Evidence at today’s Budget and Finance Committee has revealed the dire impact of coronavirus restrictions on the state’s arts sector.
Arts Industry Council of SA (AICSA) Chair Gail Kovatseff has given evidence that:
One in three arts and recreation workers have lost their job since March 14
Job losses increased in May rather than reducing
SA has the highest percentage of arts job and wage loss in the nation.
AICSA today called for the Marshall Liberal Government to invest $10 million in a survival and recovery package for the arts, equating to $7.50 per head of the SA population.
AICSA gave evidence that such a package would be consistent with the response interstate:
NSW - $50 million ($6.63 per head)
Victoria - $49.1 million ($7.72 per head)
Queensland - $42.5 million ($8.38 per head)
AICSA argued that many artists have been ineligible for JobSeeker and sole traders have been excluded from the state $10 000 Small Business grants.
AICSA also supported Labor’s calls for the Marshall Liberal Government to relieve upcoming budget cuts for the arts sector totalling $19 million.
Quotes attributed to the Shadow Minister for Arts Jayne Stinson
The response to the arts sector from the Marshall Liberal Government has been lack lustre and hasn’t kept pace with what’s happening interstate.
About 16 000 people are usually employed in the arts in SA. It’s an iconic industry in our state. Yet there’s been a pitiful lack of support for workers who already only earn an average of $43 000 a year.
It’s about time that the state’s Arts Minister supports the arts by responding to the industry’s calls for an urgent $10 million injection of funds.