According to the statistics, there are around 80,000 Ukrainians in Austria. In spring, there were 1,647 temporary displaced persons registered by AMS (Public Employment Service Austria) in Vienna. Among them, there were 42 persons registered as artists.  At the end of January 2024 in Vienna 6,572 Ukrainians were  in employment. AMS noted that they can only evaluate the employees by nation but not by whether they are displaced persons. They could, therefore, also be Ukrainians with other residence permits. Also, 645 temporary displaced persons are taking courses through AMS.

Support is currently being provided, particularly on learning German and recognition issues. With a focus on orientation, AMS also offers a special service for Ukrainian women: “FAVoritIN_U – Women-specific labor market preparation and orientation with a focus on women from Ukraine 2024”.

Moreover, recently, the Austrian government adopted a new law that will be beneficial for those Ukrainians who work more than twelve months and earn more than 1,200 EUR per month. They can get a rot-weiss-rot plus card. It will give Ukrainian refugees a more stable residence permit and other working perspectives.

Everyday struggles
In Vienna, we talked to several Ukrainian artists and asked how they are dealing with their current financial situation. Everyone has a different story but a lot of everyday struggles. As far as OU knows, most artists live from social support and savings, others have mini jobs; some combine art practice with side jobs unrelated to art. However, the stories are very different; some people could never imagine living from  art in Ukraine, but they managed to do it in Austria.

Kateryna Kurlova from Kharkiv, for example, used to design interfaces for mobile games and apps. After moving to Austria, she devoted herself entirely to painting, leaving digital art behind. “Already in my second week in Austria, I presented my painting at an exhibition in Gmunden and sold it for 800 EUR. This success allowed me, starting practically from scratch, to acquire new materials and continue to pursue my creative endeavours actively. In Ukraine, I would not have had such an opportunity, not having a well-known name, to sell my work successfully and profitably. Austria has proved to be very responsive to artists”, she said.

Arina Pryputneva from Kyiv had worked for many years as an applied artist and art therapist in Ukraine but could hardly find any opportunity in Austria. “I have not earned a single penny from my work in Austria. My opportunities in Austria are very limited. I can’t even teach or hold art workshops.” Arina connects it with the system of the art market and German language proficiency that many Ukrainians don’t have so far.

No guarantee for financial security
Danylo Kovach from Zaporizhzhia, who participated in numerous exhibitions in Europe and beyond, admits that the profession of an artist doesn’t guarantee permanent financial security, whether in Ukraine or anywhere else in the world.  “If an artist does not have a signed contract with a leading gallery, institution, or business partner who takes care of all organizational issues, it isn’t easy to survive on art. It was somehow easier in Ukraine because there was already a circle of stakeholders who helped artists find their audience”, adds Danylo.

Danylo arrived in Austria in 2022 with his pregnant wife, and at the moment, they are raising a son. He says that he applied for jobs at the AMS as soon as he arrived in Vienna. But the irony is that no “professional artist” existed in the application form or anywhere else.

“My wife and I are both young, potential, ambitious artists with a son born in Vienna who is twenty months old and does not yet attend kindergarten. Therefore, integration is a rather difficult process for us. Of course, language skills are critical. I had the experience of learning German online, but it did not lead to successful learning. I was preparing for a personal exhibition during this period and spent the rest of the time with my child. We have two Austrian friends but we see them too rarely to be able to practise German regularly. Unfortunately, there is a tendency that in Austria you need to study at an art university or be a successful artist to be noticed”, Danylo notes.

Difficult to find suitable jobs
Kateryna Kurlova, from the beginning of her stay in Austria, was looking for a job through AMS and on her own. However, despite her efforts, it was not possible to find a suitable job directly related to creativity due to the lack of a wide range of job opportunities for artists and her lack of knowledge of German.

Instead, she started to organize exhibitions and sales on her own. “When I arrived in Austria, I was welcomed by a family from Traunkirchen who became my support in the new country. Thanks to their help, I could exhibit my work in my first exhibition. Using the last of my money to buy canvas and paints, I created a few paintings in a few nights. My optimism and hard work were rewarded when I sold my first work and attracted media attention. This success was a pleasant surprise for me, considering that there was little demand for my work in Ukraine. At the beginning of my migration, in the first year, a stable income in the art field seemed almost unattainable without a stable job in any company. However, with each passing year, it has become easier and easier for me to find different opportunities for advancement. This is due to gradually building new connections and expanding my social circle. Establishing yourself and building your reputation takes time and labour, but it pays off over time,” concludes Kateryna.

Danylo, who exhibits regularly, says that he got the impression that Austrians are simply afraid to buy art from Ukrainians because they don’t know if it’s legal at all. “To be an artist is a profession. Many people do not take artistic and intellectual work seriously, confusing the concepts of hobby and professional activity”,  he adds.

The majority of artists we talked to agreed that Austria provides numerous opportunities for artists at the moment: different types of funding, residencies, and studio spaces, but the learning process to benefit from it takes time. Danylo mentioned that he spent the last six months writing applications and applying to various open calls.

Informations on funding possibilities
Office Ukraine regularly informs the Ukrainian art community about funding possibilities in Austria.Office including the special funding of the Federal Ministry of arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport. More than 200 artists have received scholarships from the BMKOES so far.

We also asked artists what kind of support they need and what Vienna lacks. Arina Pryputneva states that studio space is tough to get these days. Kateryna Kurlova adds that the digital sphere and everything that could be connected to the game industry is not really developed in Austria. She also thinks that there’s not enough support for international artists, especially artists from third countries in Austria. She mentions a lack of information, consultancy, and administrative support in general, but appreciates the support of Office Ukraine.

Danylo Kovach says that his desires might be utopian. Still, he stands for flexible tax conditions for self-employed artists, reduced prices for studio rent, clearly established fees for solo and group shows, and basic income secured by the state, online, and offline platforms that could present artists with refugee, migrant, and temporary displaced backgrounds.

All these thoughts reflect the current state of the artists and they hope it will be heard by those who can shape cultural policy in the country.