Signing of the decree on the status of artists in the DRC

Kinshasa, June 24^th, 2024 (CPA) – The decree on the status of artists and cultural professionals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been signed by the Prime Minister, Judith Suminwa, according to a press release from the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage consulted by CPA on Tuesday. ‘This legal framework, which officially recognizes artistic and cultural occupations as professions in their own right, provides social protection for artists, by guaranteeing them access to social security, health cover and pension rights; professionalization of the sector, by clarifying the conditions for practicing as an artist, with rights, duties and legal recognition; economic stability, thanks to a contractual framework for working relationships between artists, employers, producers, broadcasters and institutions; the dignity and value of artistic work, which is often informal and precarious, through a clear system of recognition by the State’, it reads. According to the source, the impact of this reform will be greater access to formal funding through recognition of the status of artists, greater visibility for artists both locally and internationally, and a greater contribution by the cultural sector to national economic development, particularly through tax revenues. He added: ‘This signing is a significant achievement that marks an important turning point in history, a historic step forward for the sector, legal recognition of the rights granted to people working in the artistic professions, whether in the visual arts, music, theatre, literature or other creative fields. It aims to offer them social, economic and legal protection appropriate to the nature of their activities, the future, duration and stability of which are not guaranteed’. This historic decree, signed by the Prime Minister as head of government, embodies the Head of State’s deep commitment to recognizing and valuing the essential role of artists and cultural professionals in the development of the nation, and represents a gamble won by the ministry responsible. In May this year, the Artists and Cultural Collective (CAC) welcomed the promulgation of an ordinance laying down the fundamental principles relating to culture and the arts, known as the ‘Cultural Policy’, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. ACP/