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Arts Tasmania

Cultural and Creative Industries stimulus package

The health, safety and wellbeing of Tasmanians is our number one priority as we face the challenge of coronavirus (COVID-19). We also recognise the significant impact the unfolding COVID-19 situation is having on Tasmania’s cultural and creative industries. As part of our new stimulus package, we will deliver new funding of $1.5 million and introduce new operational measures of over $2 million to support the individuals and organisations leading Tasmania’s renowned cultural sector. The package has been designed to specifically address the challenges facing our artists, screen practitioners and organisations.

In addition to this funding, the Tasmanian Government’s small business emergency supports grants program of $20 million will be established for initial emergency grant payments of $2,500 to business in a variety of industries including those in the arts sector who are suffering financial hardship.

For more information on the Tasmanian Government stimulus package go to: www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au

For more information on the Australian Government economic response go to: www.treasury.gov.au

Arts and Screen Digital Production Fund

To support screen practitioners, artists and arts organisations whose work has been cancelled, postponed or disrupted by COVID-19, grants of up to $10 000 for individuals and $50 000 for organisations is available to enable the arts and screen sectors to work together.

This funding will help artists and arts organisations to work with Tasmanian screen professionals to make content in Tasmania for digital distribution and promotion.

Eligibility

To qualify for funding under the Arts and Screen Digital Production Fund, you must be a Tasmanian artist, arts worker, or screen professional who has been resident in Tasmania for at least six of the last 12 months, or a Tasmanian arts or screen organisation. Tasmanian organisations with multi-year government arts funding are also eligible to apply. Groups with interstate members can apply but only Tasmanian artists and professionals can be supported. Eligible projects may include producing excerpts of work for digital distribution, show reels, materials for national and international market development, or adapting theatrical work or performances for a digital platform.

Organisations in receipt of administered funding from the Tasmanian Government (including the Theatre Royal Management Board) are not eligible to apply for support package funds.

Applications open: Friday, 27 March 2020

Applications close: Monday, 4 May 2020

Tasmanian Contemporary Music Fund

To support Tasmanian contemporary musicians whose engagements have been cancelled due to COVID-19 to record music and music videos for digital distribution and promotion, grants of up to $15 000 are available. Projects must take place in Tasmania and support Tasmanian musicians to work with other Tasmanian artists and production professionals.

Eligibility

To qualify for funding under the Tasmanian Contemporary Music Fund, you must be a Tasmanian artists or arts worker who has been resident in Tasmania for at least six of the last 12 months or a Tasmanian arts organisation. Groups with interstate members can apply but only Tasmanian artists and professionals can be supported. Contemporary music is defined as music that is currently being written, recorded and performed by Australians. Genres include (but would not be limited to) blues, country, electronic/dance, experimental, folk, funk, hiphop, jazz, metal, pop, rock, roots, and world.

Organisations in receipt of administered funding from the Tasmanian Government (including the Theatre Royal Management Board) are not eligible to apply for support package funds.

Applications open: Friday, 27 March 2020

Applications close: Monday, 4 May 2020

Additional Screen Development Fund

To assist the Tasmanian screen industry both during and after the COVID-19 restrictions an additional $250 000 is available through the Additional Screen Development Fund.

To provide an injection of funds into the Tasmanian screen industry to undertake work easily and safely during the current COVID-19 emergency, additional grants are available for new projects through Screen Tasmania’s Project Development Program. This will assist screen practitioners in developing projects for production once restrictions have eased. To allow more people to be involved in development tasks, funding caps for the Screen Tasmania Project Development Program have been increased to $30 000 for Advanced Stage Development and Short-form Series Booster, and $20 000 for Intermediate Stage Development. Funding is also available through the existing Industry Development Program to provide for additional industry and professional development support to filmmakers and crews who are not able to work in production.

Eligibility

Eligibility for the Additional Screen Development Fund is unchanged from the existing Screen Tasmania programs www.screen.tas.gov.au/funding

Applications open: Thursday, 26 March 2020

Applications close: Monday, 13 April 2020

Additional arts organisations funding

To support the arts and cultural sector in Tasmanian impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, arts organisations that are currently on a single year funding package or those in the final year of agreements under the Arts Tasmania Organisations Program will have these contracts extended for another year. This will support these 19 organisation to continue to operate through this period of disruption and plan activities in 2021. Additional competitive funding will also be made available for arts organisations that will support additional employment and cultural activity. This will be open to organisations based in Tasmania that are not already receiving support through Arts Tasmania’s Organisations (multi-year), Cultural Heritage Organisations, Cultural Heritage Organisations (multi-year) or those in receipt of annual funding extension.

Organisations in receipt of administered funding from the Tasmanian Government (including the Theatre Royal Management Board) are not eligible to apply for support package funds.

Applications open: Tuesday, 31 March 2020

Applications close: Monday, 6 July 2020

Contact and assistance

For advice on eligibility or for assistance with your application please call:

Arts Tasmania: 03 6165 6666 or email grants@arts.tas.gov.au
Screen Tasmania: 03 6165 5070 or email info@screen.tas.gov.au

Operational measures

Arts Tasmania and Screen Tasmania operational responses to COVID-19 impacts on the sector are as follows:

  1. Extending the contract of arts organisations in receipt of single year or final year funding through the Organisations programThis measure is worth $1 657 446.Arts Tasmania has 19 arts organisations on single year or in the final year of agreements under the Organisations program. These contracts are to be extended for one year, allowing arts organisations to continue to operate through this period of disruption and plan activities for 2021. KPIs and activities for existing and extended contracts will be revised on a case-by-case basis. This will allow arts organisations to plan their cashflow and continue to employ their staff wherever possible and feasible.
  2. Early payment of outstanding 10 per cent balancesThis measure is worth approximately $349 850As part of Arts Tasmania contracts with funded clients, 10 per cent of funds are withheld until acquittals have been received, processed and accepted.  This measure will see all 10 per cent balances paid as soon as clients provide an invoice.  This will immediately assist funded clients to cashflow through this disrupted period.
  3. Temporary suspension of repayment of current Low-interest loans and loans made under the COLLECT Art Purchase SchemeThis proposed measure will temporarily suspend repayments for four months for existing loans to assist loan holders with their personal cash flow.
  4. Additional Screen Tasmania decision roundScreen Tasmania is fast-tracking assessment of a number of applications in its current development round, and has added an additional meeting of the Screen Tasmania Expert Advisory Group – on 3 April. This meeting will consider some existing applications in Project Development, Games Development and Production Investment, which would otherwise have been waiting until July for a decision, but have been identified as having few – if any – impacts due to the current restrictions.
  5. Changed Screen Tasmania payment terms

Screen Tasmania ordinarily provides Project Development support 70% on signature, 30% on delivery (acquittal). Effective immediately, that will be 90% of signature, 10% on delivery.