The City of Melbourne has released $2 million in grants for artists and creative organisations impacted by the COVID-19 virus to assist them during this challenging time.
Five hundred grants are being offered at $4,000 each for individual artists (with an ABN) or small arts organisations. They are to assist artists and orgs in two ways: ‘development’, for the development of new work, and ‘online presentation’ grants, to put developed work online.
Criteria and outcome requirements are pared right back, eg. development grant application does not require a presentation outcome to be nominated, but of course this is for artists who live, practice, work or regularly present in the City of Melbourne.
Grants will open now (26 March), with details on City of Melbourne website.
Read: Australia Council announces COVID-19 support plan
The City has also granted rent relief to all arts organisations that are tenants of Council-controlled properties, and arts organisations in the City of Melbourne will have access to a separate funding pool for various categories of Quick Response Business Grants.
‘This is an imperfect and local contribution to a massive problem, but hopefully will make a meaningful contribution to a few, and keep artists creating with some income,’ said the city in an informal statement.
