Individual artists to be supported by coronavirus grants scheme

by Rebecca Black, PA Media

Individual artists are set to be the first to benefit from a £29 million funding pot to support the arts sector during the pandemic.

More than 1,000 artists are to be supported through a £3m grant scheme of up to £5,000 each through an existing programme administered by the Arts Council.

A number of other funding streams, for other sectors also struggling as a result of the impact of Covid-19, will be launched before the end of the month.

Communities Minister Caral Ni Chuilin said her officials are “working at pace” and in close collaboration with the arts, heritage, culture and language sectors to ensure the remaining £26m is made available without delay.

Communities Minister Caral Ni Chuilin MLA

“I understand the difficult situation individuals and organisations across these sectors find themselves in at this extremely vulnerable time and I can assure them that final preparations are being made for these new funding streams and I expect to be able to make further announcements before the end of the month,” she said.

The Arts Council will be issuing letters of offer this week to individuals who applied to the Individual Emergency Resilience Programme in August, which was heavily oversubscribed.

Arts Council chief executive Roisin McDonough welcomed the funding.

“This is a year like no other and the massive volume of applications we received for financial support from individuals usually employed in the arts, culture and creative sectors spoke for itself,” she said.

“Covid-19 has severely damaged the arts and culture eco-system and left the people who normally contribute to it and nurture it, without work or the means to create new work. As a result, the Individual Emergency Resilience Fund (IERP) was heavily oversubscribed.

“However, thanks to today’s announcement of an extra £3m of public funding for individuals, we are now able to provide IERP funding of £3,852,000 to all eligible applicants, reaching 1,089 people within these sectors and offer them the support to develop new skills and create new work. Offers of IERP awards will be communicated at the end of the next week."