The platform SMartAT Mobility is publicly accessible and offers clear and precise information in German and English on the topics of social security, taxes, labour law, copyright, insurance, legal entities, residencies, visas. In addition, it provides insight into the various sectors of the cultural landscape in Austria. It further entails a database (of currently 400 entries) with information on grants, scholarships, etc. and a section with URLs to other relevant online portals on subjects complementary to the current portfolio.
The platform is editorially managed, and continuously updated and expanded by the association "WorkSMart - Network for Art and Culture". A help desk complements the detailed information provided online with personal advice on specific questions and problems. In individual cases, expertise of external experts in the legal or tax law area (national or international) is also consulted.
In addition, public workshops in the platform's thematic areas are offered to specific target groups and interested parties in German and English.
The project addresses artists and cultural professionals from Austria as well as foreign artists and cultural professionals who strive to work in an international environment.
Objectives:
* support international, cross-border artistic and cultural work
* provide practical information on a bureaucratic and legal questions, i.e. social security, taxes
Consultation
* During the pilot phase in 2017, 32 hours of consultation were offered, while in 2018 the number increased to 172 hours of consultation, to 197 hours in 2019. In addition, around 90-100 hours of background research are undertaken per year, for which additional expertise is obtained from external specialists (law, tax) when needed. In some cases, exchange and cooperation with the help desk of the German site touring artists takes place.
* So far, artists and cultural professionals seeking advice at Smart.at Mobility were active in all cultural sectors and included nationals from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Finland, France, Ghana, Germany, Great Britain (Brexit), Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Palestine, Poland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, the U.S. as well as several stateless persons.
* Approx. a third of the persons seeking advice were Austrian nationals who wanted to work abroad
* Consultation was provided in the areas of social insurance, posting, taxes, visa regulations, residence permits, labour law issues as well as for highly complex, individual cases.
* So far, the success rate is 99 per cent.
Workshops
In order to increase access, a public workshop format was developed. Under the title: "Work the Globe - Taking the Hussle out of Freelancing", 14 public workshops were organised since 2018. Events lasted 1 1/2 to 3 hours with 10-60 participants each, were free of charge and were mainly held in English.
EUR 40,000 / USD 36,900 / annually