Responding to the upgrading of pandemic restrictions level by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), the Ministry of Culture (MOC) on May 14 announced a "specific subsidy program" for workers and groups of arts and creative industries and an online application system was launched on May 17. Performing groups or individual studios suffering losses, incurred by cancellation, postponement or scaling down number of audience of their performances or screening activities between May 11 and June 8, are eligible to apply.
According to the MOC, immediately after the CECC announced on May 11 and 15 the pandemic alert level and related measures, Minister of Culture Lee Yung-te convened a meeting to discuss pandemic prevention and assistance measures, and in the meantime, announced that all cultural establishments will reinforce epidemic prevention measures.
In order to reduce the impact of the epidemic prevention measures, the MOC also announced that it will launch a program to compensate for financial losses. On May 14, it announced the application guidelines, and simultaneously proceeded with design and testing of the online application system as well as educational training. The system was launched on May 17.
The MOC stated that all legally registered corporate organizations, unincorporated organizations and business establishments (studios) run by ROC nationals suffering losses, due to cancellation, postponement or scaling down number of audience of performances or screening activities between May 11 and June 8, are eligible to apply. The maximum funding is NT$2.5 million, but exceptional cases, which are approved by the screening committee and the MOC, are not subject to the ceiling amount.
The MOC specifically reminded applicants that they should fully consider and include "cooperative teams or individuals" in their application forms, detailing item categories so that all participating units of the affected activities will be covered by the subsidy program.
The MOC pointed out that the application can be submitted in three ways: online, via mail or in person. However, for the purpose of epidemic prevention, the screening process will prioritize those who apply first, and online application is encouraged. Application time will last until 11:59pm on June 17.
The MOC emphasized that this specific subsidy program is not the "arts relief 3.0." The MOC will cope with the government’s overall pandemic prevention and revitalization policy to strive for more budgets for arts relief and help art workers of all categories to weather the difficulties, taking reference of the two arts relief program implemented in 2020.