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The Federal Government has announced its sixth round of Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) funding for the creative sector, allocating $19.5 million to 63 organisations.

The latest batch of grants from the $200 million RISE Fund - released before Christmas - has generated a mixed industry response while, significantly, it did not see any Federal Government announcement on an events industry insurance scheme.

Among the 63 projects being backed, key funding included:

• $390,000 for Melbourne Chamber Orchestra to deliver a program of events in regional, outer-urban and metropolitan Victoria with online streaming: including orchestral concerts, chamber music performances and performances for children.
• $400,000 for Brisbane Powerhouse to deliver Hap Wah Night Market, with high quality handmade objects by Queensland designers and artists, high-impact art and performance, and local produce.
• $1,000,000 for Gympie Muster to deliver the Gympie Music Muster Revival, showcasing Australian artists at one of the country’s favourite outdoor music and camping festivals.
• $600,000 to concert promoters TEG Dainty to go towards the rescheduled Australian leg of Guns N’ Roses’ stadium tour.

Commenting on the funding, Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher said the funding would support nearly 21,000 jobs in more than 600 locations, more than half of which are located in regional and remote Australia.

Minister Fletcher noted that the Federal Government’s objective “in providing this record level of funding for arts and entertainment, is that as the vaccine rollout continues at a strong pace and states and territories open up, arts companies, promoters and festivals are ready to go

“This is an important stage in the resurgence of Australia’s arts and entertainment sector, with this targeted RISE funding providing an opportunity for venues to reopen to audiences; curtains to rise; and performers to come back on stage to a welcoming roar of applause.”

With TEG Dainty also having received $750,000 to aid the same tour in the fourth round of RISE funding in July, the latest backing for the Guns N’ Roses has been controversial

Australian rapper Illy has led criticism of the move, calling out the lack of support shown towards smaller and independent artists, via a social media post.

On Instragram the rapper wrote “Hey guys! Remember the last 2 years where the entire music industry has been on its knees and beaten to within an inch of its life.

“And how many people working in the industry fell through the qualifying cracks for support and have barely scraped by, or had to change industries?

“And how gigs and festivals EVEN NOW are canceling at a moment’s notice, with NO insurance for the promoters/venues/artists involved? Well good news, the fkn Guns N Roses got three-quarters of a million in grants from the government.”

“How good is a feel-good story! I’m just glad the money’s going to the people who need it. Hope guns n roses are ok.”

Other artists, including Lime Cordiale and Kira Puru, voiced their disapproval on the post, with Kira slyly noting “thoughts n prayers for the boys hope they’re ok.”

Shadow Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke also tweeted “Yesterday the Govt announced who gets taxpayers’ money for the Arts RISE grants. $600k for the Guns N’ Roses tour.

“And still not a dollar to support a COVID insurance scheme for Australian artists. Does Mr. Morrison know what’s happening to the sector?”

Burke’s comments follow a Senate committee enquiry in November that concluded that an insurance guarantee to future-proof the music industry was not the responsibility of the federal government, because the states and territories made calls regarding border closures, lockdowns and social distancing/capacity restrictions.

Writing on LinkedIn, Geoff Jones, Chief Executive of Guns N’ Roses tour promoter TEG, welcomed the "RISE funding ... awarded to TEG Dainty’s rescheduled tour of Guns N’ Roses across Australia, which will see stadium rock return to our shores for the first time in almost three years.

"We appreciate that there were many other applications for funding in this round and that most of those missed out - and we are grateful for the acknowledgment that rescheduling a tour of this scale is a massive undertaking that will generate a lot of economic impact for the country and will really get our industry firing on all cylinders once again."

The Federal Government has also announced a second round of grant funding under its $20 million Supporting Cinemas’ Retention Endurance and Enhancement of Neighbourhoods (SCREEN) Fund, for independent and regional cinemas.

Images: Guns N’ Roses during their 2017 stadium tour (top) and TEG's Geoff Jones who has welcomed the RISE funding for the band's rescheduled Australian tour (below). Credit: TEG.

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