Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice

Thursday 10th September 2020 at 10am 0 Comments

Image:

Updated: 24th September 2020

Allocation of funding to arts and culture

The Arts Council welcomes news from the NI Executive that £29m has been allocated to help the arts and cultural sectors in Northern Ireland endure the Covid-19 pandemic.
There have been devastating financial consequences for all working in and around the arts because of venue closures, the restrictions of social distancing placed on audiences and staff, and the massive loss of earned income since lock-down began.

We are heartened to see that the majority of the funding announced today is aimed at helping our core arts and cultural organisations, as well as artists and creative practitioners, get through this crisis to year-end, in the hope we can press a reset button and open our venues, festivals and cultural activities safely to the public as quickly as possible.

Read full news release here

Updated: 21st September 2020

The Bank of Ireland Begin Together Arts Fund, in partnership with Arts & Business Northern Ireland, was launched today, 21 September. The Fund will distribute a total of £840,000 between 2020 and 2022, and is designed to support artists and arts projects across the island of Ireland.  Today’s announcement brings the Bank of Ireland’s Begin Together community investment to €3million. 

The Arts Fund will support or commission artists and arts organisations to develop arts projects, enhancing the wellbeing of the participants, audiences and communities involved. All art forms are eligible and the aim is for the projects to benefit a range of audiences. The Fund will also support arts projects that have been adapted due to COVID-19, or are inspired by / respond to COVID-19.

Applicants can request funds between c. £2,500 – £8,400, and average grants will be £4,200, with maximum grants of £8,400. Arts projects with larger budgets that have secured funds elsewhere are encouraged to apply. With each grant round, the Fund aims to provide funding to an arts project in each county on the island of Ireland.

Closing date for the first round of applications is Wednesday, 4 November at 5pm. The second round will open in April 2021. Go to www.businesstoarts.ie/artsfund/bank-of-ireland for information on the application process and to complete the online application form.

Updated: 21st September 2020

£25 million Weston Culture Fund to open on 5th October.

The Garfield Weston Foundation is finalising details of a one-off Weston Culture Fund, to launch on 5th October. This £25 million fund will support mid- to large-scale cultural organisations in the UK to restart work, re-engage with audiences, adapt to changed circumstances and generate revenue. The fund is specifically for charitable organisations with a pre-Covid regular annual income of £500,000 or greater; smaller organisations will be able to apply for the Foundation's regular grants programme via its website as usual. Closing date for applications will be 9th November and decisions will be announced by the end of January 2021.

Further details: https://garfieldweston.org/new-weston-culture-fund-coming-soon/

Updated: 10th September 2020

£500,000 fund to support the safe re-opening of the arts and culture sectors

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland today (Thursday 10th September 2020) opened the Health and Safety Capital Programme, a new fund, worth £500,000, designed to support arts and culture organisations as they prepare to re-open after the Covid-19 lockdown.

The Health & Safety Capital Programme is open for online applications and will close at 4pm on October 1st 2020. To be eligible, organisations must demonstrate the purpose of the requested equipment or minor works to be clearly focused on the arts.   For further information on eligibility, guidance notes and to apply, please visit http://artscouncil-ni.org/funding/scheme/health-and-safety-capital-programme

Read the full news release here

Updated: 3rd September 2020

Arts Council re-opens Organisations Emergency Programme for applications

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has opened the Organisations Emergency Programme (OEP) in a second call to arts and cultural organisations across Northern Ireland.

The fund allows those organisations which did not receive support in the first call made in June, to apply for grants of up to £25,000 each. It is hoped this support may help alleviate the significant financial pressures they are facing as result of Covid-19, while preparing to re-open safely and contribute successfully to the economy.

The Organisations Emergency Programme is one element of the wider £5.5 m Creative Support fund supported by the Minister, the Department for Communities and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland; the priority is to protect the arts and wider cultural sectors from the impact of the current pandemic.

Closing date for applications is 4pm on Thursday 17th September 2020. Further information at http://artscouncil-ni.org/funding/scheme/organisations-emergency-programme

Updated: 2nd September 2020

Covid-19 Update on the reopening of arts venues

It was disappointing but understandable to hear on August 27th that the NI Executive could not relax Coronavirus restrictions and allow our theatres and venues to reopen.

An Executive Office spokesperson said,

“The Executive has been condition-led in its relaxations of Coronavirus restrictions. It has made relaxations when it has been right to do so and also consistently stated that it will be prepared to re-introduce restrictions if it is necessary to control the spread of the virus.

“With the increased transmission rate of the virus in the community and the R number at around 1.3, the Executive agreed that no further restrictions will be lifted at this time. The indicative date of September 1 for the opening of wet pubs, private members clubs and audiences returning to theatres has not been ratified by the Executive. Officials have engaged with the different stakeholder bodies and no new indicative dates have been set.”

Communities Minister, Carál Ní Chuilín said in response to the NI Executive’s deferral, 

“We are working in collaboration with other Executive Departments, grassroots groups, industry organisations and others to make preparations for the future. We are listening to people from across the sectors to ensure safe re-opening of venues, when the scientific advice is that we can do so.”

Updated: 28th August 2020

Support our Arts

Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín outlines the support measures that have been put in place and future plans to help our local arts and cultural sector who have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Read the Minister’s news release here.

Updated: 7th  August 2020

Dates agreed to allow the re-opening of theatres and concert halls in Northern Ireland

Following a meeting of the Executive on (Thursday 6th August 2020) it was announced that Theatres and Concert Halls can re-open from 8th August 2020.

The Department for Communities has worked closely with other administrations, including the Arts Council NI (ACNI), to put forward proposals to the Department of Health and the Executive to bring forward these dates.

The Department recognises that theatre and concert hall staff will need time to prepare for the safe return of their audiences, therefore, they will initially re-open on a restricted basis. During August staff will be able to return to work to make preparations for the return of live audiences and performers can start rehearsals.

To support the safe reopening of performance venues, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland recently published a comprehensive guidance manual, which can be downloaded at http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/images/uploads/publications-documents/In-the-Bubble-of-Our-Making-Reopening-the-Arts-in-Northern-Ireland-July-2020.pdf

Read the full news release here

Updated: 5th August 2020

Arts Council publishes manual for the safe reopening of performance venues

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland today, Wednesday 5th August 2020, published a comprehensive guidance manual to support the safe reopening of arts performance venues, closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taking its title from lines of a poem by Northern Ireland poet, Miriam Gamble, In the bubble of our making: reopening the arts in Northern Ireland, commissioned from Slua health and safety specialists, provides an extensive range of practical measures that will enable performance spaces, including theatres, arts centres, galleries, studios and arts hubs, to re-open to the public safely and in full compliance with current NI Executive and UK Government guidelines and regulations.

The guidance sets out the protocols, adjustments and equipment that will be required by venues to maintain social distancing and protect the health and wellbeing of audiences, performers, staff and participants. It covers all aspects of reopening, including risk assessments, staff training, capacity considerations and special provisions, so that audiences can be reassured that all the appropriate measures are in place and the environment they are entering is safe.

There is also a special section within the manual, ‘Creating Work’, which offers guidance for organisations, arts groups, individual practitioners and everyone engaged within the arts in taking those important steps back into working together safely to present public performances.

Read the full news release here.

Download the manual, In the bubble of our making: reopening the arts in Northern Ireland, here. 

Updated: 31July 2020

Arts Council opens £1.1m emergency funding programme for individuals working in the Creative Economy

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, in collaboration with Future Screens NI, has opened a new funding programme designed to support those working in the Creative Economy including freelancers, musicians, actors, artists and craft workers during the COVID-19 crisis. The Individuals Emergency Resilience Programme (IERP), worth £1m from the Department for Communities and an additional £100,000 from Future Screens NI, offers individuals the opportunity to apply for grants of £1,200, £3,000 or £5,000 each.

The IERP provides much needed financial support and employment, a lifeline to individuals working within the wider Creative Economy, at a time when essential elements of the arts sector have been decimated due to venue and gallery closures, festival and event cancellations and the disappearance of live audiences.  The IERP builds on the initial, Artist Emergency Programme (AEP), a fund that was opened by the Arts Council on 27th April 2020 and was heavily oversubscribed.

Read the full news release here

Further information about the programme including guidance notes and application form is available from http://artscouncil-ni.org/funding/scheme/individuals-emergency-resilience-programme Closing date for applications is 4pm, Monday 17th August 2020

Updated: 23 July 2020

Minister announces reopening of the Creative Support Fund

Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín has today announced the Creative Support Fund will reopen on 31 July with a £4m support package for the arts, creative industries and cultural sector.

Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, welcomed the announcement by Minister Ní Chuilín, saying:

“The announcement of the Creative Support Fund is welcome news for everyone in the arts and cultural sectors, and particularly for those many artists and freelance creatives who were left struggling with serious financial hardships since their livelihoods disappeared practically overnight as a result of the pandemic. Demand on our previous Emergency Fund for creative workers outstripped capacity by 3:1. The Arts Council emergency funding programmes for individuals and organisations that we will now be able to open, will therefore provide critically-needed support for the creative sector. The funds will help to bridge the gap over the coming months until the Executive has an opportunity to consider and agree a more comprehensive, long-term government support package for arts, culture and heritage in Northern Ireland.”

Read the Minister’s news release here

Updated: 9 July 2020

Arts Council’s Box Office Survey shows true impact of Covid-19 on the arts

New research released this week by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland shows the severity of the crisis facing the arts sector as box office income grinds to a halt amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

A survey of box-office organisations by the Arts Council, in collaboration with thrive, has revealed that cultural organisations have on average lost 72% of their box office revenue, equating to a projected loss of £9.5 million this year.

The research brings together responses from 42 organisations, including festivals, venues and other arts organisations. Of the different groups which took part, venues will be hit hardest with expected losses of £8.3 million. In addition to losing out on ticket sales, organisations will also be impacted by the loss of £5.3 million in ancillary income, from food and drink, sponsorships, donations, merchandise and other revenue streams.

Read the full news release here

Read the full report here

Updated: 6 July 2020

Arts Council’s statement in response to Chancellor’s lifeline for the Arts

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland stated Monday July 6th 2020:

The Chancellor’s announcement is most welcome and we are delighted that the arts and cultural sectors in Northern Ireland are to get lifeline support;  it signals just how important the arts are to our economy, to our society and to our mental health and wellbeing.

We must view this injection of support against the context of the dire need the arts sector faces and the creative practitioners who work in it. The Minister for Communities is aware of the size of the need within the sector and the near decimation experienced by those working in it. As the primary funding and development agency for the arts, the Arts Council has estimated that the funded  sector in NI is facing an estimated initial loss of box office income of £25 million, while Arts organisations have identified an initial deficit total of £5 million this year alone. We are aware too of the needs of our partners in local authorities which run arts and cultural venues as these have also been seriously affected.

The creative sector in Northern Ireland is projected to lose 20% (6,000) of its creative jobs and see a 23% (£300 million) drop in creative industries Gross Value Added*, while the funded arts sector currently supports approximately 7,500 jobs as per the Annual Funding Survey 2018/19 published by ACNI**. There is an urgent need to save those staff who have been furloughed as well as underwrite risk for the safe reopening of our venues and theatres which will welcome reduced audiences and will need help to breakeven on box office income in that context. We must encourage audiences back to the arts, invest in outdoor events in the interim and increase the digital capacity of the sector.

We must also ensure that support reaches the creative  freelancers who are part of the arts environment and the wider creative industries and who have been badly affected by the loss of events and the closure of venues.

The initial emergency fund opened by the Minister and the Arts Council in April and  May  for artists was massively oversubscribed; applications outstripped the budget available by 3:1 and similarly the Organisations Emergency Programme has been placed under intense pressure in the face of a need that cannot be met by the funding available.

In summary, there are immediate survival needs along with a need for major reinvestment in the arts in Northern Ireland. This will enable the Arts Council to help our artists, musicians, freelancers, venues, theatres and core arts organisations deal with the immediate challenges faced by the arts sector as a result of COVID-19.

The Arts Council estimates that it could take up to a year-and-a-half for the arts sector to recalibrate itself after the crisis. This immediate injection of funding into the sector plus increased sustained investment will enable the Arts Council to introduce the stimulus measures that the sector so badly needs.

The Arts Council looks forward to discussing these priorities with the Minister and the Department for Communities.

* from Creative Industries Federation commissioned from Oxford Economics
https://www.creativeindustriesfederation.com/news/press-release-cultural-catastrophe-over-400000-creative-jobs-could-be-lost-projected-economic

** Official Statistics by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/images/uploads/publications-documents/ACNI-2018-2019-AnnualFundingSurvey-Report.pdf

Updated: 1 July 2020

Minister announces £4 million lifeline for the arts

Communities Minister, Carál Ní Chuilín, today (Wednesday 1st July 2020) announced a major £4 million lifeline for the arts sector as part of the Executive’s June Monitoring round.

The additional funding will provide a much needed boost for the sector including musicians, performers and cultural workers, arts venues and museums as they rebuild for the future following the devastating impact of Covid-19.

Read the Minister’s news release here

Updated: 29 June 2020

Culture and Heritage Destinations Venues - Department for Communities' Guidance for a Phased Return

To support the reopening of our culture and heritage venues and destinations, the Department for Communities has developed a guidance note to sit under the Working Safely in the Visitor Economy guidance being produced by the Department for the Economy.

The document offers high-level guidance for organisations in Northern Ireland that manage culture and heritage destinations and venues that are open to the public. These include museums, art galleries, libraries, archives, historic buildings, historic gardens, historic monuments, cinemas, concert halls, art centres and theatres.

Updated: 23 June 2020

Arts Council of Northern Ireland today opened its Support for the Individual Artist Programme and is accepting applications for General Art Awards. 

Artists of all disciplines and in all types of working practice, who have made a contribution to artistic activities in Northern for a minimum of one year within the last five years, may apply.  Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the exceptional circumstances this has created, applications are welcomed from artists who are currently in receipt of Arts Council’s support through its existing Support for Individual Artists Programme. Applications can be made for project assistance up to a maximum award of £3,000. Applicants are asked to give careful consideration to the feasibility, timing and presentation of their project given current Covid-19 restrictions. Deadline for applications: Friday 24th July 2020 at 4pm

http://artscouncil-ni.org/funding/scheme/SIAP

Updated: 9 June 2020

£15.5m COVID-19 Charities Fund to help NI charities facing financial difficulties as a result of the current public health emergency, to open on Monday 15th June 2020.

The funding programme will provide financial support to charities which have lost income due to the impact of COVID-19 and are unable to cover unavoidable costs until September 30th 2020.

The programme will provide up to £75,000 for eligible organisations and will be administered on behalf of the Department for Communities by The National Lottery Community Fund.  The amount of funding required to cover immediate costs and prevent short term closure will vary for each organisation.

https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/news/ps155m-fund-support-charity-sector-during-covid-19-crisis-open-monday

Updated: 8 June 2020

UK Businesses: COVID-19 support packages & guidance
The Arts Council's auditors, ASM, have produced a summary report to help our clients navigate the COVID-19 support provided by government.  The information is for guidance purposes and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or arts organisation.  ASM can be contacted at caroline.keenan@asmbelfast.com.

The Arts Council is offering organisations free advice sessions on government support available for arts sector, with the expertise of ASM. Sessions will take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays over the coming weeks. Please email s.hanna@artscouncil-ni.org now to request a 30-minute slot, starting this Wednesday.

Approaching deadlines

NI Micro-business Hardship fund
Micro businesses and social enterprises have until 6pm on Friday 12th June to make an application to this scheme.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Businesses and organisations have until Wednesday 10th June to furlough employees for the first time.

Updated: 2 June 2020

Arts Council opens Organisations Emergency Programme for applications.

The Arts Council has co-designed this emergency support programme which reflects the Minister’s priorities with financial support from the Department for Communities to support the wider cultural sector. The primary objective of the programme is to support the continuance of creative work AND assist operational costs where necessary.  The programme seeks to assist small to medium scale organisations to explore ways of working that will help them to adapt and respond to the current changing circumstances. It will also aim to assist organisations most in need due to loss of income or operational capacity up to 31 March 2021, enabling them to continue to develop and/or deliver activities. Closing date of 4pm on Friday 12 June 2020. Further information at http://artscouncil-ni.org/funding/scheme/organisations-emergency-programme

Updated: 27 May 2020

Arts Council Chief Executive gives Covid-19 update to Communities Committee, Stormont

The Arts Council of NI (ACNI) was invited to apprise the Communities Committee of the NI Assembly today (Wednesday 27th May 2020) of the impact of Covid-19 on the Arts in NI. In both a written submission, and an opening statement  Roisín Mc Donough, Chief Executive, outlined the severe impact of Covid-19 on an arts sector that previously generated £53 million in income and employed an estimated 7,500 people - income and jobs which had been seriously damaged by the pandemic. She evidenced sectoral surveys undertaken during Covid-19 lockdown which revealed significant loss of earnings to both organisations and artists, the majority of whom are self-employed in a gig economy and most vulnerable of all.

Continue reading http://artscouncil-ni.org/news/arts-council-chief-executive-gives-covid-19-update-to-communities-committee

Updated: 26 May 2020

Creative Support Fund announced for Small to Medium sized organisations

Minister for Communities, Deirdre Hargey MLA, has announced a new Creative Support Fund worth £500,000 of public funding to support Small to Medium sized arts organisations in Northern Ireland during the Coronavirus crisis.

The fund will open for applications on Monday.

More information will be available on June 1st 2020 from artscouncil-ni.org/funding

Updated: 14 May 2020

Arts Council of Northern Ireland - Box-Office Survey

The sector wide survey carried out by the Arts Council in March established the immediate impacts of Covid-19 on the whole sector.  It found that a number of organisations were heavily reliant on box-office sales, an income stream which has been hit hard since the lockdown.

To demonstrate the vital role they play in the sector and the wider Northern Ireland economy, in 2018/19, core funded organisations combined to generate £12.3m through box-office income, by far the largest since source of income.

It is important we find out more about the scale and nature of box-office losses as a result of the COVID-19 virus, so we can engage with government and the philanthropic sector in an informed way.

We invite all organisations generating income through their box-office to complete this survey which is targeted at venues (run independently or via local authorities), producing and touring theatre companies, festivals, non-venue based organisation and organisations providing courses for educational activity.

The Arts Council will publish findings in an aggregated and anonymised form to avoid disclosure and respect the commercial confidentiality of participating organisations.  The survey will be open until Monday 1st June.

Updated: 12 May 2020

The Artists Emergency Fund is temporarily closed due to a high level of interest.

Thank you to everyone who submitted an application. The response to date is significant; we received over 300 applications requesting over £1.2m of funding. The Arts Council is currently moderating round 1 of eligible applications received and hopes to respond to all requests within a two to four-weeks timeframe.

The second round of AEP applications will be assessed before the end of May. The Arts Council continues to work with Minister Hargey to determine the level of need within the sector and we aim to offer as much support as possible to individual artists and creative practitioners at this stressful time.

Updated: 6 May 2020

Arts Council publishes final report on the impact of Coronavirus on NI Arts sector.

• financial impact on NI artists is ‘severe and immediate’
• average anticipated loss of earnings for NI artists over 3-month period (March-May) is £3,756
• average anticipated loss of earnings for NI arts organisations over 3-month period is £36,714
• total anticipated loss of earnings to NI arts organisations over 3-month period is £3.97 million
• immediate and direct impact on provision of all arts services. 

Updated: 27 April 2020

Emergency Funding announced for NI Artists and Arts Organisations 

Minister for Communities, Deirdre Hargey MLA, today (Monday 27th April 2020) announced a new Creative Support Fund totaling £1.5 million to support the arts sector in Northern Ireland during the Coronavirus crisis. 

The Department for Communities is contributing £1 million to support arts organisations and the Arts Council is contributing £500,000 from its National Lottery Fund to support freelance artists, creative practitioners and performers. 

The Creative Support funding package comprises two strands. Both funds will be administered by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

• The Artists Emergency Programme OPENS TODAY.
• The Organisations Emergency Programme is scheduled to open for applications in May 2020.

Read the Arts Council news release here. 

Read the Minister's news release here.

Artists Emergency Programme

• £500,000 Arts Council National Lottery funds to support artists and freelancers
• Individual grants of up-to £5,000
• This programme supports the research, design and future presentation of events, performances and other artistic projects, including resources to help artists develop their artistic practice.
• AEP will buy artists creative time to develop their skills and practice during these difficult times, for future presentation of work.
• This is a rolling programme, opening today until further notice, for proposals ending March 2021.

Application forms and Guidance Notes for the Artists Emergency Programme are now available from the Arts Council here.

Organisations Emergency Programme

• £500,000 to support small- to medium-sized arts organisations with individual grants of up-to £25,000
• £500,000 held to monitor demand across the Organisations and Artists Emergency Programmes and allocated as projects develop.
• This is a rolling programme, co-designed by the Arts Council and DfC.
• Programme opens: May 2020

Application forms and Guidance Notes for the Organisations Emergency Fund will be available from the Arts Council in May. Please watch Arts Council website and social media for application opening announcement.

Updated: 16 April 2020

Arts Council publishes key findings of survey on financial impact of Coronavirus on NI Arts sector. 

• Financial impact on NI artists is ‘severe and immediate’
• average anticipated loss of earnings for NI artists over 3-month period (March-May) is £3,756
• average anticipated loss of earnings for NI arts organisations over 3-month period is £36,714
• total anticipated loss of earnings to NI arts organisations over 3-month period is £3.97 million
• immediate and direct impact on provision of all arts services. This includes arts-led community engagement work, placing at greater risk vulnerable groups in NI society, such as older people with dementia and young people with poor mental health and well-being, and potentially compromising important peace-building work.

Updated: 3 April 2020

UK Government Job Retention Scheme (JRS)

Each individual arts organisation and its board must decide how and whether to apply for the JRS furlough funding. Organisations funded by ACNI may do so; however, they must follow the government's advice. There will be variations across funded organisations with regard to the levels of ACNI funding of core staff.

Please note:

• organisations must ensure that JRS financial support must not duplicate public grant funding (there can be no double funding)
• organisations will be eligible for JRS so long as you do not receive public funding that is explicitly designed to cover the costs now being claimed for
• in addition, payments received as a result of the JRS must not, when combined with your existing public funding, mean that you are receiving total public funding that exceeds your anticipated level of income for this period (the total of grants and JRSA payments should not represent more than 100% of your level of total income which you would have expected to receive during this period in a non-Covid-19 scenario).

Updated: 3rd April 2020

The Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland posted a video message today to the arts sector. Roisin McDonough said she wanted to let people know that she and her staff are doing their utmost to bring as much support as possible, as quickly as possible to those who need it most.

She stated she was very aware of how much individual artists and creative practitioners in particular, were hurting in these uncertain times. Her reading of initial returns from the Arts Council's recent online survey asking how artists are dealing with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, made 'a bleak picture'.

Support for Northern Ireland's hard-pressed artists and creative practitioners is absolutely essential and the Arts Council is working on a quick response to their needs. The Artists' Emergency Programme will be a flexible and 'light touch' scheme with an emphasis on making a speedy and flexible response to the hardship many are under; the programme should open by mid-April. The Council is also planning to reprofile existing budgets which will augment the work of those same artists in the months ahead.

Flexibility and liquidity are key to the whole sector at the moment; flexibility in how funding is deployed and used this year, and the use of upfront payments and support for the sector as they manage cash flow.   

Finally, Ms McDonough reiterated the work that her staff were undertaking alongside the Department for Communities to ensure the Minister's recent announcement of £1m of aid would make a difference to the wider cultural sector in Northern Ireland as soon as possible, including those working with museums, libraries and languages.

For further information on these support measures please continue to visit the Arts Council's website where updates will be regularly posted.

Updated: 30 March 2020

A message from the Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, welcoming £1m emergency Creative Support Fund, announced on Friday by Communities Minister, Deirdre Hargey MLA. Plus our update on COVID-19 - http://artscouncil-ni.org/news/message-from-arts-council-chief-executive

Updated: 27 March 2020

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland today welcomed the announcement by the Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey to put in place funding of £1m to support the arts sector in Northern Ireland.

The Chief Executive of the Arts Council, Roisin McDonough said,

"The arts sector in Northern Ireland is under immense pressure at the moment. The Council has moved quickly to distribute year-end funding earlier than usual to our core arts organisations but we knew more resources were needed to support the high number of individual artists and freelancers in our sector.  After much discussion last week with the Department for Communities we submitted a bid to the Minister for extra support and we welcome her announcement today. Minister Hargey has stepped in with an initial package to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland worth £1m of much-needed support for creatives and individual artists working here. It is a bit of good news in the midst of the Corona Virus epidemic  which has caused the near decimation of many livelihoods within the arts and culture sectors in a short period of time."

https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/news/communities-minister-announces-support-artists-performers-and-creative-producers-across-arts-and

UK government has announced that it will pay the self-employed or a member of a partnership, who have suffered loss of income due to the conronavirus outbreak, a taxable grant of 80% of their profits, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. The Coronavirus Self-Employment Income Support Scheme is open to those with a trading profit of less than £50,000 and with a full year of accounts. Payments through the scheme will begin in June.
Further details here
 

Updated: 26 March 2020

We have designed a short survey designed to collect information about the financial and human impacts that the spread of coronavirus have had on artists and arts organisations in Northern Ireland.

We will work closely with colleagues in Government to share the impacts arising and make the case for additional resources to help mitigate against the short, medium and long-term effects of this situation.

Complete the survey - https://forms.gle/xB6a3f2qFMhrvmfQ8

Updated: 25 March 2020

The Arts Council has been in productive discussions with Minister For Communities, Deirdre Hargey MLA about an emergency rescue funding package for local artists and arts organisations. Details to be announced in the coming days.

Updated: 23 March 2020

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a package of support measures for businesses and employees on Friday 20th March. This package includes support for businesses including:

• a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme where HMRC will reimburse 80% of workers wage cost, up to £2,500 per month
• a Statutory Sick Pay relief package for small and medium sized businesses to reclaim pay for sickness absence due to COVID-19

Visit www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses for more information on eligibility.

The Department for Communities has also published new information on Universal Credit. New claims to Universal Credit can still be made online with additional telephone support available if you need help with a new claim. Visit www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-and-benefits for more information.

Updated: 21 March 2020

On Friday 20th March, the UK government instructed cafes, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres to close. This applies to Northern Ireland. The Chancellor of the Exchequer simultaneously announced package of support measures for businesses and employees. Full details at www.gov.uk

Updated: 19 March 2020

Under the current guidance from the UK Government on COVID-19, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland has taken the following steps to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff, clients and their families:

• No on-site or off-site face-to-face meetings.
• Our staff will be working from home from 5pm on Thursday March 19th until further notice. We advise that you contact staff by email, using the online staff list, which you can find here: http://artscouncil-ni.org/about-us/staff-list

Our aim is to provide a business as usual response in these difficult times however, it is likely that you, and Arts Council staff, will experience a delay in receiving responses to enquiries and decision-making. We ask for your patience and remind you that not all Arts Council staff will be available by phone, but we hope to have everyone accessible by email; our preferred channel of communication.

Please note if your enquiry is urgent and is about a payment, an application or an administration issue, please contact our main number 028 9262 3555 and your call will be redirected to an appropriate member of staff. If you have an urgent media enquiry outside of working hours only (9am-5pm) please contact one of the media team on (+) 44 07738543593.

Updated: 16 March 2020

UK Government Advice
The current advice from the UK Government is that it is more or less ‘business as usual’. There are no immediate bans on live events or public meetings, although gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled where there is likely to be an implication for the emergency services.

The government’s action plan for Coronavirus (published 3 March 2020) has more information about the stages we are moving through. Population distancing strategies such as school closures, encouraging more home working and reducing the number of large-scale gatherings in order to slow the spread of the disease may be introduced in the future.

The latest information and guidance on the situation in Northern Ireland is available from the Public Health Agency website.

Plan and prepare
However, the Government has raised the risk rating for Coronavirus in the UK to high, and the situation is constantly evolving. We would therefore advise everyone in these very uncertain times to prepare and to consider adjustments to your business plans to take into account the latest guidance and the level of disruption that might be caused.

You may have to cancel planned events, close down for a period of time or take action if staff become ill. This will have serious implications for artists, arts organisations and staff.

Arts Council Support
Our priority is to support people who work in the arts through the challenges they may face over the coming months as a result of Coronavirus.

Existing funding awards:

• We will honour all grants already made in 2019/20 (including but not limited to: Annually Funded Programme, Lottery Project Funding, Small Grants, Rural Needs and Support for the Individual Artist) and will work flexibly with you should you need to reschedule events and/or tours.
• We will aim to issue any remaining balance of payments for 2019/20 as a matter of urgency.
• We will work flexibly with you on contracts for next year, 2020/21 (for example Annually Funded Programme and organisations in receipt of Lottery Programme funding). This may include advancing grant payment to assist with cashflow.
• Funded arts organisations, in exchange for Arts Council support, are asked to continue as far as possible to honour agreed contracts with artists and freelancers.
• Our Arts Officers and Assistants are currently talking to arts organisations to ascertain the impacts and cost implications for organisations.
• We are in discussion with our parent department, the Department for Communities, and we are assessing what additional support might be offered to the arts sector.

Applications currently submitted for assessment:
Applications are currently being assessed following the usual published processes and timeframes. Successful applicants whose activities take place predominantly over the next three months (April, May, June 2020) will be contacted to ascertain how their project may be impacted. We aim to take a pragmatic and flexible approach should plans be required to change due to Coronavirus.

New funding applications:
We would ask all future applicants to ensure that any applications being proposed are not in conflict with the current government advice. For example, projects involving international travel to areas already affected are unlikely to be supported at present.

Keeping you updated
We will continue to update this web page and keep our social media channels updated as and when guidance and information changes.

Useful Links:
Public Health Agency guidance:
https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/covid-19-coronavirus

UK Government Coronavirus (COVID-19) action plan:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-action-plan

Independent Arts Projects:
Covid-19 Links to Advice and support for Arts Workers

HM Treasury: Budget 2020 - Support for those affected by COVID-19:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/872618/Covid-19_Budget_fact_sheet_FINAL__1_.pdf

UK Music Advice to Businesses on Coronavirus
https://www.ukmusic.org/help-and-advice/uk-music-advice-to-businesses-on-coronavirus/

Equality Commission NI - advice for employers
https://www.equalityni.org/Home

Creative Industries Federation - summary of available government support
https://www.creativeindustriesfederation.com/news/covid-19-support-government

ACAS - advice for employers and employees
https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus

Arts Professional - CovidCulture - articles relating to the COVID-19 crisis and the arts
https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/covidculture

Invest NI - advice for businesses 
https://www.investni.com/xcovid19response