Footscray Community Arts Centre has been thrown a lifeline after the state government announced a $16.8 million survival package for Victoria’s creative and cultural sector.
Executive director Robyn Gawenda said the Creative Victoria stimulus would provide urgently needed cash flow for the centre to survive through COVID-19.
The centre had projected a loss of $350,000 over the next six-month period, including from the box office, NDIS income, venue hire, bar sales, consultancy and one-off projects.
“COVID-19 has been a particularly challenging time for our artists, staff and community,” Ms Gawenda said.
“FCAC understands how much strain our funders and partners are under, but have been clear with our advocacy message for funders to honour existing commitments and support independent artists and contractors who will fall through the gaps in federal stimulus.”
The centre employs about 32 full-time staff and usually pays more than 500 artists a year.
Under the survival package, $13 million will be shared by nearly 100 non-government arts and cultural organisations.
Another $2.2 million fund will award quick response grants of $5000 and $10,000 to Victorian-based individuals and micro-organisations, while $1.6 million will be immediately injected into the sector.
Creative Industries Minister Martin Foley said the funding would help save hundreds of jobs.
“Even in these unprecedented times, our creatives continue to find ways to connect and inspire us, but they are doing it tough and they need our help,” he said.
“Ensuring that our cultural and creative sector gets through to the other side of this crisis will be critical to Victoria’s economic, social and cultural recovery.”
