Overview
In 1992, as part of its drive to support the performing arts and promote professionalisation in the sector, the City of Luxembourg introduced an aid scheme for private performing arts ensembles in Luxembourg City. After several adjustments over the years – in 1998, 2002, 2008 and 2012 – the regulation governing the scheme has just been updated once again to bring it in line with
- the current conditions in the sector,
- the diversification the sector is currently undergoing, and
- changes in the composition of audiences.
The regulation, which applies mainly to private theatres and the independent theatre scene, now takes into account the results of the report on the current status of the theatre scene (État des lieux sectoriel théâtre) presented as part of the Ministry of Culture's (Ministère de la Culture) 2018–2028 Cultural Development Plan.
Eligible ensembles
This financial aid is intended only for private performing arts ensembles that satisfy the following conditions:
- the ensemble must have been set up as a non-profit organisation having a legal personality;
- the ensemble's registered office must be located in Luxembourg City;
- the ensemble must feature an ongoing, year-round programme of performances produced as a professional enterprise;
- the performances must be put on in Luxembourg City;
- the ensemble must be a signatory of the Ministry of Culture's "Charter of Ethics applicable to organisations in the cultural sector" (Charte de déontologie pour les structures culturelles).
Amounts
Ensembles that satisfy all the conditions mentioned above are eligible for three types of aid, which may be combined.
- a subsidy to support professionalisation, in the form of a single, annual, lump-sum amount of €10,000, for any ensemble that has a theatre/performance hall in Luxembourg City at its disposal throughout the year, in return for the payment of rent or free of charge;
- a subsidy covering infrastructure costs, in the form of a single, annual, lump-sum amount of €10,000, for any ensemble that rents and pays the maintenance costs of a theatre/performance hall in Luxembourg City, where it puts on regular performances;
- a subsidy covering production costs, in the form of a lump-sum amount of €10,000 per production for any ensemble that puts on, as a professional enterprise, at least two productions a year in Luxembourg City, with the proviso that the total number of productions that can be subsidised each year is limited to four.
For co-productions involving two ensembles, the subsidy or subsidies will be equally divided between the two ensembles.
The subsidy covering production costs will not be granted
- for co-productions undertaken with Luxembourg City's municipal theatres
Important
Under no circumstances may the total amount of the subsidies granted exceed the total amount of the expenses actually incurred by the ensemble.
| Grant for infrastructure costs | €7,000 |
| Grant to encourage creative projects | €7,000 |
| Grant for infrastructure costs | €10,000 |
| Grant to encourage creative projects | €10,000 |
| Grant to encourage professionalisation | €10,000 |
Conditions for the award of the subsidies
To receive these subsidies, ensembles must submit a written request to the City of Luxembourg by no later than 15 March of the same year. The request must include the following supporting documents:
- proof that the ensemble is a signatory of the Ministry of Culture's "Charter of Ethics applicable to organisations in the cultural sector";
- the ensemble's programme of performances for the current year;
- the lease agreement covering the rental of a theatre/performance hall, or the details of the theatre/performance hall being used in the current year;
- a budget estimate of the revenue and expenditure per production or co-production put on in the year.
The aid will be paid at the beginning of the following year upon the submission of
- an activity report;
- a financial report that includes a detailed breakdown of revenue and expenditure per production or co-production.
Reference to the City and display of the City's logo
Private performing arts ensembles whose applications have been approved must undertake to mention in their publications that they have received funding from the City of Luxembourg and must also undertake to display the City's logo, in consultation with the City of Luxembourg's Service Communication et relations publiques (Communications and Public Relations Department).
Regulation
For full details, and before submitting requests for the subsidies, please refer to the regulation of 17 October 2022 on the granting of aid to private performing arts ensembles (Règlement concernant l'allocation d'aides aux ensembles privés des arts de la scène du 17 octobre 2022):
