The Australia Council has announced its first Response Package to support artists, arts practitioners, arts groups and arts organisations coping with the impact of COVID-19.
In the last weeks, our cultural and creative sectors have suffered enormous damage as a result of the unfolding COVID-19 crisis that has seen public gatherings, performances and exhibitions cancelled in the interests of public health.
“We must do all we can to support the arts community, for whom the impact of COVID-19 is catastrophic,” said Australia Council Chief Executive Adrian Collette. “Venues have shut their doors with little or no notice, organisations have been forced to cancel their programs and activities, and hundreds of thousands of arts workers have had significant negative impacts to their immediate and future livelihoods.”
“The impact is not just on our cultural and creative sectors. The flow on effect is immense for the broader community and economy, not least the many thousands more employed in related industries driven so strongly by the arts and creative industries, such as tourism, hospitality, regional and community businesses.”
“And importantly, the rapid disappearance of Australian creative work from our lives will have a major social and cultural impact on the Australian public in both the short and long term. We acknowledge the hardship and isolation felt by artists and practitioners at this time, and the impact that temporary closure of many arts organisations is having on our collective wellbeing.”
“We have freed up funds – as much as we are able – to immediately respond to the critical situation faced by Australian arts and culture. We are introducing new support and sector development programs. We are establishing virtual gathering opportunities and important conduits for sector feedback as we work together and codesign solutions to the host of new challenges we face.”
“We are also working closely with the Office for the Arts and our Minister to provide advice and information to assist the Government’s response to this urgent crisis.”
“In these stressful times, our arts sector continues to be extraordinary. It has been enormously important to hear from so many of you and witness great acts of organising and solidarity, including many creative responses to make people feel included at a time of social distancing, and rapid pivots to new platforms to release work,” said Mr Collette.
The Australia Council Response Package includes:
- Reporting and other grant conditions relief
- Adjustments to Four Year Funding 2021-2024
- Suspending current investment programs and introducing new ones focused on immediate relief
- An online learning series to assist our sector respond to the crisis
- First Nations support
- Sector roundtables
- Digital support
- Sector development initiatives
- Research and analysis that will identify immediate and long term impacts of COVID- 19 on Australia’s cultural sector, and the broader public as a result.
Reporting and other grant conditions relief:
For organisations and individuals who have current Australia Council arrangements, we are adopting a flexible approach. This includes:
- Removing requirements on meeting audience KPIs
- Bringing forward payments
- Delaying or simplifying reporting requirements
- Varying the purposes and outcomes of funding
- Extending timelines for projects
- Allowing organisations to use money provided for a deliverable to be repurposed to pay essential bills such as wages, rent or utilities.
You are encouraged to speak with your contract manager about options that can provide flexible support during these difficult times. If you’re not sure who that is, please email enquiries@australiacouncil.gov.au and we will direct you to the right person.
Four Year Funding 2021 – 2024:
In light of the impact of COVID-19, we are proceeding with Four Year Funding 2021-2024 whilst identifying how to keep as many organisations as possible funded through this critical period. More information will be available on 30 March 2020.
Suspending investment programs:
With immediate effect, we have suspended many of our investment programs currently or due to open. Suspending programs will allow Council to concentrate our efforts on responding to the crisis situation faced by our artists and arts organisations and sustaining the sector throughout the immediate and short term. Suspended programs include:
- Career Development Grants for Individuals and Groups, closing date 2 June
- Arts Projects for Individuals and Groups, closing date 2 June
- Australia Council Fellowships, closing date 2 June
- Arts Projects – Organisations, closing date 2 June
- Playing Australia: Regional Performing Arts Touring Fund – closing date 2 June
- Contemporary Music Touring Program (CMTP) – closing date 2 June
- International Arts Strategy Outcomes Fund, closing date 19 May
- National Arts and Disability Awards 2019-21, closing date 7 April
- Arts and Disability Mentoring Initiative 2019-21, closing date 7 April
- Rights Fund for Literature, closing date 28 April
- Translation Fund for Literature, closing date 28 April
- Travel Fund for Literature, no closing date
Introducing new programs:
The Australia Council has repurposed all available uncommitted funds from this financial year to immediately respond to the critical situation faced by Australian arts and culture. We will redirect approximately $5M to new programs designed to provide immediate relief to Australian artists, arts workers and arts organisations to support their livelihoods, practice and operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further details will be provided on the new programs, including eligibility and opening dates for applications shortly.
Online learning series:
In the coming week, we are launching Creative Connections, an online webinar series for the cultural sector, offering practical, accessible and useful professional development. The content will be delivered by industry experts on key topics and emerging themes that will assist our sector navigate the immediate and long term impacts of COVID-19.
Themes will include crisis management and communication, arts in the digital age as well as ongoing issues of climate change, intercultural working with First Nations and inclusive learning practices. These sessions will be recorded and published on the Australia Council website for public engagement and wider reach.
First Nations support:
We have commenced a weekly series of First Nations’ roundtables for artists, creatives and organisations for updates and discussion of the implications of COVID-19 for our First Nations independent and small to medium sector, live performance and public gatherings. The first roundtable was held on Friday 20 March. Future roundtables will be held each Friday from 2.00pm – 3.00pm. You can watch past roundtables and register for upcoming ones here.
Other sector roundtables:
The Office for the Arts and the Australia Council have begun a weekly COVID-19 Support workshop with peak arts bodies. This week, representatives from the COVID-19 Business Liaison Unit, the Australian Banking Association and the Department of Social Services provided information on support available for creative and cultural organisations and their people. We will be implementing Additional roundtables will be implemented to work with the sector to codesign responses to COVID-19. More information to come.
Digital support solution:
On Monday 23 March, the Australia Council launched their new Facebook Group: Arts and creative industry: digital support as the first stage of our digital support solution. Content can be shared and promoted on this new channel. Importantly, it will be a professional development resource for all individual artists and small to medium organisations who may not have the technology, skill sets or bandwidth to successfully present and represent their work online through live streaming or other methods.
Other sector development initiatives:
The rapidly evolving environment requires quick responses to sector development needs. the Australia Council will be working with artists, organisations, industry and government to deliver a development program to assist our cultural sector through this period.
Research and analysis:
A number of surveys are underway in Australia and around the world to gather data on the impacts of COVID-19 on the arts and cultural sector. The Australia Council is working with the Australian survey organisers to draw results together in a national sector-wide summary. We will also convene a working group to facilitate future data collection of longer term effects. If you are currently running a survey or considering it, please get in touch at researchenquiries@australiacouncil.gov.au
For more information, visit: www.australiacouncil.gov.au for details.
Image: Adrian Collette AM – photo by Simon Bernhardt