NQ’s arts industry is getting set for a comeback after receiving financial boost
North Queensland’s arts industry is preparing to turn the lights on, crank up the volume and start moving again, thanks to a new grant money.
Townsville
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North Queensland’s arts industry is preparing to turn the lights on, crank up the volume and start moving again, thanks to new grant cash.
Worth $500,000, the Arts Queensland stART Grant Program is open to independent artists, artist collaborators, producers, designers, technicians, freelance and other arts workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the height of the pandemic, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported 53 per cent of small arts and recreation businesses closed their doors with many not ever expected to reopen.
Townsville musician Ben Henaway said he was lucky enough to have a job to fall back on after six months of his band’s gigs were cancelled in one hit.
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He said this grant could help his band Up 2 You release an EP they had in the works.
“We float between pop and RnB, we don't bind ourselves to any genres,” Mr Henaway said.
“If we like a sound we’ll build off that and that’s what we love about music.”
North Queensland Regional Arts Services Network (NQ RASN) will deliver the $3000 grants in North Queensland including Townsville, Hinchinbrook, Burdekin, Charters Towers, Palm Island and Flinders.
Professional dancer and Scimitar Moon Belly Dance owner Cara Griffin has already put her application in to run free workshops for the community.
She said social distancing, while necessary for health precautions, has also highlighted just how much people need human connection and the positive impact that dance provides.
“Every day we turn on our radio and a musician plays music, we turn on a movie and we see beautiful dancing, we look at street art, we wear clothing that’s artistic,” Mrs Griffin said.
“We under appreciate it and we don’t realise that it actually makes up the very fabric of who we are as people and our expression.
“Even if you don't class yourself as an artist you’re still partaking by buying it, it’s everything.”
Mrs Griffin said her business felt the devastating financial impacts immediately when her doors were forced to shut with little notice.
“We lost everything, our classes got shut, our parties got shut down,” she said.
“We had parties in the works for interstate visitors, which would have propped up other local events, so it had all of this beautiful flow-on effect that was just gone instantly.”
This was echoed by NQ RASN co-ordinator Madonna Simmons, whose sole focus is returning the local creative industry back to the thriving community it had become.
“The impacts of COVID-19 have been deeply felt throughout the creative sector, so it’s heartening to have this recognised and funding made available, to support the industry here in Queensland,” she said.
Applications received will be assessed by an independent industry panel of North Queenslanders.
To apply or for more details, see www.arts.qld.gov.au.
Applications close 11.59pm (AEST), Monday, June 22.
Originally published as NQ’s arts industry is getting set for a comeback after receiving financial boost