Social and Cultural Institutions (SKE)

In order to apply for social support, a written application must be submitted in any case.
To apply for a living allowance, please describe your hardship or extraordinary burden in the application. In addition, we need the application form for the living allowance. This must be completed, signed and submitted. With your signature you accept our SKE guidelines. Furthermore, you must enclose receipts documenting this hardship or extraordinary burden.

If you would like to apply for support for legal and tax advice, we require a written application and a description of the content of the circumstances. 

Please submit your completed application by email to ske@vdfs.at or by post. 

Applications for grants for education or training must also be accompanied by a written request. Briefly describe the content and justify why this education or training is professionally relevant to you. Please also include any enrollment confirmations and/or invoices.

Please note that your application must reach us before the start of the training or continuing education! Please also send us the completed and signed form for recognition of the SKE guidelines at the same time and send all documents together by mail to ske@vdfs.at or by post.

For applications for cultural funding, please send a letter with a brief summary of the festival, event or project, including the amount of funding requested. In addition, a detailed concept or description of the festival, event or project must be enclosed, as well as an overall calculation plus financing plan (list of grants applied for and/or already awarded by other institutions).

Please also send us the completed and signed form for recognition of the SKE guidelines at the same time and send all documents together by mail to ske@vdfs.at or by post.

Social federations include living allowances, education and training, and legal or tax advice. 

Requirements: 

• at least 2 years of VdFS membership 
• at least 3 accountable works 

In detail, this means that physical persons who have concluded a membership agreement with VdFS at least two years prior to application are eligible. Furthermore, applicants must provide proof of at least 3 works registered with VdFS and eligible for distribution according to point II.6. of the distribution regulations. After 10 years of membership, this number increases to at least 5 registered and accountable works for film authors. In the case of performing artists in the audiovisual field, the required number increases to at least 5 participations after 5 years of membership and to at least 10 participations after 10 years of membership.

The Board of Directors may, by unanimous decision, waive the 2-year period and/or the minimum number of registered and accountable works, if this appears necessary due to the particular hardship in the individual case.

In principle, applications can be submitted at any time, but please note the respective submission deadlines. In quarterly meetings, all applications received by a deadline (submission deadline) are presented and discussed. Deadlines will be published on this website and in our newsletters, and will be gladly communicated at any time upon request.

Applications received after the submission deadline will only be dealt with in the next meetings.

All applications are submitted to the SKE Committee and the VdFS Board of Directors after a formal preliminary review by the VdFS SKE Team and are decided by the latter. The VdFS Supervisory Board must confirm these decisions. Of course, all information is treated strictly confidentially.

As a rule, you will be informed of the result within four weeks of the submission deadline. All applicants will be informed in writing after the respective Supervisory Board meeting. If an application is rejected, reasons will be given for this rejection.

A prerequisite for the granting of a one-off benefit per calendar year to provide support in the event of hardship or extraordinary burdens is that the economic existence of the applicant is significantly impaired by these at the time of application.
Furthermore, the income in the calendar year of the claim for support may not exceed two and a half times the guideline rate of the equalization supplement pursuant to Section 293 (1) ASVG (12 times per year). If there are maintenance obligations for children or partners, this annual limit is increased. For the current reference values, please refer to the SKE guidelines under item 4.1.1.

An hardship is defined as an inability to meet the costs of daily living from one's own resources or when the fixed monthly costs exceed the monthly income over a longer period of time.

Extraordinary burdens include, for example, physical disability, medical treatment, need for nursing care, occupational disability, funeral costs and similar expenses. The purchase or renovation of necessary household appliances can also be supported.

For a complete list, please refer to item 4.1.3. of the guidelines.

If the income limit specified under Prerequisites was exceeded in the calendar year in which the subsidy was claimed, the awarded cost-of-living subsidy must be repaid in full. The check is carried out retrospectively on the basis of the legally binding income tax assessment notice for the calendar year in question. Please read the provisions under point 4.1.1. in the SKE guidelines.

The amount of the one-time grant is determined individually in each case. It amounts to a maximum of EUR 4,500 per calendar year.

Living allowances are tax-free if the allowance is granted only once. If a living allowance is received in several consecutive years, the living allowance is subject to income tax (Section 29 EstG: other income - recurring payments). 
However, there is no obligation to pay social security contributions. See also our info sheet on taxes and royalties.

A written application (letter) must be submitted explaining and substantiating the hardship or extraordinary burden. Please also use the application form and send us the information and supporting documents listed therein by e-mail or mail. Please note the formal requirements and keep in mind that only complete applications can be accepted.

The Artists' Social Insurance Fund (Künstler-Sozialversicherungsfonds) also grants subsidies for support in cases of emergency that are particularly worthy of consideration, normally as a one-time payment or, in special cases, as a recurring cash benefit. Artists whose main residence is in Austria can apply for support at any time for the monthly meetings of the advisory board. Detailed information on how to apply to the KSVF can be found in the KSVF guidelines.

Before requesting legal or tax advice, please send a written request by e-mail to ske@vdfs.at and describe what you are requesting this grant for.

Please note that the material connection with your professional activity as a filmmaker or performer in the audiovisual field must be given and proven. The grant of max. EUR 2,000 (excl. VAT) can be provided once per calendar year and will be settled directly with the law firm advising you.

Prerequisites:

• at least 2 years membership in VdFS
• at least 3 accountable works 

In detail, this means that physical persons who have concluded a membership agreement with VdFS at least two years prior to the application are eligible. Furthermore, applicants must provide proof of at least 3 works registered with VdFS and eligible for distribution according to point II.6. of the distribution regulations. After 10 years of membership, this number increases to at least 5 registered and accountable works for film authors. For performing artists in the audiovisual sector, the required number increases to at least 5 participations after 5 years of membership and to at least 10 participations after 10 years of membership.

Please send a written application before making use of the training or further education, in which you describe the type of training or further education, the professional benefit and the expected costs (if necessary including travel expenses; see point 5.3.4. of the SKE guidelines). The factual connection with your professional activity as a filmmaker or performer in the audiovisual field must be given and must also be proven.

Please also send the completed and signed form for the recognition of the SKE guidelines and send everything together by e-mail to ske@vdfs.at or by post. Please note the formal requirements for documents.

The amount of the one-time grant is determined individually in each case. It amounts to a maximum of EUR 3,000 per calendar year.

Every ordinary member (cooperative member) of VdFS may receive a monthly old-age allowance from VdFS upon reaching the statutory retirement age and under the condition that an annual income limit is not exceeded.
A prerequisite is that the beneficiary has also been an ordinary member (cooperative member) of VdFS for at least 5 years. For details please refer to point 4.2. of the SKE guidelines.

In addition to the social funding that is to be given priority, SKE funds can be used to support festivals and events, special cultural projects and organizations, associations or the like that serve to promote the economic, social and artistic interests of the beneficiaries.
The exact details and criteria for funding festivals, events, funding to associations or for special cultural projects can be found in the SKE guidelines from point 5 onwards. The SKE team of VdFS is also available for a personal preliminary discussion to clarify any questions before the application.

The application (short summary of content including the amount of funding requested) must be accompanied by an overall calculation and a financing plan with a list of the funding applied for and/or awarded by other institutions. In addition, a detailed concept or description of content must be submitted. 

Please also submit the completed and signed form for recognition of the SKE guidelines at the same time and send all documents collectively by e-mail to ske@vdfs.at or by post.

As a rule, you will be informed of the result within four weeks of the end of the submission period. All applicants will be informed in writing after the respective Supervisory Board meeting. If an application is rejected, reasons will be given for this rejection.

If your application has been positively decided, then the funding amount can be accessed immediately, provided that we have the signed form for the recognition of the SKE guidelines.
After the festival or event has been held, or after a project has been completed, an overall statement of the actual costs (income / expenses) must be submitted. Furthermore, a separate statement including receipts in the amount of the grant awarded by VdFS must be submitted. These receipts in the amount of the grant will be checked by VdFS and returned with confirmation. We also request that the festival / project report (number of visitors, press review) be enclosed.

The SKE funds may also be used to award grants for the promotion of young filmmakers and for the recruitment of new beneficiaries of VdFS, without having to meet the requirements otherwise prescribed for individual grants pursuant to section 3.8.

Persons who are not yet members of VdFS may apply for VdFS support for young filmmakers. This support is limited to filmmakers or performing artists in the audiovisual field up to a maximum age of 40 who belong to a professional group represented in VdFS.

Young Filmmakers and/or students at public and private universities can apply for a grant to participate in an artistic competition (e.g. as part of a film festival) if it can be assumed that the grant will help the applicant to advance professionally. The grant may cover participation fees as well as travel and accommodation expenses of the applicant.

Please note point 5.3.5 of the SKE guidelines.

In order to be able to sponsor your participation in an artistic competition, please submit a written application before the start of the competition/festival.Enclose the personal invitation from the festival director, as well as confirmation that no costs will be covered by the festival/competition itself. We also require a confirmation of enrollment as well as proof of age (by means of an identity card). 

After the visit of the competition/festival we need all original receipts or invoices as well as payment confirmations.

All applications are submitted to the SKE Committee and the VdFS Board of Directors after a formal preliminary review by the VdFS SKE Team and are decided by the latter. The VdFS Supervisory Board must confirm these decisions. Of course, all information is treated strictly confidentially.

This grant amounts to a maximum of EUR 3,000 per calendar year and can be applied for to participate in an artistic competition.

For more information, please refer to point 5.3.5.1. of the guidelines.