Australian Artists Coronavirus Relief Fund
Independent artists have already been affected beyond measure from the effects of coronavirus. At this stage there is little to no support from the Australian government and the necessary restrictions around social gatherings will not relax for many months yet.
The money raised from this campaign will go directly towards covering one-off bills or rent payments for independent artists across Australia.
Rent hasn't stopped but our income has. Water, electricity and gas are essentials and we cant afford to have them cut off. Each bill that comes into our letter box is another jab that reminds us that every one of our gigs for the foreseeable future has been canceled.
As artists we work hard - from gig to gig we cover our costs, but due this arrangement the majority of us are not covered by any full-time, part-time or casual agreements. A great wave of depression and anxiety is falling over our community and this is why we are asking for your assistance.
Art informs and contributes to all aspects of our lives. It documents our histories and teaches us to be wiser, it asks us to question our choices so as to build towards a utopian future, it inspires greatness through the celebration of intellectual or aesthetic beauty and it challenges us to accept alternate realities. A culture thrives through its consumption of art, this wild array of knowledge that encourages its audience to question, escape and rejoice.
Whatever amount you're able to donate will be greatly appreciated and will go directly towards helping many artists through what will be one of the toughest points in their lives.
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My background is as a performer and events/theatre producer. I have felt the sting of this horrible situation and like many others am struggling to prove my situation to Centrelink. Unfortunately, more often than not, our payment history does not lend well to their systems causing a unnecessarily drawn out process. I have started this campaign on behalf of the community because I want to see the arts bounce back with vigor on the other side of this horrible pandemic.
All payments will be peer assessed by a body of artists representing various fields and practices. The assessments will be conducted voluntarily and all artists involved in the assessment process (including myself) will agree to not receive any payouts themselves and will not assess any artists that they are acquaintances of.
If you are an artist in need of support paying a bill or rent please fill in this form and we'll do our best to support you - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcur2UiuTKQsTO96NUVk5YcolRsruurccyoKU0z1bIB-zqeA/viewform?usp=sf_link
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In this time of high stress please look out for those around you by offering what support you can - from a phone call through to buying them a beer - every little gesture helps.
If you are feeling distressed by the current situation please contact Lifelines crisis support line on 13 11 14.
