Three major funding bodies for England, Scotland and Wales have published advice for creative businesses and individuals. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Over the weekend Arts Council England (ACE), Creative Scotland and Arts Council Wales (ACW) have published new guidelines in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, which you can access here:
ACE encourages businesses to honour their contracts with freelancers and artists
Particularly interesting information from ACE’s coronavirus information includes:
“National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs) and Creative People and Places projects (CPPs) will continue to receive funding but funding conditions will not apply for at least 3 months with immediate effect. We can also advance grant payments to assist with cashflow.”
“We will refocus some grant programmes to help compensate individual artists and freelancers for lost earnings. This will require further planning. It may take about ten days before we can announce the details.”
“For NPOs and CPPs, the priority is staying in business. In exchange for our support we ask them to honour contracts agreed with freelancers/artists and think about what help they can offer their communities.“
Read the full information page here.
Creative Scotland will continue to advocate support for the sector
Amongst other things, Creative Scotland describes how they intend to work moving forward:
“We understand that these are challenging and uncertain times and recognise the serious personal and professional impacts for artists, practitioners and organisations arising from Covid-19 as it spreads.
“We will continue to work closely with colleagues at the Scottish Government to advocate support for the sector, share the impacts arising, and make the case for additional resources to help mitigate against the short, medium and long term effects of this situation.”
And the page lists guidance on their current funding and how it may be affected, as listing UK Government resources which may be useful to freelancers.
Read the full details on Creative Scotland’s website.
ACW to publish detailed guidance
ACW have pledged to publish detailed guidance for freelancers on Tuesday 17 March.
“We stand firmly with the artists and arts organisations of Wales and our priority is to find practical ways of supporting those who are trying to manage the financial consequences of the current situation.
“On Tuesday (17 March) we’ll publish information for those working as artists, freelancers and in publicly funded cultural organisations.
“We’ll update this information as the situation develops. We’ll publish updated information on our website and use our social media channel to alert you to any changes in advice.”
They’re also requesting that those in the creative industry share with them how they are being affected, so that they can better understand what is needed in the long and short term. You can do so by getting in contact via coronavirus@arts.wales. Read ACW's advice so far, and bookmark for their updates here.
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