Bectu hails emergency funding for indivuals and creative organisations in Wales
Bectu has welcomed new emergency funding options in Wales for individuals in the creative industries and qualifying organisations.
The union has been part of discussions that led to Creative Wales, an arm of the Welsh Government, expanding its offer to include two new schemes opening on Monday 20 April.
Welsh independent TV production
The Emergency TV Development Fund (ETVDF) will provide immediate financial support for indigenous independent production companies during the coronavirus crisis.
Support will be available for companies to use while production cannot take place to develop projects. This aims to put them in a stronger position to secure commissions once a normal mode of working resumes.
Indigenous digital support
The Emergency Digital Development Fund (EDDF) will provide immediate financial support for indigenous games, animation, digital agencies and creative digital businesses to:
* support the retention of intellectual property, thus enabling them to grow
* develop new digital services and improve or introduce new platforms for digitising or distributing content.
An earlier project for music professionals is now fully subscribed and no longer available.
Arts Council Wales
Meanwhile Arts Council Wales – also with the Welsh government – has opened applications for an urgent response fund worth £7m.
Of this, £1.5m is for individuals with no other source of income, while the remainder is earmarked for organisations.
The individual fund will provide grants of up to £2,500 to professionals whose work in the country directly supports the making and presentation of creative work – including events – alongside artists, writers, performers and other creatives.
Round one applicants must apply online by 12 noon, Monday 20 April.
A second round opens for applications on Tuesday 28 April 2020 with a deadline of 12 noon, Wednesday 6 May 2020.
A stabilisation fund for individuals working in the not for profit sector also opens on Friday 29 May.
And arts organisations working in the not-for-profit sector in Wales who meet the criteria will be able to apply for stabilisation funding support from Tuesday 21 April.