Today Arts Council of Wales opens its Stabilisation Fund for Individuals. The fund is an important part of the Arts Council’s overall support to the country’s creative community during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The application window opens on Friday 29 May and closes at 5pm 15 June.
The Stabilisation Fund for Individuals supports self-employed artists and freelance creative practitioners working in the not-for-profit sector in Wales. The particular focus of the fund is those who are trying to survive the threat to their livelihoods caused by the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. Funds are intended to help those working individually in the arts to maintain and sustain their creative practice.
The Stabilisation Fund for Individuals is one of three strands of the Arts Council of Wales’ overall Arts Resilience Fund. This fund has been set up by Arts Council and the Welsh Government and includes funding from the National Lottery and contributions from Tŷ Cerdd, Literature Wales and the Freelands Foundation. The total value of the Arts Resilience Fund is £7.5m.
Nick Capaldi, Chief Executive of Arts Council of Wales said:
“We want to give individual artists and arts organisations the very best chance of surviving the COVID 19 emergency and getting back on their feet. Too many people are currently involved in an almost daily fight for survival, and we must do what we can to help them to sustain themselves through the difficult months ahead. The response of the Welsh Government and the funding that we’ve received - thanks to National Lottery players - has been magnificent. And we welcome too the contributions of Tŷ Cerdd, Literature Wales and the Freelands Foundation which have enabled us to increase the available funds.
“Individual creative professionals are the lifeblood of the arts and creative industries. But with no current work, and no immediate promise of work, this group is really struggling and in immediate need of support.
More information
- Arts Council of Wales is the official public body charged with funding and supporting the arts in Wales.
- The Freelands Foundation’s £0.5m contribution is part of the Foundation’s landmark commitment of £3m towards emergency funds for artists and freelance creative practitioners across the UK affected by the Covid-19 crisis. The Freelands Foundation was set up in 2015 for the purpose of encouraging greater public engagement with and enjoyment for the arts in the UK. For further information, visit: www.freelandsfoundation.co.uk
- The Resilience Fund for Individuals opens for applications on Friday 29 May 2020. Applicants will need to have submitted an online application no later than the deadline of 5.00pm on 15 June 2020.
- The Stabilisation Fund for Individuals is part of the £7.5m Arts Resilience Fund.
- Thanks to National Lottery players, £30 million is raised every week across the UK for good causes, many of whom will be supporting the most vulnerable in communities during the Coronavirus crisis.