Australia’s federal government has allocated more of its RISE Fund to help the country’s arts organisations incl. Strawberry Fields Festival.

So far, a total of $160 has been handed out, meaning there is still a further $40 million left to allocate from the $200 million total.

This wave of funding totals $20 million, with $6 million of that going to organisations in Victoria. $1 million of that was donated to The Melbourne Fringe which had to cancel its in-person events due to the city’s lockdown restrictions.

Other organisations that benefited include The Melbourne Digital Concert Hall and Strawberry Fields festival, which both received around $400,000. The Melbourne Art Foundation received just under $200,000.

Half of this waves total funding was given to regional organisations across Australia.

Hon Paul Fletcher is Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, and discussing the RISE Fund, he said: “This latest $20 million of funding is creating a pathway to recovery that will support nearly 23,000 jobs in more than 560 locations, more than half of which are located in regional and remote Australia,” federal arts minister Paul Fletcher said.

“As the vaccine rollout continues at a strong pace, with 60 per cent of Australians 16 and over now having received at least one dose, it is important that our arts and entertainment sector is primed to get activity restarted just as soon as public health requirements allow. The National Plan clearly sets out the key benchmarks for opening up at 70 and 80 per cent vaccination levels.

“As those benchmarks come into sight, funding under RISE has a critical role in catalysing the restart of activity. RISE funding, under this round and previous rounds, has been allocated to an extensive range of projects, across all states and territories, and across many different forms of arts and entertainment.

“The Morrison Government’s objective, in providing this record level of funding for arts and entertainment, is that as states and territories open up, arts companies, promoters and festivals are ready to go. We want to see venue doors thrown open to audiences; we want to see the curtains going up; and we want to see performers coming on stage to a welcoming roar of applause.”

Australia’s federal government has released its 2021/22 budget with $1 billion allocated to arts funding due to the sector being one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. Records from 2018/19 show the sector having generated $17 billion for the Australian economy.

H/T: Paul Fletcher MP