Cyprus’ deputy ministry of culture said on Monday it is carrying out a substantial revision of the long-awaited bill regulating the status of artists, with the aim of finalising a new legislative framework by the end of the year.

It said it remained committed to creating a “widely accepted, functional and balanced” framework, following consultations with artists’ organisations and international cultural policy experts.

One of the most significant changes agreed is the complete removal of a section providing for an artistic grant for self-employed artists.

The ministry acknowledged that the provisions did not adequately address the needs of the artistic community and said the scheme was now being redesigned.

The revision of the draft law, formally titled the Artist Registry and Artistic Grant Law of 2025, began during the summer, after the ministry collected and assessed comments and proposals submitted by organised artistic groups.

International experts met ministry officials earlier this month, where deputy minister Clea Papaellinas stressed the intention to carry out a “substantial revision” of the text and, if possible, finalise the legislative framework by the end of the year.

Apart from scrapping the proposed grant provisions, participants agreed that a number of other elements of the bill would also be reworked.

These concern the conditions under which artists and their associations can be entered into their respective official registries.

Changes will include reconsidering the definition of an artist and taking greater account of the particular characteristics of individual artistic disciplines.

The original bill was approved by the cabinet on January 3, 2025 and submitted to parliament on January 20. It was subsequently discussed by the House education and culture committee on April 30, 2025.

Following criticism and comments submitted during the process, the legislation was sent back for reconsideration.

Consultations continued throughout 2026. Informal meetings were held between the ministry’s permanent secretary and organised artistic groups in February, followed by talks with the labour ministry in April.

Parliament was updated on the revision process in July, when a new round of consultations with artists’ organisations was also announced.

The deputy ministry said the objective remained a legislative framework that would safeguard the position of artists while contributing to the sustainable development of Cyprus’ cultural ecosystem.