorney Marine Wilmet is his deputy.

Other PlayRight board members will also serve on the Commission: Darya Gantura, Fabian Hidalgo Ruiz, Wietse Meys and Johan Van Assche.

“The Working in the Arts reform represents a major step forward in the social framing of the arts field. The role of the Commission becomes very important in this regard. I am therefore honoured to oversee its work together with Marine Wilmet,” Gulinck said.

The Commission will replace the ‘Artists’ Commission’ (Commission artistes/Commissie Kunstenaars) and will be in place from 2024. The new Artwork Commission is composed of experts and independent representatives of the arts sector.

The new Artwork Commission will decide who will receive an attestation for working in the arts. That attestation will replace the old artist statute and will open the doors to social benefits specifically designed for art workers (the specific tax regime on authors’ rights, the art work contract art1bis, the primo start-up scheme for the self-employed or the art work allowance).

Those already covered by the old artist status will automatically qualify for the art work certificate. From 1 January 2024, art workers can file via the new website of Working in the Arts to apply for an attestation.