How to register your activity as an artist-author

The artist-author is a professional belonging to one of the following professional fields:

• Scope of writers: author of literary or scientific works, dramatic works, translations, adaptations and illustrations, original software;
• Scope of music authors and composers: author of musical works, choreographic works and pantomimes;

• Field of fine and plastic arts: author of original, graphic or plastic works (paintings, collages, drawings, engravings, etc.), scenography for live performances, exhibitions or spaces, design works;
• Cinema and audiovisual industry: author of cinematographic and audiovisual works, translations, subtitles or audio descriptions;
• Branch of photography: author of photographic works or works created using methods similar to photography.

Article 1 of Decree No. 2020-1095 of August 28, 2020

The income consists in particular from the sale of works, the exercise or transfer of copyrights or even grants for research, creativity, production, etc. (Article R382-1-1 of the Social Security Code). This income is subject to social security contributions.

As of January 1, 2020, the Artist-Author makes his contributions only to URSSAF Limousin and no longer makes contributions to the Maison des Artistes (for artists-authors of graphic and plastic works of art) or AGESSA (for artist-authors in other fields, in particular translators, illustrators, songwriters, photographers).

The income declaration is made on a specially designated resource: www.artistes-auteurs.urssaf.fr

However, the MDA and AGESSA continue to carry out tasks such as control over the scope of eligibility for artist-author status, membership in the social system of artist-authors, or even a permanent census of artist-authors.

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• Excluded from the scope:
  performing artists (actors, singers, musicians, etc.) employees of producers or show organizers and therefore covered by the unemployment benefits program for temporary performers and audiovisual workers,
• artisans and, in general, all persons carrying out activities excluded from the scope of the artist-author scheme (provision of services, consultations, technical drawing, etc.), falling under the social scheme for the self-employed.

For the purposes of this sheet, only artist-authors who are individuals are considered.

To legalize and register your professional activities, you can create an individual enterprise EI, as well as a company with the status of a legal entity.

Registration is done on the website https://procedures.inpi.fr/

Apply to join the social scheme for artist-authors

To become a member of the Social Security for Artists, you must register on the URSSAF website and meet the following conditions:

• regularly carry out activities as an author,
• be a tax resident of France,
• be aware of your social security contributions,
• have income from one or more creative and proprietary activities.

Artist-author social security checks the supporting documents provided and monitors compliance with the conditions.

The artist-author can then create his own personal space on the website www.artistes-auteurs.urssaf.fr; all procedures for declaring income and activities are carried out from this personal account.

The artist-author joins the social insurance system for author-artists from the 1st euro collected. However, in order to benefit from social benefits (social security rights and retirement), the artist-creator must earn an annual income at least equal to 900 times the minimum hourly wage, known as the fixed threshold, which is €10,368 in 2023 .

For artists-authors of original graphic and plastic works to submit an application to start activities

Any artist-author of original graphic and plastic works (painters, sculptors, engravers, textile designers, graphic artists-authors) must declare the beginning of his activity in La Maison des Artistes.

This statement must be made after receiving remuneration as part of the artistic activity (sale of work or royalties) or in the process of fulfilling a firm commission. Indeed, the declarant must attach supporting documents regarding the implementation of this first sale, thanks to which La Maison des Artistes guarantees that the activity can:

• enter into the sphere of activity of the artist-author,
• create a base of contributions and deductions for social security in the scheme for artist-authors.

The assignment of a registration number to La Maison des Artistes is not responsible for contributions or affiliations. The application for membership is submitted the following year through a declaration of activity and income, the dossier is automatically sent to the artist in March of each year, as soon as he has declared himself to the body. Maison des Artistes then checks whether the activity generating the reward actually falls within the scope of the scheme.

Source: https://bpifrance-creation.fr/activites-reglementees/artiste-auteur