‘The show must go on. So show us the money.’

In the lead-up to Budget we’re meeting one extended family-and-friends group profoundly affected by COVID-19 to hear what they’re seeking from Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. Today acclaimed costume designer Harriet Oxley says the government must urgently kick its proposed arts rescue package into gear.

Costume designer Harriet Oxley in her home studio in Melbourne. Picture: Aaron Francis

ACCLAIMED costume designer Harriet Oxley lost all her work when the pandemic closed down opera, theatre and live performances. 

The Melbourne mother of three is first cousins with Claire Neil in Sydney, whose extended clan of family and friends are sharing their stories with The Australian in the lead-up to the federal Budget. 

Ms Oxley has survived on JobKeeper and paused mortgage repayments to bear the financial burden of coronavirus, buoyed by the fact husband Khalil Hegarty, a policy and trade analyst, has continued to work.

The Caulfield South pair, who fall under a $200,000 income bracket, have three children at private schools — 14-year-old Theo at St Michael’s Grammar while Orson, 11, and Astrid, 7, are pupils at nearby Wesley College.

They have been at school for a total of three weeks in the past seven months.

“Financially, it’s a blow to lose my work, and I had some lovely gigs lined up for this year,” Ms Oxley, an RMIT graduate told The Australian.

“And they have been cancelled, not postponed. “I was so lucky to receive JobKeeper because I was on a contract with Circus Oz and I am so grateful for that.

“We also put our mortgage on pause for a while but have decided to try and put it in place again … financially we have taken a bit of a hit, but my husband’s work is still okay.”

From the October 6 federal budget, Ms Oxley said she wanted to see more detail of the Government’s mooted $250 million JobMaker arts support package, which will include “ShowStarter” loans backed by Commonwealth guarantee as well as grants and seed funding to restart or create new festivals and touring programs.

“I know they have pledged a big sum towards supporting the arts, but as far as I know nothing has been approved, and guidelines haven’t even been published, so that money seems far away and I have no sense of where it would end up,” Ms Oxley said.

“I feel gutted for the people in the arts who couldn’t get JobKeeper (because they were not contracted to an employer) — I feel sick for these people and I know many of them personally.

“It has been a huge blow to arts workers and their sense of feeling undervalued in Australian society is palpable.”

The Government has indicated the Budget will be strongly focused on job creation, including anticipated wage incentives for business to replace JobKeeper in the new year. The Jobseeker unemployment benefit will continue to be boosted with a $250 monthly COVID-19 supplement until the end of 2020 and possibly beyond. Industry is urging the government to consider other job creation measures including a marginal payroll tax rebate.

Ms Oxley is hoping for continued stimulus measures.

“It could enable an easing of financial strain, and lower anxiety which will be emanating from so many people in difficult situations,” she said. “I’m thinking that mental health for so many in our society is going to be one of the biggest problems in the coming years.”

Between homeschooling, Ms Oxley has been making clothes to sell through her social media account, as an extra means of income and way to keep busy with her craft through the downturn. But through such uncertainty on the future of the arts, she remains hopeful.

“I imagine young people won’t consider going into the arts as much as they previously may have … I see what has happened through my teenage kids’ eyes and I can’t see how many young people would choose that path — and that’s really sad,” she said.

“In terms of theatre, I imagine productions will be smaller and scaled back, with lower budgets and therefore, changed production values.

“Logistics of getting people in and out of theatres will have enormous implications – shows will be shorter and with fewer cast members and we may see more outdoor performances.

“Having said that, I’m hopeful there will be a huge surge of creativity.

“Constraints can make artists so inventive, so I very much hope we’ll see some new paradigms being created.

“I have four projects booked for next year, so there is a bit of optimism.

“People in theatre are pushing on as if it’s going to get back to something normal and progress with their projects, so I’m hopeful that will come about.”