Musicians make 600,000 in profits annually - receive grants for supply difficulties 

The state income guarantee, commonly referred to as the artist's salary, is intended to "provide financial security to those who make an outstanding contribution but still have difficulties in supply". The review of cultural news shows that it is easy to receive the grant despite good finances. As long as the income is not declared, things are going well, according to the rules. 

A successful musician's company has made an average of SEK 600,000 per year for the past five years, and reports assets of an average of 10 million each year. At the same time, the musician is thus deemed to be in need of financial support, and has received the maximum amount of his state income guarantee, SEK 19,000 per month in 2019. 

Over the past five years, the musician has received SEK 1 million in government grants before tax, money that would otherwise have gone to pensionable long-term grants for artists. 

The musician declines an interview with the Culture News, but has sent a written comment: 

“You have to bear in mind that my company runs a risky business. Revenues are uncertain and production costs are high. Therefore, a good buffer is needed ”.  

The musician thinks that the artist's salary functions as a kind of pension savings; as the revenue from the music periodically was low, they would not provide a sufficient pension if things start to deteriorate for the company. 

“That's why my artist salary is so important to me. It gives me the opportunity to invest in projects that I do not know if they ultimately result in profit or loss. Otherwise, I might not have dared to continue at all. It's tough in the cultural industry. That things go well during periods is rather an exception than a rule ”. 

The purpose of the state income guarantee is to provide security, however, by providing precisely a guaranteed income during periods when selected, especially important, cultural creators cannot support themselves in their own activities. The size of the grant is tested annually against own income, and if you earn more than SEK 236,500 a year, the grant is not lost.  

But in the needs test only taxed income is counted, which means that the musician's arrangement is completely in accordance with the rules.