Update for Regional Artists and Arts Organisations in Response to Covid-19

30 November 2021

Changes to international quarantine

The Victorian Government will maintain enhanced quarantine arrangements for overseas travellers in response to the Omicron COVID-19 variant of concern until more is known about the strain. This includes:

• All travellers arriving in Victoria who have visited South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini and Malawi during the 14-day period before their arrival must enter hotel quarantine for 14 days – regardless of their vaccination status.
• Anyone who has already arrived in Victoria who has been in any of the eight African countries within the previous 14 days must immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days, and call the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398.
• All other overseas travellers must complete a PCR test and isolate for a full 72 hours at a nominated address or accommodation. Travellers may exit isolation after 72 hours and following a negative PCR test. Travellers must also complete an additional PCR test between days 5 to 7 after arrival.
• You can read the Premier’s Statement in full here: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/proportionate-steps-protect-victorians-omicron

Grants and opportunities

• The Australian Film Television & Radio School (AFTRS) has opened submissions for Talent Camp 2022. Talent Camp is a skills development program for creatives from diverse backgrounds. The program provides opportunities for emerging storytellers to create new content and be employment ready for the screen sector.https://www.artsaccess.com.au/whats-on/talent-camp-2022-info-session/
• The Local History Grants Program encourages and fosters community activities that preserve, record and share the local, social and community history of Victoria and Victorians: https://prov.vic.gov.au/community/grants-and-awards/local-history-grants-program
• The Live Music Australia program is a competitive grants opportunity for small to medium sized venues that support quality original Australian live music: https://www.arts.gov.au/funding-and-support/live-music-australia

26 November 2021

Updates on checking status and borders

• The Open Premises Directions have been updated such that venues do not need to confirm the vaccination status of students who attend as part of an activity organised by the education and childcare service in which the students are enrolled. Examples include an excursion to a museum or a school performance in a theatre.

For the purposes of the vaccination requirement an ‘education and childcare service’ is a:

• School
• onsite early childhood education and care service
• children’s services provided under the Children’s Services Act 1996 including limited hours services, budget based funded services, occasional care service, early childhood intervention services, and mobile services
• children’s services provided under the Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010 and the Education and Care Services National Regulations 2011 including long day care services, kindergarten/preschool and family day care services.
• You can read the updated directions here: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-11/open-premises-direction-%28no-7%29.pdf

From 6pm yesterday, domestic visitors to Victoria will no longer need to get a travel permit to enter the state, regardless of their vaccination status. You are not required to quarantine or hold a permit to enter Victoria from another Australian state or territory to visit, work, transit, or if you are a cross-border resident, and you do not require a permit if you have completed hotel quarantine interstate and wish to enter Victoria.

You can read more here: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/interstate-travel

Survey

• The Ausdance Victoria annual survey collects critical data about the broad range of Dance and Dance activities in Victoria, building an accurate and comprehensive picture of people, economy, where we are now and what the future of Dance looks like.  The survey is open to anyone, no matter your genre or level of involvement in dance. Closes Friday 31 December 2021. Complete the survey here: https://bit.ly/2021DanceSectorSurvey

18 November 2021

Restrictions to ease from midnight

As Victoria approaches the 90 per cent double dose milestone, restrictions will be further eased from 11.59pm, Thursday November 18. This is Part D of the reopening Roadmap, and includes the following changes:

• All indoor and outdoor events with less than 30,000 fully vaccinated attendees will be able to proceed with no special approval and outdoor events with 30,000 or more will only need to publish their COVIDSafe Plan
• Indoor venues – including stadiums that have a capacity of 30,000 or more – will need to get a one-off approval of their COVIDSafe Plan from the Victorian Government
• Venues you can attend if you are fully vaccinated include food and drink venues, nightlife venues, entertainment venues and events. There are no capacity limits or density limits on venues where all patrons and workers are fully vaccinated
• Masks will still be required for primary school staff and visitors and for students in Years 3 to 6, for workers serving the public at hospitality venues, for workers and customers at indoor retail, for visitors and select workers in hospitals or care facilities, and for people using public transport, taxi/rideshare and planes
• There will still be mask requirements, density limits and caps in place for weddings, funerals, places of worship and other settings if the vaccination status of attendees is not being checked
• Most people who come into contact with a confirmed positive case outside their home won’t have to self-quarantine; workers exposed at work, and children who are exposed at school or early childhood centres, will need to show a negative PCR test result to return to work or school – with recommended RAT testing thereafter
• Full details will be available at: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/how-we-work-current-restrictions
• A summary of the new settings is available here: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-11/211118%20-%20Restrictions.pdf
• You can read the Premier’s Statement in full here: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/more-freedoms-come-victoria-hits-90-cent-vax-rate

 Victorian Women’s Public Art Program

• The Victorian Women’s Public Art program (VWPA) supports the development of permanent public art to examine the significant and diverse contributions women have made to Victoria and to share those stories with the broader community. The program is open to organisations to apply for $50,000 to $200,000 (excl. GST) to support the commissioning or completion of permanent public art, such as statues, sculptures and installations. Successful organisations will be responsible for working with creative practitioners who are women to develop and realise the artworks. Read more here: http://www.rav.net.au/funding-opportunities/victorian-womens-public-art-program/

15 November 2021 

COVID-19 Event Insurance

The Victorian Government has announced a COVID-19 Event Insurance product to cover for events that are cancelled or held at reduced capacity because of State or Federal Government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions:

• cover will be available for creative, sporting, business and community events held in Victoria with estimated revenue or cost of between $20,000 and $10 million
• The insurance will provide a 100% payout of the declared value of an event (expected revenue or cost) if your event has to be cancelled due to government restrictions being imposed
• If your event goes ahead with fewer patrons because of capacity limits introduced by government restrictions or you choose to cancel because of those capacity restrictions, you’ll receive 50% of the declared value
• Event organisers with an ABN (including sole traders) will be eligible to apply through a simple online process. For ticketed events, the event organiser must have a refund policy in place for purchased tickets
• More information, including the premium cost and application process, will be available before the product is launched in December. In the meantime, you can find out more and register your interest at www.vmia.vic.gov.au/event.

You can read the Minister’s Statement in full at: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/setting-scene-summer-live-music

New funding for music and regional arts

A new Victorian Live Music Restart Package has been announced, including:

• A Live Music Venues Revival Program, to help venues safely reopen and get musicians back on their stages
• A Music Festivals and Events Revival Program, aimed at established festivals and events that have been cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic
• A program for music performances in laneways, public spaces and venues in Melbourne’s CBD and other inner-city areas
• The program will open soon through Creative Victoria. You can read the Minister’s Statement here: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/setting-scene-summer-live-music
• Local arts organisations will be enabled to develop and promote arts and cultural events for tourists across regional Australia with a new Regional Arts Fund (RAF) Cultural Tourism Accelerator program launching soon.
• You can read the statement from Regional Arts Australia here: https://regionalarts.com.au/resources/the-arts-and-cultural-sector-set-to-stimulate-regional-tourism
• Regional Arts Victoria will administer the program in Victoria, and promote details soon.