The measures applicable in Berlin can be found here. Numerous associations have made statements in the past few days: Reference was made both to the high sense of responsibility of art and culture in the implementation of the strictest hygiene concepts and to the urgent discussion about cancellation fees and unbureaucratic financial support for solo self-employed persons (see, among others, the letters from Aktionsbündis Darstellende Künste and Allianz der Freien Künste).
According to a joint press release by the Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, Peter Altmaier, and the Federal Minister of Finance, Olaf Scholz, extraordinary economic aid will be made available to companies affected by the current lockdown as a one-off lump sum. The reference point for this is to be the average weekly turnover in November 2019. Solo self-employed persons can use either November 2019 or the average turnover of the previous year 2019 as a reference point. The second round of the Federal Ministry of Finance’s bridging aid, which especially cultural businesses or independent freelancers in all artistic disciplines can also apply for (up to December 31, 2020) was launched on October 21, 2020. However, it’s still the case that applicants can only apply for operating costs, not living costs. Federal Finance Minister Peter Altmeier is currently discussing a concept for entrepreneurial wages, fictitious salaries that intended to cover precisely these costs. It remains to be seen whether the coalition will unite behind Altmeier’s suggestion. On October 26, 2020, the Bundestag’s Petitions Committee discussed the petition for the Introduction of an Unconditional Basic Income, which has been signed by 176,000 people. Even if most of the Bundestag members on the committee were critical of the idea, as expected, in Corona times it could nonetheless mean the start of a fresh debate on the topic. The background to Berlin’s Dance Practice pilot project is along similar lines: based on the Norwegian model, which promotes long-term stipends and project funding complementarily on the independent scene, Dance Practice is a multi-year stipend that finances an artist's everyday work and thereby recognises the profession and its daily practice as such. This model was regularly brought up by the co-ordinators of the Round Table for Dance, Karin Kirchhoff and Dr Elisabeth Nehring, as well as Tanzbüro Berlin during the recent symposium POSITIONS: DANCE #3 Conditions – Qualities of Artistic Working Methods and Working Conditions; in this context it has been referred to the Umbrella Association for Dance in Germany, to be followed up at the federal level.
As of today, November 2, 2020, nationwide and country-specific restrictions apply, which, among other things, prohibit public access to art and culture.