TNA has submitted a response to the Select Committee Inquiry into the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We will publish our submission once it is made public following a decision of the Committee.

In summary, we called on the Select Committee:

1. To ensure at least a full day of hearings are scheduled to hear from various parts of the arts and entertainment sectors.
2. To recommend a First Nations self-determined approach to re-opening the arts, ensuring that re-opening actions should be locally-led, holistic and culturally safe to First Nations communities.
3. To recommend extending JobKeeper by six months for arts workers in sub-sectors where re-opening is not possible in September.
4. To recommend that the government supports individual artists and non-profit arts companies to get back on their feet by providing a Stabilisation and Recovery Fund of $70m to the Australia Council for the Arts, and an ongoing $50m per annum uplift to stimulate a creativity led recovery for Australia.
5. To recommend that the Chief Medical Officer/s work as closely as possible with arts representatives to endorse guidelines for reopening theatre venues as soon as possible without the need for physical distancing.

Our call for a Stabilisation and Recovery Fund of $70m to the Australia Council has been supported and endorsed by the other national performing arts and music peak bodies. It includes a Reserves Rebuilding Strategy for all organisations; One-off Stimulus Grants for new Four Year Funded organisations; an Independent Artist Recovery program; and a Sector Development Program.

We understand that the government is working on plans for a package for arts and entertainment package.