Question 1 - Independent Artist Grants
Amy:
We heard earlier about the $3,000 stART grant program that provides support to independent artists. I understand the program ran in 2020. Will it be open again in 2021, considering the ongoing pressure on artists?
Deputy DG of Arts Qld:
The stART program ran effectively in 2020. We talked about it previously today. It was spread through a range of organisations across the state to make sure we could actually reach grassroot artists. It did work well. We are in the process of redesigning the last part of the framework for the $22½ million that we were given by the government. It will be the minister’s responsibility to approve that framework.
The challenge with COVID is that it just keeps changing, as you know. Only about three or four weeks ago, we were in a really good space and then all of a sudden we are in a lockdown. We need to make sure we are flexible and agile and able to respond to the needs of the sector. We are developing a framework that will include support for independent artists and independent organisations, but it is up to the minister to approve that framework and that will occur in the next week or so.
Amy:
I understand that as part of the network that were distributing those funds it included the Regional Arts Services Network. Are there any direct supports available for artists who are outside of those established networks so they can get direct support, rather than being part of networks that are distributing those funds?
Deputy DG of Arts Qld:
The stART grants were delivered through a range of RASNs but also through organisations like Metro Arts, JUTE and others. QMusic were also a partner for us on the stART grants. The RASN is not an exclusive network for RASN people. It is absolutely a network that can reach any artist and any arts organisation across the state. Through the RASN website, any artist can find a creative business champion to talk about their issues. We take referrals from the RASN network all the time back into us. Obviously, we are the funding partner of RASN. Over 300 people have been supported through the creative business champions network alone already, so I do not think it is exclusive. I know it is not exclusive; it is for all Queenslanders.
Amy:
So an artist would have to engage with that network to access those funds.
Deputy DG of Arts Qld:
No. They can always call us directly as Arts Queensland. Our ongoing funding, like our Queensland Arts Showcase Program, is available to all artists—independent or a core funded
organisation or a large-scale organisation. We adapted the Queensland Arts Showcase Program funding guidelines to be really responsive to the smaller end of the sector. Up to $30,000 can be accessed through that grants program and you do not have to match it. It can just be a straight grant. Previously, QASP has always been matched dollar for dollar, so the lower end category of $30,000 is absolutely targeted at the independent artist end of the sector.
Question 2 - Monitoring impact of COVID-19
Amy:
How is the department monitoring the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on the sector—live music, theatre, arts and galleries? Is that data being made publicly available?
DG of Arts Qld:
The dialogue between the arts sector and the department is ongoing and quite intense at times in terms of the position that people find themselves in at this very moment. We do acknowledge how tough it has been in that sector. I know that the minister meets regularly with the arts sector. I know that Kirsten is available to the arts sector seven days a week—sometimes very late nights and very early mornings. I can say that the information that comes in is fulsome and we are responding. I think the agility of the government to respond and to make sure that moneys are available to go in—the example would be the recently announced $7 million for live music support. That is a direct result of hearing about the plight of the sector. I do not know if Kirsten wants to add anything to that because she does convene a variety of meetings and meets with the CEOs on a regular basis as well.
Deputy DG of Arts Qld:
There are five or six industry bodies that are working with us on an ongoing basis, and I will say almost a daily basis, as the director-general acknowledged. There is QMusic, obviously for live music, Stage Queensland for performing arts and performing arts venues, Ausdance for the dance sector in particular—and that includes not just the not-for-profit dance but also the for-profit entities and the dance classes that run through training providers—and Museums and Galleries Queensland, which is the industry body that covers the museum sector right through to the local councils. Then at the national level NAVA, the national arts and visual arts alliance, represents directly to us and we have ongoing dialogue with them.
I must admit I do receive a lot of direct contact from the sector, and that is always very welcome because we are hearing on-the-ground experiences all the time. As I said, it is about agility and adapting to the circumstances at the moment. I would like to actually acknowledge the work of our arts statutory bodies’ state leadership—QAGOMA, QPAC and so forth in this space—who are also very connected statewide and providing feedback direct to us at Arts Queensland as we build the next stage of the recovery package.