Performing artists in Catalonia find it difficult to make ends meet. Three out of every four Catalan actors, dancers, dubbing artists and theatre directors have an income of less than 18,000 euros per year, according to data collected in a study in Spain prepared in 2023 by the Fundación AISGE, which manages intellectual property rights for these performing artists. The conclusions are based on a survey of 3,410 of the organization's members throughout the Spanish state, around 700 of whom are in Catalonia. Among other things, the research shows that the income of 63% of professionals in the sector places them below the poverty line and that women earn 9,900 euros per year, compared to 15,100 for men. 49% of AISGE members surveyed in Catalonia receive less than 6,000 euros a year for their work in these performing arts.
Another point highlighted by the study is that many of those who engage in these economic activities must seek secondary employment in order to increase their income, specifically 49%. Adding this second occupation, which in three out of four cases has nothing to do with the cultural sector, the respondents in Catalonia who exceed 18,000 euros per year rises to 40%, while those who do not reach 6,000 euros make up 23%. Even so, 36% of Catalan acting and dancing professionals remain in a situation of poverty – which is understood for statistical purposes as less than 60% of the interprofessional minimum wage.
Gender imparity: male income over 50% higher
On the other hand, the Catalan women surveyed in this report receive an annual average of 9,908 euros for their work in these performing arts, while in the case of men the figure rises to 15,149 euros. This is a gender imparity in income of more than 50%, even more acute than that detected at the national level, even though the two Catalan figures are higher. The average performing artist's income in Spain is 8,320 euros for women, compared to 11,677 euros for men, for these professional areas.
Catalan female performers in the sector work an average of 76 days a year, while male artists work 95 days. The total annual income (artistic activities and complementary income) of Catalan female acting and dancing professionals is 15,160 euros, compared to 22,950 euros for men. According to the report, Catalonia's performing artists are 52% male and 49% female. Among those who work in the advertising sector, men make up 64% of the workforce and in the audiovisual sector, 60%, but in the theatre, dubbing and dance sectors, there is a slight female predominance. The average age of the respondents was around 45 years. The largest group – 34% – are between the ages of 45 and 54.