$175m bailout for arts, music
With predictions that the sector could lose 11,000 jobs, the prime minister said the arts and music industry needs help now. Georgia-May Gilbertson reports.
The Government will spend $175 million to boost New Zealand’s arts and creative sector in the wake of coronavirus.
It comes after modelling based on Treasury forecasts suggested that without Government help, the cultural sector would be hit twice as hard as the rest of the economy, and 11,000 jobs could be lost within 12 months.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement while making her second visit to Napier’s Museum, Theatre, Gallery building (MTG) yesterday. The funding will cover music, arts and entertainment.
‘‘A healthy cultural sector has many positive flow-on effects for other important parts of our economy, such as technical production, hospitality, venues and domestic tourism,’’ Ardern said.
The arts and creative sector contributed nearly $11 billion a year to GDP and employed 90,000 people.
A jobseekers programme for the creative sector and four new funds had been set up by the Government.
There would be $7.9 million for ‘‘careers support for creative jobseekers’’, designed to support artists and creatives back into sustainable work.
Other funding support includes a $7.1m boost for NZ on Air’s New Music programmes, $5m for a Live Music Touring Fund to support New Zealand acts, $3m immediate support for music venues, and $1.4m to help musicians recoup lost income.
A further $70m across three years would go on a Creative Arts Recovery and Employment Fund, which would commission and fund creative projects at national and local levels.
Ardern said another $60m over three years would go towards a Cultural Innovation Fund, to support and create new ways to add value to the economy, particularly through digital exports.
It would include supporting innovative approaches to Ma¯ ori artforms and traditional knowledge.
Another $20m would be used on a Cultural Capability Fund focused on immediate needs in response to Covid-19, and $16.5m would go towards a New Zealand Music Recovery Fund directed towards the contemporary popular music industry.
‘‘This suite of initiatives will help protect cultural sector jobs and create new employment opportunities, build skills, knowledge and resilience, protect Ma¯ ori knowledge and art forms, and continue to provide inspiration for all New Zealanders,’’ Ardern said
New Zealand artist Dick Frizzell said the support artists were receiving was a wonderful gesture for the sector.
‘‘Artists work for nothing as it is. With art, it all lies within the infrastructure, like the dealers and the galleries. If they fall over then it’s not good, so for the sector to be recognized in this way is just great,’’ Frizzell said.
NZ On Air head of music David Ridler was excited by the boost to the contemporary music sector.
‘‘NZ music has been on a great trajectory the last few years, but the Covid situation has severely hampered many areas of revenue and live exposure,’’ Ridler said.
Lead singer for Black Seeds and Fly My Pretties Barnaby Weir said he was pleased with the announcement and the ‘‘swift moves’’ from the Government.
‘‘Touring and gigging has been devastated by Covid-19 and I particularly feel for the venues who weren’t able to host any shows,’’ he said. ‘‘If you think about it, what have people been doing while in lockdown? Reading books, listening to music and watching films.’’
Weir said they were due to play at Homegrown earlier this year until the event was postponed until March 2021.
‘‘It’s a unique event as it’s purely Kiwi music and attracts thousands of people every year. So to have that put off was difficult for everyone.’’
Fat Freddy’s Drop band member Scott Towers said it was encouraging to see the music industry mattered to New Zealanders after the Government announcement.
‘‘It’s really good to see the arts is being considered in economic recovery. During lockdown there was no live music, no dancing, no celebration – that’s not the kind of society I want to live in,’’ Towers said.