The ACT Government’s Creative Recovery and Resilience Program will provide more than $700,000 to help the ACT arts industry recover from the effects of COVID-19, build capability within the sector, and create jobs.
The Creative Recovery and Resilience Program will create more than 80 jobs for artists and arts professionals, and grow local sector capability through partnership with organisations delivering projects on behalf of artsACT, said Tara Cheyne, Minister for the Arts.
“The arts are an essential part of our lives and contribute immensely to the economic, cultural, and societal value of our community,” Ms Cheyne said.
“COVID has had a significant impact on our arts industry. Artists have lost income and opportunities; they also experience ongoing pressures due to travel restrictions and capacity limits in venues.”
Over the next year, the program will deliver initiatives to help the ACT arts industry recover and build resilience.
- Creative Recovery and Resilience Forum with University of Canberra: Local artists need to connect and share skills and experiences. The forum will feature talks, presentations, workshops, and work-in-development showings.
- Residencies with University of Canberra and Ainslie + Gorman Arts Centres: Eight two-month residencies across digital technology, cross-sector collaboration, community cultural development, and Indigenous arts and culture.
- City Commissions with Contour 556: Three new works will be commissioned from local artists to explore Canberra’s identity and diversity. Artists will work with a community group or organisation to create a new work, which the community organisation will own.
- Communicating the Arts Project with Paper Giant: A six-month program will connect up to 10 artists with marketing and communications professionals to share knowledge and skills.
- Art in Place with You Are Here: A grants program will support small live events (talks, presentations, readings, exhibitions, workshops) in venues and businesses across the ACT.
Under artsACT’s ACT Government Creative-in-Residence Project, two local artists will be placed in ACT Government Directorates for six months to explore opportunities for collaboration between government and artists. The residents will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Creative Recovery and Resilience Forum, City Commissions, and Art in Place are joint initiatives of the ACT Government and Regional Arts Australia. These projects are supported by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund Recovery Boost, a $10 million targeted measure the Australian Government announced in April 2020 as part of the COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund.
The Hon Paul Fletcher MP, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities, and the Arts, said the program would support sustainable economic, social, and cultural development throughout the ACT.
“Our investment of more than $98,000 towards the ACT’s Creative Recovery and Resilience Program will support local artists and arts workers to establish new work and provide opportunities for collaboration in the sector.”
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