Notification dates:
- All Survive applications – expected by 14 July
- All Adapt and Create applications – expected by mid-August
The 2020 Resilience Fund is designed to provide emergency relief to support the livelihoods, practice and operations of Australian artists, groups and organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are directing more than $5M to the Resilience Fund to provide immediate relief to the Australian arts sector.
This funding can be combined with relief offered by other arts funding agencies, government departments, support services and philanthropy.
We have developed this program using input and ideas from the arts sector. We gathered this input through various sector roundtables and discussions, feedback and ideas provided to us by artists and organisations we fund and people who have participated in our sector development programs.
There are three streams you can apply for:
Small grants for individuals, groups and organisations to offset or recoup money lost due to cancelled activity.
Grants for individuals, groups and organisations to adapt their arts practice and explore new ways of working.
Grants for individuals, groups and organisations to continue to create artistic work and/or develop creative responses in this time of disruption.
If you need help with your application, contact a Grants Officer now
Australia Council response to COVID-19
The Australia Council is announcing its first Response Package to support artists, arts practitioners, arts groups and arts organisations coping with the impact of COVID-19.
Reporting and other grant conditions relief
- For organisations and individuals who have current Australia Council arrangements, we are adopting a flexible approach. This includes:
- Removing requirements on meeting audience KPIs
- Bringing forward payments
- Delaying or simplifying reporting requirements
- Varying the purposes and outcomes of funding
- Extending timelines for projects
- Allowing organisations to use money provided for a deliverable to be repurposed to pay essential bills such as wages, rent or utilities.
You are encouraged to speak with your contract manager about options that can provide flexible support during these difficult times. If you’re not sure who that is, please email enquiries@creative.gov.au and we will direct you to the right person.
Other relief funding available during COVID-19
All artists, arts workers, and arts organisations should also be looking at the Australian Government’s measures to provide hardship support.
Information for individuals
- The Government has temporarily waived the asset test and waiting periods for the Jobseeker allowance.
- A new, time-limited Coronavirus supplement of $550 per fortnight will be paid to both existing and new recipients.
For information and services provided by the Commonwealth Government visit Services Australia.
The Department of Social Services has a hotline 1300 653 227 and web advice on support for workers who lose income because of COVID-19 health measures.
Information for organisations
- The Government is allowing businesses and not-for-profits impacted by the Coronavirus to access a subsidy to continue paying their employees. The JobKeeper payment allows affected employers to claim $1,500 a fortnight per eligible employee for a maximum period of six months. Creative and cultural businesses are eligible.
- The Government is providing payments of $20,000 – $100,000 to eligible small and medium sized businesses, and not-for-profits (including charities) that employ people. Creative and cultural businesses are eligible. These payments provide cash flow support to help eligible businesses and not-for-profits keep operating and retain staff.
- The Government is providing a loan guarantee scheme to support small and medium sized businesses. There are no charges to access the scheme, and the loans are repayment-free for six months. The maximum loan is $250,000, for a term of up to three years. Creative and cultural businesses are eligible to apply.
- Australian banks are also supporting small businesses by deferring small business loan repayments for six months.
Further details about the Australian Government’s payments and loans can be found at: https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus
The Treasury Business Unit also has advice on financial measures for small business.
State, territory and local government support
Many state, territory and local governments have released support packages for artists within their jurisdictions. For further information, please contact the arts agency in your state and territory or local council.
Mental health support
We acknowledge the distress, hardship and isolation felt by artists and arts workers at this time. For support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or Support Act on 1800 959 500
Download the RTF version of this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can find here some of the most frequently asked questions for the following programs:
- 2020 Resilience Fund: Survive
- 2020 Resilience Fund: Adapt
- 2020 Resilience Fund: Create
All Survive applications – expected by 14 July
All Adapt and Create applications – expected by mid-August
Individuals can apply for themselves or on behalf of a group. You must be a practicing artist or arts worker, and an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident.
Australian organisations that create artistic work or provide a service to the arts sector can apply.
We acknowledge there is great need in the sector from both individuals and organisations and expect there will be high demand for the Resilience Fund. Current multi-year funded organisations have guaranteed funding at this point and we have already announced we will be flexible in repurposing these funds and agreements, while many other organisations and individuals do not. For equity, we have chosen to focus our limited resources on the parts of the sector who do not currently have guaranteed funding.
Practising artist – someone who creates art and considers art making their main profession.
Group – a group of artists who create art together.
Arts worker – someone who assists in the creation or delivery of art and culture, including but not limited to: administration; management; programming and curation; production; technical and specialist.
Organisation – an organisation that creates artistic work or provide a service to the arts sector.
Yes. Non arts organisations that deliver artistic activity or provide a service to the arts, particularly for the benefit of artists and/or communities are eligible to apply.