Estonia: Government offers state salary for writers

The state salary will allow writers and artists to claim 16,000 euros per year

Ten writers and artists in Estonia are to be paid a salary by the state for the next three years to encourage their work, it's been reported.

The ministry of culture in the Baltic state has announced that those selected will each receive a portion of the 160,000 euros ($176,000; £114,000) which will be set aside each year from 2016, Estonian public broadcaster ERR reports. "The state's interest is straightforward: a poet or painter needs an opportunity to concentrate on his or her creative work," says ministry spokesperson Meelis Kompus. "Without enough support and people working on several fronts to make ends meet, precious creations may never see the light of day or be delayed."

To apply, writers and artists have to submit a portfolio of their work, a personal statement, and they must outline their creative goals for the next few years.

State salaries for the arts are rare, and the most that artists can usually hope for is a grant or bursary which gives financial security for a short period. In Ireland, for example, the Arts Council offers up to 15,000 euros as a single-year literary bursary.

That's something Estonia is trying to change, with Culture Minister Indrek Saar saying that the proposed salary offers security that one-off arts grants do not usually provide. Competition for the 10 salaried posts is expected to be "fierce", according to director of Tallinn Art Hall Taaniel Raudsepp. "Our aim is to find people who are at the peak of their creative powers," he says.

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