Since 2012, the scholarship programme managed by the Catalan Department of Culture has contributed to the training and specialisation of nearly 1,000 university graduates. Over this period, these scholarships have become a vital bridge between academic education and professional practice in the cultural sector.
The scholarships are promoted through a competitive public call aimed at offering practical supplementary training to young graduates. The training placements occur within administrative units, facilities, and organisations linked to the Department, covering areas such as cultural heritage, museums, archives, libraries, documentation, cultural communication, and digital transformation.
The model is based on specialised tutoring, continuous monitoring, and practical learning in real professional environments, aiming to complement the academic training of participants and facilitate their entry into the cultural sector.
Administrative process and ongoing investigation
An ongoing administrative process is currently underway, following requests for information directed to the Department regarding the scholarship calls for 2024, 2025, and 2026. During this process, the Department has provided the requested documentation and information to the Labour and Social Security Inspectorate, including details about the characteristics and operation of the training placements.
As a result of these actions, the General Treasury of the Social Security communicated a provisional settlement concerning 207 beneficiaries of the scholarships for the years 2024 and 2025. In light of this situation, the Department has exercised its legal defence mechanisms.
The Department disagrees with the conclusions presented by the Labour and Social Security Inspectorate and has submitted corresponding objections to the provisional settlement report, which are still pending resolution. Additionally, an appeal has been lodged against the resolution from the General Treasury of the Social Security, which ordered the automatic deregistration of the scholarship recipients and their registration as employees; this appeal is also awaiting resolution.
Simultaneously, the Department has requested access to the inspection file, as it has not yet been able to fully review the background, facts, and evidence that underpin the inspectorate's actions.
Defending the nature of the scholarships
In the context of these proceedings, the Department asserts that the scholarships in question are fundamentally educational in nature and that their configuration, development, and purpose fully comply with the legal framework governing internship scholarships, lacking the characteristics of an employment relationship. It adds that the beneficiaries of these scholarships received €1,250 per month and have always been registered with the Social Security under this legal framework.
The Department intends to continue defending the legal correctness of its actions through all appropriate administrative and, if necessary, judicial avenues, while fully respecting the principles of legal certainty, contradiction, and defence, and ensuring adherence to the guarantees inherent in the ongoing procedure.
Legal precedents
The Department's position is bolstered by existing legal precedents that recognise the educational nature of internships similar to these scholarships. Notably, ruling number 2716/2023 from the Social Chamber of the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia acknowledges the educational nature of internships with analogous characteristics, highlighting aspects such as the existence of a training project, effective tutoring, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and the limited duration of the placement, all of which the court considers compatible with a primarily educational purpose.
Commitment to cultural training and talent
Training and supporting young professionals is a priority for the Department of Culture. The Department believes that the qualification of talent, generational transition, and the incorporation of new professionals are strategic elements for ensuring the future of the Catalan cultural sector. For this reason, it reaffirms its commitment to rigorous, high-quality scholarship training with all necessary guarantees, aimed at facilitating young professionals' access to the cultural sector and contributing to the development of the country's cultural talent.
Future of the scholarship programme
During the processing of the 2026 scholarship calls, unforeseen circumstances have arisen, which are objective and beyond the control of the calling entities, stemming from the actions of the Labour and Social Security Inspectorate and the resolutions of the General Treasury of the Social Security regarding similar internship scholarships developed within the Department of Culture. Consequently, the Department has declared the material impossibility of continuing the procedures under the conditions in which the calls were approved, a conclusion reinforced by the principle of administrative prudence.
