Question On Notice No. 2947 asked in the Legislative Council on 14 May 2020 by Hon Colin Holt
Question Directed to the: Leader of the House representing the Minister for Culture and the Arts
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
(1) I refer to the announcement made on the 24 February 2020, of $50,000 for the Arts Culture and Heritage strategy for the Great Southern as part of the Regional Arts and Culture Investment Program (RACIP), and I ask:
(a) who is the recipient of the $50,000
;
(b) who/which organisation is coordinating the consultation and development of the strategy;
(c) what groups/organisations have been identified for involvement in developing the strategy;
(d) how has the COVID-19 crisis affected the development of the strategy and the acquittal of the fund; and
(e) has any organisation been requested to returns funds or been notified that the funds are now no longer available? If so which organisations?
(2) I refer to the announcement made in October 2019, of 37 arts organisations sharing in $31 million in funding through the Arts Organisations Investment Program commencing 2020, and I ask:
(a) is all this funding going ahead as committed;
(b) has anything changed with this funding due to COVID-19 crisis;
(c) have any organisations been asked to return funds or notified to expect less funding and, if so, which ones and how much; and
(d) what specific projects will now not go ahead?
(3) I refer to the announcement made on 10 March 2020, of the regional arts tour as part of the Regional Exhibition Touring Boost, and I ask:
(a) has the tour been postponed due to COVID-19;
(b) has the Regional Exhibition Touring Boost fund been repurposed due to COVID-19;
(c) if yes to (3)(b), what has it been repurposed to; and
(d) if yes to (3)(b), when was this repurposing announced and how and what consultation occurred with the arts sector?
(4) I refer to the announcement made on 19 September 2019, of the grant programs announced as part of Regional Arts and Culture Investment Program, and I ask:
(a) who were the successful recipients of The Playing WA grant program:
(i) has anything changed with this funding due to COVID-19 crisis;
(ii) have any organisation been asked to return funds or notified to expect less funding and, if so, which ones and how much; and
(iii) what specific projects now will not go-ahead; and
(b) who were the successful recipients of The Regional and Remote Festivals Fund:
(i) has anything changed with this funding due to COVID-19 crisis;
(ii) have any organisation been asked to return funds or notified to expect less funding and, if so, which ones and how much; and
(iii) what specific projects now will not go ahead?
(5) I refer to the grant program In the House which opened in January 2020, and I ask:
(a) who were the successful recipients of the program;
(b) has anything changed with this funding due to COVID-19 crisis;
(c) if the funding program will not go ahead due to COVID-19 where will the funds be repurposed to; and
(d) have the organisations who have applied been advised of the status of the grant?
(6) What specific support and funding is the State Government going to give to the following venues to ensure they can reopen, operate and remain viable post COVID-19 restrictions:
(a) Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre;
(b) Mandurah Preforming Arts Centre;
(c) Albany Entertainment Centre;
(d) Geraldton Queens Park Theatre;
(e) Kalgoorlie Goldfields Arts Centre; and
(f) Karratha Theatre Red Earth Arts Centre?
Answered on 18 June 2020
(1)(a-b) The City of Albany.
(c) All local governments of the Great Southern region.
(d) The COVID-19 crisis delayed the development of the strategy and the acquittal of the fund by one year. The project end date has been extended to 28 February 2022.
(e) No
(2)(a) Yes
(b) For organisations funded through the Arts Organisations Investment Program (AOIP) the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) is adopting a flexible approach. This includes adjusting requirements to target outputs, bringing forward payments where required, delaying or simplifying reporting requirements, varying the purposes and outcomes of funding and allowing organisations to use money provided for a deliverable, to be repurposed to pay essential bills such as wages, rent or utilities.
(c) No
(d) Public presentations that exceed the COVID-19 restrictions and activities in venues that are currently closed or include travel will not go ahead.
(3)(a) Yes
(b) Part of the RETB fund has been repurposed to the delivery of the Public Regional Galleries COVID-19 Relief Fund.
(c-d) Not applicable
(4)(a) Barking Gecko Theatre Company, Perth Symphony Orchestra, The Western Australian Opera, Annette Carmichael, CircuitWest and Marrugeku.
(i) Several recipients have delayed touring activity that was scheduled to occur in 2020.
(ii) No
(iii) Tours that are confirmed as being deferred from 2020 until 2021 are: Fully Sikh (Barking Gecko Theatre Company), Perth Symphony Orchestra’s regional tour, and Miss Westralia (CircuitWest). Opera in the Pinnacles was cancelled and has not yet been rescheduled.
(b) The Denmark Arts Council, Magabala Books, The West Australian Guitar Festival, Writing WA, Nintirri Centre, and Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre.
(i) Some recipients have delayed activity due to the COVID-19.
(ii) No
(iii) The festivals that been deferred from 2020 to 2021 are: Denmark Festival of Voice, Corrugated Lines (Magabala Books), Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre Regional Festival and the Karijini Experience (Nintirri Centre).
(5)(a-d) The `In the House’ grant program is currently on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(6)(a-f) The Albany Entertainment Centre is a State-owned venue and will continue to be supported through the Perth Theatre Trust. No specific support for the other regional venues has currently been identified.