Federal funding welcomed for Tasmania’s arts sector

Elise Archer,Minister for the Arts

The Tasmanian Government welcomes today’s announcement that the Federal Government is providing $2 million in additional support for Tasmania’s arts sector, on top of our Government’s considerable COVID-19 stimulus funding and additional funds in this year’s State Budget.

Three projects will share in the funding as part of the first round of the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund with grants of up to $1 million available.

Tasmanian projects to benefit from the funding include:

  • $1 million for DarkLab to support the internationally renowned arts festival ‘Dark Mofo’;
  • $756,400 for the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) for an adaptation of the MONA FOMA festival as well the establishment of a permanent recording studio; and
  • $253,181 for the Terrapin Puppet Theatre that will allow the presentation of eight new works, including giant puppets and installations in public spaces across Tasmania during 2021-22.

It is expected that 1,200 Tasmanian jobs will be created as a result of this funding injection.

Our Government understands the importance of Tasmania’s cultural and creative sector and that’s why the 2020-21 State Budget included $4 million in new funding for the sector over the next two years. This includes $2.5 million for an Arts and Cultural Support fund for performers and artists to bounce back from COVID-19 hibernation and for Tasmania’s arts sector to produce new work; $1 million to support a brand new, focused program of Community Arts and Cultural Development (CACD); and $500 000 to the Screen Innovation Fund for Screen Tasmania to continue to invest in the production of strategically important film and television projects in Tasmania.

This is on top of the Tasmanian Government’s initial Cultural and Creative Industries Stimulus package (announced in late March), that delivered an additional $1.5 million funding and introduced new operational measures of more than $2 million to support the arts sector through those early, uncertain days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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