8 Feb 2022

Arts under Covid - funding welcome to keep industry alive

From First Up, 5:11 am on 8 February 2022

There was good news for the arts and culture sectors last week with the government announcing 121-million dollars in funding to help practitioners through the latest phase of the pandemic. With gathering sizes strictly limited since the country moved to the red traffic light setting, many artists, performers and events organisers have been left with little or no income. The scheme will cover events that were planned before the move to red, and provide grants to practitioners who can show loss of income. It also covers film and TV workers. One of the shows going ahead however is the Auckland Theatre Company's production of Grand Horizons which is premiering at the Waterfront Theatre this week. Jennifer Ward-Lealand is the director and Nathan Rarere asked her about the issues with putting on a show under Covid conditions.