The Ministry of Culture is today to start taking applications for subsidies under the second phase of its relief program to help the arts and culture sector.
Individuals and businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can apply regardless of whether they had previously applied for subsidies under the initial phase designed to help cover operational costs, the ministry said.
As of April 10, it had received 7,874 applications for first-phase subsidies for individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic between Jan. 15 and March, it said.
Photo courtesy of Performance Workshop
The second phase of the program involves two types of subsides that aim to help cover workers’ salaries and companies’ operational costs incurred from last month to next month, it said.
The first type, for which applications are to close on June 10, provides businesses up to NT$2.5 million (US$83,5887) to help pay for employees’ salaries and other operational costs, it said.
Individuals would be eligible for a maximum payment of NT$60,000, it said, but added that those who receive subsidies from the culture ministry would be disqualified from the subsidies that the Ministry of Labor offers to self-employed people and workers without a fixed employer.
The second type aims to help bigger companies with a large number of employees, which have seen their income decline at least 50 percent since January, the culture ministry said, adding that applications for this program would end on July 31.
For such companies, the culture ministry is offering to help cover up to 40 percent of each employee’s salary — for a maximum of NT$20,000 per person — as well as other operating costs, it said.
Companies that are approved to receive subsidies under this scheme may not reduce employees’ working hours, lay off employees, cut salaries or take other forms of action that impair workers’ rights as long as they receive subsidies, the culture ministry said.
The second subsidy type is expected to require a NT$2.47 billion budget over three months, it added.
Companies that qualify for both types of subsidies may apply for either one, the culture ministry said.
It added that the NT$2.5 million subsidy limit under the former scheme does not apply to companies seeking subsidies under the latter scheme.
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