Artists on income support

On 31 December 1999 almost 3,500 artists received income support under the Dutch Act on the Provision of Income for Artists (Wet Inkomensvoorziening Kunstenaars, or WIK for short). According to preliminary figures, over 1,900 of these artists were men and over 1,500 women.

There is hardly a difference in the numbers of men and women among young artists on income support. The difference starts to increase from the age of 30, and by the age group 45-54 the number of male artists on WIK-income support is twice as high as the number of women.

Artists on income support (WIK), 31 December 1999

One in ten artists on WIK income support start receiving the benefit as soon as they finish art school. The same number of artists receive a WIK benefit because of loss of other, i.e. non-art, sources of income. Over 7% of WIK claimants used to be self-employed.

Over one third of the WIK recipients received a general assistance benefit before their WIK benefit. For men this percentage was slightly higher than for women.

Artists on income support (WIK) by previous situation

Jaap Hakkaart