The Corona support measures for art and culture were extensive. Only: according to a current report from the Court of Auditors, it is not possible to say exactly how many people have been reached, because the data situation is “inadequate”. The Court therefore also recommends a draft for the downstream audit, as stated on Friday.
In the period from March 2020 to March 2021 examined by the Court of Auditors, the federal government provided approximately EUR 200 million in grants and subsidies to deal with the corona crisis in the arts and culture sector.
114,300 applications approved
During the assessment period, approximately 114,300 applications were approved by three bodies: the Social Insurance Fund for Artists (KSVF), the Social Insurance Agency for the Self-Employed (SVS) and the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKÖ).
Missing data
It was also possible to switch between the funds made available at different times, but there were different rules about whether or not aid already received was taken into account. According to the RH, it is impossible to say how many people have been reached with the three funds examined and what the possible reasons for switching were due to the lack of data.
“No test plan”
Due to the possibility to request support from multiple authorities, a follow-up check plays “a special role”. In this regard, the Court of Appeal criticized the fact that the Ministry of Culture “did not have a test concept for follow-up checks and the specifications in the guidelines and processing agreements about this were not sufficiently clear”.
It is recommended that the Ministry, in collaboration with the relevant institutions, “create a well-defined concept for the follow-up audit of the KSVF and the SVS in order to reveal inadmissible multiple funding or wrongly obtained grants or grants”. In general, the Ministry of Culture should continue “its considerations to improve the situation with statistical data”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
