• 20th February 2023

Even artists have to pay taxes

Daniel Lindenblatt, from Berlin-based Touring Artists, explains how his organisation helps international artists who intend to perform in Germany.

Every year thousands of artists and performers of all varieties and ages arrive in Germany to populate a rich year-long cultural agenda. Many will have come before, and know exactly what to expect, but for others it could be a first-time experience. Some will be just on a short tour, others intend to stay for a protracted period, and still more will be looking to relocate on a permanent basis, particularly to Berlin.

For all of these groups and eventualities, our organisation Touring Artists can be invaluable for fact-checked information, and a general orientation on topics likes visas and tax requirements.

Financed by the EU and the German government, we also collaborate with the Arts Infopoint UK and the British Council in Berlin, and have specifically created a Brexit Infopoint to reconnect the cultural scenes of the UK and Germany once again.

Most of our communication is with musicians, concert promoters, visual artists and some theatre companies. The main concerns of these clients are:

Visa and Residence
Contracts and Work Status
Taxes
Social Insurance
Transport and Customs
Insurances
Author’s Rights
Mobility Funding

Touring Artists provide a help desk where artists can ask individual questions or discus their individual cases. This service is free and we also provide a small free handbook which can be ordered on our website.

As an example of what we do, one of the bands we helped with information about the Carnet ATA has written about the experience on our website here, in order that others can be better informed

We also organise a regular Monthly Meet Up online on different topics and networking events. For example the next one will give an overview of the structure of the German and British art scenes.

Touring Artists is under the umbrella of the non-profit organization On The Move and other countries like France, Belgium or the US have a similar service.