12 Sep SUPPORTING. THE. ARTS.
Hi, my name is Ivy. I am one of the instructors here at Kinect, passionate about Dance and the industry that I have been a part of for 15 years. COVID-19 has taken the term ‘struggling artist’ to a new level with the Arts being one of the industries hit the hardest during these lockdowns and receiving the least amount of government support.
I’m sure many can agree that movies, shows, movement, music, and song, along with copious amounts of food, has been what’s lifted our spirits and filled our time throughout this pandemic. Yet we live in a society where the Arts are severely undermined as a profession.
There are clear double standards when it comes to restrictions for live music/arts events and sporting events. For example, Gold Coast’s most recent State of Origin had 26,000 attendees, whilst live music venues have capacity limits as low as 56 patrons. RISING, an inclusive and culturally diverse festival, has also been cancelled from Melbourne’s upcoming schedule because of current restrictions. Artists are holding tight, and I am concerned for how long they can hold on for. After losing 5 gigs in 2 weeks, Beckah Amani (Queensland’s Emerging Artist of the Year), is tired of the “ambiguous game” governments are playing when it comes to “favouring other entertainment venues and not the music side of things.”
Workers in this sector are continuing to rebuild from the impacts COVID-19 and its restrictions have had on their livelihoods. To help keep the arts alive, we can show our support to the community by donating to any of the below causes.
Arts Wellbeing Collective
The Arts Wellbeing Collective provides mental health and wellbeing resources and offers a 24/7 phone line available to anyone in the performing arts.
Support Act
Aids in delivering crisis relief to thousands of artists and other music professionals who may be unable to work in the music industry.
Artists’ Benevolent Fund
The Artists Benevolent Fund are currently seeking donations for visual arts practice recovery, aiming to ensure the survival of their industry and artistic practices.
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