Artists in Andorra will be able to carry out certain activities without opening a business
The Government approves a reform allowing artists in Andorra to obtain professional accreditation without having to earn a living from their artistic work
The Council of Ministers has approved a bill to amend the Artist’s Statute, which would remove the requirement for artists to support themselves financially through their artistic income in order to obtain professional recognition.
The reform proposes basing accreditation on training or career experience and aims to make it easier for people with another occupation to pursue artistic work alongside it.
The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Mònica Bonell, explained that the Statute, approved in 2022, and its implementing regulations, adopted in February 2024, had not fully met the sector’s needs. The amendments were developed with the Andorran Commission for Monitoring the Artist’s Statute.
Training and career experience will replace the income requirement
Until now, accreditation has depended on artists earning their living primarily from artistic work or submitting a plan to achieve this within a maximum of five years.
Bonell explained that the regulations required earnings equivalent to the minimum wage or a plan that would enable artists to support themselves financially within that period.
The bill replaces this requirement with artistic training, an established or recognised career, or a combination of these elements.
The minister argued that this change better reflects the realities faced by professionals and compared their situation with that of self-employed workers.
El Govern aprova una reforma perquè els artistes d’Andorra es puguin acreditar sense haver de viure de la seva activitat pic.twitter.com/hjdQPiCopu
— La Veu Lliure (@laveulliure) September 9, 2026
“When self-employed workers register, they are not asked to prove they can support themselves financially,” Bonell said, acknowledging the difficulties the previous requirement posed for artists.
Personal artistic activities without opening a business
The reform also seeks to simplify the obligations for people who combine a main job with performances or other artistic activities. Bonell gave the example of a salaried music teacher who plays with a band at the weekend.
She explained that having to register as self-employed and open a business made this secondary activity more complicated and could discourage artists from seeking professional accreditation.
The bill would allow these activities to be carried out without opening a business, provided they are personal in nature, require the artist’s direct involvement and are not conducted from their own premises open to the public.
Bonell also announced that the bill introduces a special social security contribution scheme for people combining artistic work with another occupation. The changes form part of the bill approved by the Government and must go through the parliamentary process before taking effect.
Bonell explained that the new contribution scheme would allow artists to combine salaried employment with artistic work. It is intended for people who already contribute to the Andorran Social Security Fund (CASS) through their main occupation and also wish to contribute through their artistic activity.
The proposal, developed within the monitoring commission with the participation of the CASS director, provides for contributions solely to the general branch, calculated on a base equivalent to 50% of the minimum wage.
Only 15 artists have obtained accreditation so far, and Bonell acknowledged that there is still room for improvement. The minister said the reform aims to make accreditation more accessible and adapt the requirements to the realities faced by professionals in the sector.