SA welcomes additional $10.2 million in arts funding

South Australia’s arts sector, hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, is set to receive more emergency funding from the state government.

The new support package will deliver $10.2 million to help fast-track recovery and create jobs in the arts, bringing the total support provided to the sector to $20 million.

“We know that in addition to the economic benefits, the arts play an essential role in helping people to connect, which is now more important than ever,” Premier Steven Marshall said.

The funding has been welcomed by the Arts Industry Council of South Australia (AICSA), which recently petitioned the government for the funds in order to address key survival and recovery priorities and to bring South Australia’s response up to an equivalent per-capita investment with other states.

“We are extremely pleased and heartened that the South Australian Government has responded to the needs and advice of the sector, consulting with both ourselves and others in the arts industry, to produce a progressive second package that invests both strategically and broadly in artists and arts organisations,” AICSA chairperson Gail Kovatseff said.

Key aspects of the second arts recovery package include new grants programs for independent artists and small-to-mediums arts organisations, and support for regional arts, contemporary music and festivals.

“This package is made up of around 50% direct investment and 50% contestable grants, a ratio we are pleased to see and that is different from some other state packages, such as in New South Wales,” Kovatseff added.

“The investment is all new money and it will have a significant, positive impact on our sector.”

AICSA is holding a webinar with the Premier and staff from Arts South Australia and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, to brief its members further on the details of this latest package.

The funding news follows NSW Labor’s introduction of a new bill to push for the removal restrictions on NSW live music venues.

NSW venues called for “immediate” government support earlier this week, with an open letter detailing how the industry is on the verge of collapse without support.