The NSW Government has announced the recipients of a $10 million multi-year arts funding boost to support 58 small to medium independent arts organisations for up to four years.
Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said the industry has struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020/2021 Independent Arts and Cultural Organisations (Multi-Year Funding) provides a future-proof plan for the revival of the arts sector.
“I’m delighted this year’s funding has increased to support a greater number of organisations across NSW with almost half of the multi-year funding to be delivered to first-time recipients. This is the security blanket the sector needs right now. It will provide stability with increased funding over a longer period of time, Mr Harwin said.
“We are committed to supporting the NSW arts and culture sector and by ensuring extended financial stability for organisations, we will provide opportunity to enhance excellence in programming and strengthen our community through critical and creative education and enjoyment as recipients focus on the development and presentation of new ideas and practices.”
All successful recipients across regional NSW, western Sydney and metro Sydney were assessed by the 10 Artform Boards – comprised of the State’s key leaders in the arts sector.
Key Snapshot of 2020/2021 Multi-Year Funding:
· $9,999,110 in funding for 2020/2021 (up 8.38% on 2019/2020) will support an increased total number of 58 recipients (up from 55 on 2019/2020) across 33 metro Sydney, 14 regional NSW and 11 western Sydney based organisations.
· 23 successful recipients are new multi-year supported organisations including:
- Hayes Theatre Co Ltd in metro Sydney ($125,000)
- Spaghetti Circus Inc in Northern NSW ($85,000)
- Dance Makers Collective Inc in western Sydney ($90,000)
- 11 western Sydney-based organisations will be supported by the multi-year funding initiative.
- 5 Youth Theatre companies will receive funding:
- Powerhouse Youth Theatre in western Sydney ($130,000),
- Outback Theatre for Young People in Regional NSW ($130,000),
- Australian Theatre for Young People in metro Sydney ($220,000),
- Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People Ltd in metro Sydney ($150,000)
- Shopfront Arts Co-op Ltd in metro Sydney ($110,000).
- 2 Aboriginal led organisations will receive multi-year funding for the first time:
- Moogahlin Performing Arts in Redfern, Sydney ($200,000);
- Gurehlgam Corporation for Wadjar Regional Indigenous Gallery in Northern NSW ($82,110).
Funding over a four year period will cover a variety of arts and cultural activities from creation of new works, exhibitions, publishing and recording, promotion and marketing to conservation or development of collections and archives and equipment purchases.
A full list of the multi-year funding recipients is available here.