Taxes and Social Insurance for Musicians 
The Basics


The life of artists is not only about musical skills. Beyond creative work, taxes and social insurance are also part of everyday artistic life. But from what income level do income tax and insurance contributions need to be paid? When do supplementary insurance policies make sense? What support options exist for insurance payments? Which grants and prizes are subject to income tax? What are the framework conditions and obligations regarding VAT? Do artists need cash registers?

In this webinar, participants will receive an introduction to general tax law for freelance cultural and artistic work. They will learn about the relevant aspects of social insurance and possible forms of support, and engage with the particularities of international tax law and social insurance topics.

 

Objectives

  • Calculate your income situation as a self-employed artist
  • Understand the general framework conditions for entering self-employment


An offer in cooperation with mica - music austria, the Institute for Cultural Management and Gender Studies (IKM) and the Center for Further Education of the mdw.
 

Antonia Grüner © Maria Frodl

 

Course lecturer Antonia Grüner

Antonia Grüner studied law in Salzburg, La Rochelle, and at Humboldt University of Berlin. She worked at the Salzburg Festival, at the Camerata Salzburg, and at Karsten Witt's artist agency in Berlin as a manager for renowned classical musicians and singers. From 2013, she worked in the artistic operations office of Jeunesse – Musikalische Jugend Österreichs, and from 2016 to 2021 she served as the association's artistic director. Antonia Grüner was a member of the City of Vienna's Advisory Board for Music and a member of the Artistic Board of "Kultursommer Wien," and since 2018 she has been a member of the Supervisory Board and University Council of the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK). At mica – music austria, Antonia Grüner works as a specialist for Classical and Global Music and is part of the Austrian Music Export team.
 

Workshop

 

 

Date
TU, 03.11.2026
9 am–2 pm 

Location
spiel|mach|t|raum, S 02 25, mdw-Campus, Anton-von-Webern-Platz 1, 1030 Wien

ECTS
The workshop, including preparation and follow-up, counts as 5h of 60 minutes each for the Career Center elective

Registration 
From 15.09.2026 at www.mdw.ac.at/zfw/kurse