Elly Mackay
24 April 2020: Artists in the Canberra region who are struggling financially as a result of social distancing restrictions will have access to support from the Belconnen Arts Centre from this month onwards. The centre has partnered with the Faculty of Arts and Design at the University of Canberra to put a fundraising campaign in place.
The initiative, Going the Distance, aims to support artists to undertake alternate activities like online programs and workshops in a time in which they would have ordinarily been participating in exhibitions or live performances. It will also assist in paying the region’s artists to enable them to continue creating throughout this period.
The Faculty of Arts and Design is contributing to the initiative by providing advisory and technical resources and assistance to participating artists. Executive Dean of the Faculty, Professor Jason Bainbridge, says strengthening the faculty’s partnership with the Belconnen Arts Centre and the community is just one way to support those doing it tough.
“The Faculty of Arts and Design is privileged to work with the Belconnen Arts Centre to support local and regional Canberra artists during this difficult period,” he said.
“While COVID-19 continues to challenge and impact us all on a daily basis, it has also highlighted the very real need for industry, community and institutions to work together to tackle these problems head on.”
During this time, with many of Canberra’s museums, galleries and cultural centres closed, it’s important to continue to support artists and for them to enjoy the same resources they would usually provide – just in a different context.
“It is a partnership that very much speaks to the University of Canberra’s ongoing role as a civic university providing creative solutions for the wider community,” Professor Bainbridge said.
The faculty has partnered with the Belconnen Arts Centre for several years; Going the Distance is the first initiative of its kind to come out of the partnership. And with the arts centre right in our backyard, it’s sure to have benefits for many members of the University community.
Since applications opened, 38 local artists have applied for the funding. The Belconnen Arts Centre currently has funding to assist five applications, with hope to increase their capacity to fund up to 15 additional projects.
“We all must take our hats off to and applaud the region’s artists,” Monika McInerney, Artistic Director and Co-CEO of the Belconnen Arts Centre said.
“We have received many worthy, imaginative and desirable submissions from a diverse range of artists, and it will be an unenviable task to make selections.”
With Canberrans being some of the highest consumers of culture in Australia, Belconnen Arts Centre Executive Director and Co-CEO Jack Lloyd says he is confident the city will show its support.
“Artists help to bring us together and make this region a wonderful place to live. More than ever, we will need creativity, connection and inspiration, as we all face the greatest challenge seen in generations,” he said.
“We need to help sustain these artists’ careers over the months to come and help to engage the community in new ways, to continue fueling a life-long love of the arts.”
Mr Lloyd says any funds received will assist in supporting artists to deliver new online public programs which will be released free of charge to the whole community.
Article thumbnail by Dianne Libke.
