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Creative Victoria continues to roll out the Victorian Government’s support package for the creative industries including the first tranche of quick response grants to independent creatives through the Sustaining Creative Workers Initiative.

As announced in mid-June, more  than $2.4 million in grants aimed to support almost 400 Victorian creative industries workers, organisations and micro-businesses to undertake activities that will help protect creative careers, explore new business opportunities and enable the sector to rebuild and bounce back.

The creative industries, which ordinarily employ 280,000 people in Victoria, have been among the hardest hit sectors, with venue closures, screen industry shutdowns and event cancellations leaving thousands of creative practitioners and associated trades out of work and leading to millions in lost revenue.

The $4.2 million Sustaining Creative Workers initiative is a quick response grants program that is part of the Victorian Government’s $51.1 million response to safeguard Victoria’s renowned creative sector and keep creatives working.

This first tranche of activities will see artists focus on expanding business skills, purchasing streaming equipment or creating online stores to expand their markets. Others will respond to the crisis by hosting online launch events and virtual publicity tours or by adapting cancelled shows into podcasts, audio plays or online exhibitions.

Demonstrating the breadth of Victoria’s creative community, the recipients include rapper BIRDZ, fashion labels Strateas Carlucci and Gwendolynne, south-west Victoria’s Find Your Voice - All Abilities Choir, author Nam Lee, game developer Paper House, artist Lisa Roet, children’s group The Listies and industrial designer Girius Antanaitis.

Creative Victoria Chief Executive, Andrew Abbott advises “we are very mindful of the many applicants who were not successful through this process, and we continue to work to secure and promote more opportunities for support. Please stay connected via our social media channels and eNews, look out for our upcoming VicArts grants round, and visit the coronavirus section of our website, which contains a range of resources.”

This month Victoria’s creative sector has been taking its first tentative steps to re-opening, with galleries, museums and libraries across the state welcoming back visitors.

Over the weekend the NGV, Melbourne Museum, Scienceworks and State Library Victoria were among those to officially reopen, with strict limits on numbers and other health and safety measures in place.

Abbott notes “while the road ahead remains long and winding, it’s wonderful to start seeing Victorians reconnect - in person - with our cultural experiences. At the same time, our creative sector continues to offer extraordinary digital offerings – from kids’ school holiday fun to online festivals to brilliant streamed music and performances.

Abbott also highlights that the situation in Victoria is dynamic with the Victorian Government today announcing further restrictions to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

For more information on Creative Victoria grants go to https://creative.vic.gov.au/

Image courtesy of All Abilities Choir Facebook  

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