Creatives at Work

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Thursday 28th May

The Association for Cultural Enterprises has launched Support For You, a free digital resource to support cultural income generation and equip individuals teams with the skills they need as they prepare to restart business. New podcasts, blogs, online training and webinars are usually only available to members, but are currently free to support the sector.

Wednesday 27th May

Smartify has partnered with wayfinding design specialists CCD to consider how museums can alter the visitor experience to enable social distancing and generate revenue. They’ve co-produced a holistic Museum Social Distancing Toolkit to guide conversations around reopening and help staff in the planning process.

Queen Mary University has launched an Arts and Culture Support Centre to help those working in the arts and cultural sectors to overcome the huge challenges facing them. Its first major initiative was an online Advice Session offering guidance on the support available to artists, and they intend to follow this online session with one-to-one support in writing applications, including Universal Credit applications, and support for applying to funding schemes.

Tuesday 26th May

Sunderland Culture is responding to survey findings by offering practical support to the creative sector in the form of groups sessions; one to one advice; and signposting to emergency funding programmes. It is also offering help with moving work online; retaining audiences and customers; IT support and skills development; and planning for the future. Guidance and resources have been produced in different formats to meet differing mental health needs. Find out what is on offer.
 
International examinations board ABRSM has launched Play On, a new area on the organisation’s website which provides a mix of features, advice, competitions and free resources, and gives people a chance to share their music making. They’re also publishing a free piece of music every Monday to Friday at 2pm. The collection will include a variety of pieces from ABRSM publications, shared across their media channels and website.

Orchestras Live has launched Regenerate, a series of online conversations designed to explore new ideas that challenge the sector’s thinking. The first conversation Digital: the new performing space will take place on Wednesday 3 June at 11am. The panel includes Jess Gillam, saxophonist and founder of the Virtual Scratch Orchestra, John Nolan, Director of Learning & Participation, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Paul Carey Jones, bass-baritone, and blogger.

Bristol charity Bricks has secured emergency funding from Arts Council England for its Reaching Resilience programme created to support artists affected by the coronavirus crisis. It will provide a mechanism for visual artists to make a living from their work, by connecting them with new audiences and supporters, as well as by helping them to develop their skill set, hear about opportunities and learn from each other through a peer-to-peer network.

Monday 25th May

Moongate Productions, in association with Omnibus Theatre, is live streaming a digital arts event, WeRNotVirus, in response to the rise in hate crime directed towards the East and South East Asian communities during the pandemic. The event will feature 10 newly commissioned stories delivered using art forms including film, poetry, dance and song, followed by a panel discussion with academics and activists. It will explore race, identity, representation, perspective and economics through the lens of East and South East Asian artists and their communities. 7pm on 13th June and 3pm on 15th June. Book a free place.

Wednesday 20th May

Graeae is currently celebrating the talent, creativity and resilience of Deaf and disabled artists in ‘Crips without Constraints’, a new weekly digital programme in three main strands: a specially commissioned play; a thought-provoking podcast; and a re-released archive picture.

Tuesday 19th May

Contemporary Art Membership Plymouth (CAMP), a member-led network for the creative and visual arts community in Devon and Cornwall, is giving away 40 six-month memberships as part of its Covid-19 support programme, funded by Arts Council England’s Emergency Fund. Artists, producers, curators and arts writers are eligible, and it’s simple to apply. The deadline is midnight on Monday 1st June.

The Genesis Foundation has launched the Genesis Podcast Series in which leading figures from the arts provide thought-provoking insights and meaningful discussions on key issues of our time. For the first lockdown recording of the series, the Young Vic’s Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah talks to architect Sir David Adjaye about what it means to press pause in current artistic practices as we know them, how to manage your ego, and how reinvention will be key for the future.

Monday 18th May

Youth Music Network is hosting a series of online networks addressing various challenges faced by organisations in the wake of Covid-19, the most recent of which is about working with disabled young people during social distancing. A blog aims to summarise key thoughts, responses, challenges and resources touched upon in the 90 minute session, and readers are encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences in the comments.

A new UK Music survey aims to provide hard economic data to demonstrate to government how music contributes to the UK economy. Some questions refer to 2019 income, to establish a benchmark before coronavirus took hold, while others ask about income in early 2020, to better understand the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the music industry thus far.

Youth Music Network has created a Coronavirus resource hub collating key resources to support your work during Covid-19. If you are a current grantholder or would like to apply for funding, read their Coronavirus policy and FAQs.

Wednesday 13th May

A free webinar for small venues, individual artists, theatre/dance companies and the public will be looking for ways of dealing with the impact on the Covid-19 crisis on our artistic and cultural life, aiming to give a voice and a lifeline to those who need help. Run by consultancy Mind Over Matter in partnership with Cranfield University, its panel will include Sam Oldham (Commercial and Operations Director – The Roundhouse), Kaya Stanley Money (Executive Director – Camden Peoples Theatre), Kris Nelson (Artistic Director/CEO LIFT Festival), Indhu Rubasingham (Artistic Director – Kiln Theatre) Danny Rolph (Contemporary Artist) and Phillip Brown (Head of Risk and Safety UK Theatre). The event is on 1 June at 11.00am

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has set up a new fund specifically for D/deaf and disabled artists in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, offering 25 grants of up to £1,000 each to support work in all disciplines.   
 
Improbable and Theatre Bristol are co-hosting a free online event that is piloting Improbable’s D&D Open Space in digital form.  It is for anyone working in live performance in the South West who wants to think about the future of theatre and the role they want to play in it.  There is no prescribed agenda – you decide what is important and what gets worked on. Register at the online box office and Improbable will send you details about how to participate closer to the time. 30-minute ‘orientation’ sessions running through everything you need to know for the OS online event are on Monday 18 May (11.00am and 5:30pm).

JD Malat Gallery is offering all UK-based artists the chance to be chosen for Isolation Mastered, a group exhibition of creative response to the COVID-19 isolation period. The committee will select 20 artists to showcase to sell their work at the Mayfair gallery from 1–8 July, and during the exhibition viewers can vote for their favourite artist through a series of online and in-person votes. The artist with the most votes will also receive an exclusive solo show at JD Malat Gallery in 2021. All profits made from the exhibition will be given to the artists involved.

West Yorkshire local authorities are working together to assess the economic impact of Covid-19 on their cultural and creative industries, and how they will operate in future. All creative businesses – individual freelancers, large or small organisations, charitable, voluntary or commercial – are invited to participate in their survey.

Monday 11th May

In the first phase of their Movement for Good awards, Ecclesiastical Insurance is inviting the public to nominate their favourite heritage charity, 500 of which will each receive £1,000. The nomination process is open until 24th May, so you can vote now. The second phase will be later this summer.

As people continue to  from home for the forseeable future, Voluntary Arts has produced a ‘plain English’ briefing, Remote Working, which aims to demystify the world of remote working and working from home by including topics such as telephone conferencing, video conferencing, cloud storage, online collaboration, keeping in touch, keeping safe and tips for working from home.

Sound Connections is offering the course Music and the Youth Sector free online. The session, on Wednesday 3rd June, aims to bring together youth workers and music educators to share how young people can be supported through music in youth work settings, and how to maintain engagement when face-to-face activity is not possible.  Book now.

Emergency Exit Arts first webinar ‘Loosening Lockdown – What's next for community & outdoor arts?’ will be chaired by Francois Matarasso on Weds 13th May, 4pm – 5pm.  Only 100 spaces are available so book now.

Friday 8th May

A new self-portrait award, the Sequested Prize, is designed to create a platform of recognition and support for those working to establish or continue their artistic practice through the current crisis. This open call will culminate in the opportunity for 15 Sequested Prize artists to be part of a gallery selling show hosted by Tristan Hoare at his Fitzrovia gallery before the end of 2020.  It costs £10 to enter with 70% of sales value going to the artist. Closing date for submission is 30 June 2020.

Friday 1st May

The #GetCreativeAtHome campaign is highlighting all the great cultural activity taking place at home. They’re encouraging organisations and individuals that create accessible online activities to list them on the Get Creative website. Live online events and activities and content that you can access at any time, like ‘how-to’ videos online, are both suitable.

The International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CIMAM) has published a set of precautions and safety measures for museums and art galleries during the Covid-19 pandemic, based on the experiences of museums in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

On 15th May the Association of Independent Music (AIM) will be hosting ‘AIM House’, a day of online activity covering the latest key topics for the independent music sector. Discussion will focus on business areas that are still viable during Covid-19. In recognition of the difficulties currently being experienced by the independent music community, the event will be free, and open to all.

If you’re a museum, gallery, library, pottery studio, makerspace or a volunteer-led craft club, then the Crafts Council wants you to stay connected with your audience and customers. So they’ve produced a Guide to hosting online events and tutorials to help get you started. It suggests easy ways to stream workshops live via social media.
 

Tuesday 28th April

A Crafts Council survey to assess the impact of Covid-19 on students and young people found deep anxiety and frustration among students having to complete their courses without access to materials, facilities, libraries or creative workspaces. In response, the Crafts Council has created as an online Q&A covering the key issues facing the craft sector, and a Slack channel for young creatives. They will be hosting online tutorials to help students complete their courses and a webinar exploring how students can showcase their work in the absence of graduate shows.

Oxford Playhouse has announced a programme of support for theatre makers in Oxfordshire during the lockdown period. This includes feedback on funding applications to Arts Council England; bookable Advice Sessions; and resources and useful information to share with theatre makers.

Specialist insurer Ecclesiastical has published new guidance on protecting temporarily closed and unoccupied art galleries at risk from the likes of arson, antisocial behaviour, vandalism, theft, and escape of water. The insurer has also made cover enhancements to support customers, ensuring there are no changes to premium and policy cover for premises forced to temporarily close.

The Art Fund has launched a survey among museums, galleries and heritage buildings in order to understand the kind of financial, marketing, and professional support most needed by those currently facing unprecedented challenges. They’re also providing funding updates and advice.

Cockpit Theatre has a new ‘Provision for Postponement’ clause in its contracts, so that companies can book into the venue safe in the knowledge that they will not be liable for any venue-related costs should their event have to be cancelled on account of changing circumstances. Contact [email protected].

IVE Studio is launching its Quality Principles support programme via Zoom. The programme explores Arts Council England’s set of Seven Quality Principles to underpin work with, by and for children and young people. It offers participants the opportunity to explore, evaluate and demonstrate the quality of their own work with children and young people. Sessions start 15th May.
 

Monday 27th April

Phase Three Goods have produced a COVID-19 Trading Guide that helps creatives jump-start their remote services and receive card payments online. It’s a simple checklist that requires no coding knowledge, budget, or technical support, and tells you how to set up an e-commerce store in an afternoon. 

club h Club London, an arts members club, has launched a free online membership for people who work in the creative industries. The initiative will last for the duration of the COVID-19 lockdown period and provide creatives with networking opportunities in varying creative industries, both in London and Los Angeles. 

The Charity Commission understands that many trustees are having to cope with serious financial challenges that will have a major effect on their charities and those who depend on them. It has set out some guidance for trustees, especially for smaller charities that may need help facing difficult situations or decisions.

Kickstarter has launched Lights On to help creative small businesses, like restaurants, comedy clubs, music venues and other creative spaces to mobilise their communities and create work that will support them until they can reopen. It has also published an article listing 70 ideas for how to fund your creative work – and pay yourself – in quarantine and is running Inside Voices, an invitation to make, run and deliver small projects from home, offering simple, digital rewards—like zine PDFs, album downloads, Zoom performance invites, or poetry newsletters.

Thursday 23rd April

Need to rethink, reimagine or reframe your career and future in the current environment? Life Coach Angharad Cooper is offering a free 50 minute Skype coaching session to creative industry professionals who want help to identify their goals; activate the imagination; overcome 'stuckness' and craft a different future – both short term and long term. Email [email protected]

Wednesday 22nd April

SOLT & UK Theatre have created an online platform Theatre Means Business highlighting a range of live and recorded webinars to equip the theatre industry with the tools to begin rebuilding after the COVID-19 lockdown ends. Hosted by experts in their field, the webinars will cover topics including business interruption planning, audience development following extreme events, and professional and personal resilience.

The Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure has created a checklist to help organisations in understanding their strengths and weaknesses with respect to organisational security during the pandemic. The document includes indicators of good practice which are particularly relevant to those managing building security and those responsible for staff working from home.

Monday 20th April

Akademi is offering assistance and advice to those working within the South Asian dance sector. Areas of support including making funding applications, accessing information on other support and resources available, and expertise from its team with skills such as producing and promoting digital content.

DSC (Directory of Social Change) has produced a video in which Sandy Leong, a DSC Associate Trainer, provides tips on managing remote staff during the ‘new normal’. Another video in the same series features CEO, Debra Allcock Tyler giving key guidance on keeping your Trustees informed.

The Metroland Cultures Fund is a new £25k fund to support Brent artists and creatives during lockdown. It is offering grants of up to £1k to artists and creatives living in Brent who have been affected by loss of work and income, to enable them to use this time to develop and sustain their practice. This initiative has been set up by Metroland Cultures, the charity established to secure the legacy of Brent 2020.

UNESCO has launched ResiliArt, a global movement using social media to raise awareness of the impact of Covid-19. It is capturing the experiences of established and emerging artists and generating discussion with cultural industry professionals, who are encouraged to join the movement and replicate the series in their respective regions. ResiliArt aims to ensure the continuity of conversations, data sharing, and advocacy efforts after the pandemic subsides.

The Incorporated Society of Musicians has set up an advice hub for music professionals, containing guidance on all aspects of the current situation, from finance and government support schemes, to performing online, remote teaching and safeguarding, mental health and keeping fit.

The Mayor of London’s Culture at Risk office wants to hear from venues, performers, freelancers, organisations, galleries and workspaces, in London affected by the current crisis as it seeks reassurances from Government that they will be supported and protected.  Register your details at [email protected].

Thursday 16th April

The consultancy Indigo has launched After the Interval an online survey asking audiences about returning to events, booking tickets now and in future, missing out on live events during lockdown, and the types of fundraising they think are appropriate. Arts organisations are being asked to send a link to the survey to a segment of their audience. Survey findings will be available to individual organisations as well as aggregated into a national pool, with results published online.

Peabody Trust has broadened the brief for The Thamesmead Open, inviting artists to respond to Thamesmead’s unique setting and encouraging them to consider new methods of interaction and community-building through online or virtual methods. The deadline for initial proposals is now 18th May and they are hosting briefing sessions on Friday 17th April and Friday 1st May to present the opportunity and take questions from interested artists.

Wednesday 15th April

Olivearte Cultural agency are offering free consultation to arts organisations and artists working in Europe who are facing the current uncertainty and risk, and trying to make both short and longer term plans. Contact [email protected] for a 1-hour free consultation

Monday 13th April

The Chartered Governance Institute has produced a ‘how to’ guide on Good practice for virtual board and committee meetings. The guidance gives a brief overview of legal and practical issues such as the choice of the right communication channel; how to structure the meetings and avoid unnecessary complexity; preparation; techniques to run an orderly meeting; ‘ground rules’ for participants; and clear instructions on accessing the meeting system.  

Grants of up to £1k are available now for artist-led projects that engage the people of Gloucester during isolation. No project is too small but each must involve engagement with the public, either digitally or physically, with a focus on bringing communities together. Applications are welcome at any time and additional funds are available to ensure this opportunity is accessible to all.

Greater Manchester Artist Hub is offering free advisory sessions until Friday 1 May for artists, theatre makers, freelancers, creatives, company or producers based in Greater Manchester. Sign up for a 30-minute chat to talk through creative ideas, get advice on issues that are causing concern, or simply develop your network and stay connected during isolation.

Wednesday 8th April

The University of Kent is offering an online taster of their MA in Philanthropic Studies, sharing  some of the resources, ideas and information that are normally only available to registered students. You can watch the lectures, and access the reading and resources, gaining some free professional development.

Film, Art and Creative Technology (FACT) in Liverpool is inviting artists living or working in the North of England to create work during the lockdown. The scheme, FACT Together, will offer 10 early-career artists a grant of £1,500 each plus 3 months of support to develop an idea that will be presented online.

OneDance UK have posted a number of online dance resources and activities to support dance teaching, designed to be completed remotely by students. They include performances, workshops, and talks.

Explore Training Online for free with the Directory of Social Change.18 online management, leadership and business courses aimed at non-profit organisations provide an introductory level of learning on various topics, to create a strong foundation on which to build skills and avoid the most common missteps. Modules mainly take under 60 minutes to complete, and the longest three hours.

Festival Bridge, who support and develop cultural education partnerships and networks across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Peterborough, and Suffolk, have created two resource banks to help schools, parents, children and young people adapt to our new way of living, working and learning.  The arts, creativity and culture resources are  Give it a go and Streams, Resources and Content

The Space is helping the arts navigate the shift to digital technology during forced closure through funding grants, training and practical toolkits to help build digital skills and reach new online audiences and is offering free fortnightly webinars for arts organisations and artists.

Culture Central is supporting individuals and organisations in Birmingham by facilitating a mentoring/buddy programme for people who would value support for specific issues that are affecting them and their organisation. They are now looking for people nationally who would be willing to act as mentors, as well as those wanting help with bid writing/fundraising (including applying for emergency funds); financial planning/budgeting; general coaching; producing; creating artistic product; strategic planning/business plans; digital technology; marketing and communications.

Tuesday 7th April

Law firm Bates Wells is publishing Insights, a series of legal perspectives on the issues facing organisations and their employees due to the coronavirus.  The latest entries include comment on regulators’ public law duties , competition, procurement and state aid, and tips for protecting your organisation from opportunistic scams. 

The Association of Independent Museums is working with its pool of specialist consultants to offer a free online support service for museums. An hour of consultancy could cover finance, governance, business planning, HR and people issues, communications and commercial activities.

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation Awards for Artists are changing this year to reflect current circumstances. Rather than select 10 visual artists and composers from a nominated longlist, with each recipient receiving £60,000, PHF will give £10,000 to every eligible artist nominated for the 2020 awards –  over 100 in total.

Monday 6th April

The European Commission asks beneficiaries of the Creative Europe Programme to showcase their artwork using #CreativeEuropeAtHome, a social media campaign that is running on their Creative Europe accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The Commission is crowd sourcing the effort to highlight great online cultural activities throughout the Creative Europe community – available to culture lovers stuck at home.  

The National Centre for Writing is keen to find out more about its audiences through a 5-minute survey asking about the content that would be most useful to them over the coming weeks.

Live Art Development Agency (LADA) has extended its DIY 2020 deadline by two weeks with the new deadline Thursday 9 April. DIY is an opportunity for artists working in Live Art to conceive and run unusual research, training and professional development projects for themselves and other artists.

Arts Council England is keen to ensure that audiences know what the world of arts and culture is doing to bring creativity to homes across the nation. Artists are being asked to complete a form to say what culture and creativity they are putting online – anything from live streams to digital exhibitions and online workshops. ACE will share what they can on their channels and has partnered with BBC Arts who will do the same.    

Portfoliobox, the platform that helps photographers, illustrators, designers and other creatives make unique portfolios, is giving away 10,000 free one-year Portfoliobox 4 subscriptions for creative professionals looking for an alternative means to communicate and sell their work in the current climate. Enter the discount code STAYSAFE at checkout. The offer is valid until 27 September 2020.  

Marketing, PR and events company Crystallised is inviting arts audiences to sign up for a short weekly survey investigating how they feel about the cultural activity that they’re currently missing. The research aims to give UK cultural organisations insight into the nation's opinions on arts and culture during and after COVID-19.

Contemporary Visual Arts Network is conducting research into the impact of Arts Council England and the Treasury’s emergency sector support measures on freelance workers in the visual arts sector. The research will inform the Network’s sector support collaboration moving forward, coalescing around the needs of a future visual arts sector that is changed as much for the better as recovered to the status quo.

If you’re an individual artist wanting to apply for a grant from Arts Council England’s Emergency Funding package then experienced consultants Anne Langford and Rebecca Atkinson-Lord are among those offering free advice and support through the process.   

As well as cracking down on the spread of false online coronavirus information, the Information Commissioner’s Office has set up a Data Protection and Coronavirus Information Hub to help individuals and organisations navigate data protection at the current time.

Letters to the Earth has responded to Covid-19 by launching Letters of Love in a Time of Crisis, a new campaign inviting the public to give voice to their fears, hopes and visions for the future and to write to each other in this time of separation and unknown. The letters will be included in an online event on Earth Day on 22nd April, where a selection of them will be read out by international actors, authors, key workers and young people. 

Arts Council England is working with BBC Arts and The Space to find 25 artists to produce new work in creative media. Commissions don’t need to be about the current emergency but must engage with the unique circumstances facing artists and audiences. Apply by 8th April at 5.00pm. 

Friday 3rd April

dsc directory of social change is offering free access to its online training platform as well as posting updates to Charity Commission Covid-19 guidance and funding announcements. It also notes DBS temporary measures to fast-track emergency checks free of charge and Charity Commission contact details for those having difficulties submitting their Annual Return due to the virus.

International fundraising and philanthropy agency Chapel & York is offering charities free emergency membership to one or more of its Foundations around the world and waiving the membership and evaluation fees to expedite all applications and grants. This will give any charity that is trying to access international funding an opportunity to do so quickly.  It is also making grants to member organisations from its Foundations every fortnight instead of quarterly.

Apollo, The International Art Magazine, is offering free digital advertising for initiatives to support artists and arts organisations during the pandemic. It is keen to raise the profile of arts’ initiatives being launched across both public and private sectors to safeguard the livelihoods of individuals and to secure the future of arts organisations.  

Absolutely Cultured are inviting proposals from artists from Hull and the North of England for a new creative micro-commission programme offering £350 to up to six creative practitioners from any discipline including visual arts, performance, spoken word, film and sound. The brief is to produce a new work within the limits of working under current social distancing measures.

Northern Broadsides Theatre Company have called out to independent theatre makers and playwrights throughout the North of England who wish to make a short creative response to the coronavirus crisis, to be shared online with its audiences. Digital Squad offers nine commissions worth £1,000, aimed at Northern theatre makers struggling to make ends meet. 

Shutter Hub are offering 20 membership bursaries worth £1000 each, to help support photographers and their careers. Recipients will benefit from all the support and opportunities a Shutter Hub membership provides, at no cost.

The music education charity London Music Masters (LMM) has announced it will waive the entire course fee for the 2020/21 cohort of Team Teach, its one-year course in group instrument teaching, in response to the impact of the Covid-19 on the arts. The move is part of the charity’s commitment to support music teachers across the country and the continued growth of the sector. 

Thursday 2nd April

Arts Quarter is offering a regular mentoring service through Skype for up to six small to medium arts and cultural organisations wanting support with fundraising and resilience. Spaces offered on a first-come-first served basis. Enquiries to [email protected]

Arts Council England’s nine specialist Tech Champions have created a series of digital resources to help individuals and organisations respond to the #COVID19 crisis. Follow the Digital Culture Network.

Acas has published a recording of Coronavirus – an advisory webinar for employers, covering a wide range of very current employment and work issues. It runs live Twitter Q&As every Friday at 10.30am offering advice to both employers and employees @acasorguk #AskAcas

Together! 2012 is offering virtual commissions from £100 to £1000 to disabled artists and disabled-led companies for the Together! 2020 Disability History Month Festival. Every year the Festival contains a digital offer to extend access: a virtual exhibition, a live-streamed performance, an imaginative use of email, texts or phone calls, or anything else.

The Northern School of Art is looking for people to become part of an interactive work of art that captures the new working from home workforce as the nation responds to Covid-19.  The School has put out a call for people to send a screen shot of their 'working from home' video call screen ‘face’ or the ‘space’ they now call their workplace.

Wednesday 1st April

The Audience Agency is maintaining a Resource Hub where it is sharing tips, resources, surveys, free webinars, information and guidance to support, advise, encourage, inspire and inform the sector.  

Mercury Theatre Colchester is partnering with publishers Weinberger to present the ‘Mercury Monologues’ as part of their ‘Mercury Online’ digital season. The companies seek to discover a new cohort of talent by engaging with aspiring writers and creatives. 

Chinese Arts Now (CAN) and Yellow Earth Theatre are accepting applications from artists who identify as having Chinese cultural heritage and/or who make work that incorporates contemporary Chinese perspectives for support to develop a new £4k digital commission as part of the third CAN Festival. 

Unlimited have been collating resources for disabled artists and freelancers, including the poem-sharing Facebook group ‘Coronaverses’.

ArtsAdmin is offering free one-to-one advice sessions over Skype for UK-based artists working in contemporary performance, at any stage of their career.

TRG Arts is providing free resources for cultural and arts professionals through blogs, social networks on LinkedIn and regular webinars.

Tuesday 31st March

Artlink Hull’s new digital exhibition ‘Space Between Us’ will explore themes of human interaction and outdoor space. Work selected will focus on themes connected to outside space and how space shapes or is shaped by human interaction. To enter DM @ArtlinkHull via Instagram by 5pm 10th  April. Half of all sales will be donated to the worldwide Coronavirus Relief Fund and the remaining proceeds will be given to the artists.

Voluntary Arts latest briefing aims to demystify the world of remote working and working from home. The briefing clarifies terminology, software and services you are likely to encounter over the coming months. Download Briefing 179: Remote Working on the Voluntary Arts website.

Finborough Theatre is running a playwriting prize for people who work in the theatre industry who are new to writing. The deadline for this year's award has been extended to 30 June, so anyone who hasn't written a play yet, but feels they would like to, now has time to enter.

Monday 30th March

Four Communications working with the Creative Industries Federation is hosting a free webinar, ‘Communicating through the crisis’, on Wednesday 1 April at 11am. Suitable for all working in arts, culture and the creative industries. Register on CIF’s website.

Shutter Hub is giving away 20 membership bursaries to photographers who are struggling due to the Covid-19 crisis. The membership grants access to over £1000 worth of services. Applications close April 27.

A Facebook group, Anti-viral work for freelancers and employers, has been set up to support and provide opportunities for freelancers during the coronavirus crisis.

UK Theatre Industry Coronavirus Support is a Facebook group dedicated to helping people in the performing arts by providing information and creating discussion between individuals who have been similarly affected.

The Voluntary Organisations Disability Group has launched a series of dedicated Covid-19 hubs aimed at bringing disability organisations together to share intelligence, resources and risk mitigations.

GEM, the organisation for heritage learning, is promoting its Education Skills Sharing Sessions where, twice a week, voices from the museums and heritage education sector will engage in a Q&A style discussions. Follow the conversation @gem_heritage.

Friday 27th March

Drake Music has started a list of resources and support particularly relevant to disabled musicians and creatives. The organisation is encouraging musicians to join its Collective Frequency Facebook group for musicians and to use it as forum for supporting each other.

Sage Gateshead is hosting free one-to-one advice sessions for emerging artists, musicians and music leaders. Tailored to each individual, they will take place via video or phone from 10.30am to 6pm on the first Thursday of every month, starting in April. Advice covers topics such as how to approach venues and festivals, applying for funding and dealing with record labels. Contact [email protected] for more details.

Arts Fundraising & Philanthropy is bringing forward its next allocation of Networks Funding for organisations and groups to apply for support for virtual networking. Grants of up to £500 will be made to cover the cost of speakers, trainers and software to facilitate virtual meetings. Priority will be given to networks supporting sole fundraisers and activities supporting dialogue with donors.

London-based performing and creative arts company, City Academy is offering each NHS and care-home worker £500 worth of free arts courses. To claim the offer, staff should contact the City Academy team by emailing [email protected] with their name, job title and ID card.

Youth music charity NYMAZ is supporting music teachers and Hubs to make the move to online music lessons and events. Free CPD Facebook Live webinars are will take place on 31 March at 1pm (Hardware options for online lessons) and 8 April at the same time (Introduction to Online Teaching).

TRG Arts and Purple Seven have created a Sector Benchmark Dashboard to provide real-time intelligence on the economic impact of COVID-19 in the UK, USA and Canada. The dashboard will provide the ‘macro’ evidence of the effects of different national policies and the ‘micro’ learnings from organisations that have found innovative ways of engaging their audiences.

Corn Exchange Newbury is offering five £1000 commissions to create a piece of work that can be presented in a format that people can enjoy remotely. Proposals and project ideas to the Corn Exchange Newbury ([email protected]) by 10am Monday 30 March. 

Thursday 26th March

BBC Arts digital has been repurposed as Culture In Quarantine to support and showcase the work of the wider culture sector. As part of this, a fund has been launched for around 25 established England-based artists of any discipline to produce new works in creative media – video, audio and interactive. Email [email protected] for more information. Deadline for expressions of interest: 8th April.

The BFI has published a Q&A setting out up-to-date information and guidance available on COVID-19 and its impact on the screen sector, including specific advice for freelancers, exhibitors and productions.

The Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre is signposting in one place the growing number of surveys collecting data on the impact of coronavirus on the sector. Feed into any of these initiatives that are relevant to you, and tell the PEC if you are doing research of any kind so that your data could be included.

Wednesday 25th March

London-based startup Tutti has announced Creative Skills, an online marketplace for creatives all over the world to share their skills. They’re looking for creatives from all disciplines to create a free profile advertising their skills.

Help Musicians has launched a new website to act as a central source of support and advice for all musicians during the coronavirus period.

Arts & Health Hub has created a slack channel for its members to reach out to each other for support and advice.

Curtis Brown Creative, a creative writing school run by a literary agency Curtis Brown, is offering free weekly writing lessons while we’re in this ‘stuck-at-home moment’.

Tuesday 24th March

Sound Designer and Audio Producer Eloise Whitmore is compiling a list of actors with home audio recording systems who are still able to work, and will be sharing it with AudioUK. Contact [email protected] or DM @NakedProds.

Creative Review, the magazine for people involved in commercial creativity, has compiled a go-to guide for creative support during coronavirus.

The Crafts Council has postponed the opening of its gallery but will be connecting with makers by hosting ‘Crafts Council Maker Meet-up’ via the Zoom app. 

A New Direction's employability programme Create Jobs has published information on handling the coronavirus for the self-employed and freelancers, the employed and unemployed, and renters.

Monday 23rd March

The Geneva Learning Foundation is running a special online event on Tuesday 24th March 1.00pm to share their experience and know-how on running digital events. The session will teach the secrets of how to rapidly (and successfully) move an event online.

V&A General Counsel and lawyer at Keystone Law, Anthony Misquitta has written articles for the Cultural Enterprises Academy on the core aspects of force majeure and the alternative legal concept known as 'frustration' as they apply to contracts – especially relevant for event cancellation. Solicitors Bates Wells discuss the most common issues and challenges to think about.

ISM, the Incorporated Society of Musicians, has issued advice for self-employed teachers working in schools, and published safeguarding guidelines for music teachers giving lessons remotely, including advice on recording.

Disability Arts Online has allocated £8,000 to a new commissions pot which disabled artists working in any art form can apply to. The projects must take place or be displayed online, and may take the form of an event, discussion, performance or exhibition. Applications from partnerships or collectives are welcome.

Digital marketing and social media agency Empower has published advice on how to switch an event from an offline experience into an online event.

Voluntary Arts Network is hosting a daily online gathering at #CreativeNetwork, available to anyone who would like to talk to others involved in arts, culture and creativity about the current crisis.

Equity members concerned about a contract being terminated or cancelled due to coronavirus can contact the relevant Equity Organiser for specific advice about their situation. Sector specific guides have been published on Theatre and Live Performance, Recorded Media (Film, TV audio), and Variety, Circus and Entertainment.

ACAS has updated its advice on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and use of holiday leave. It is also running advisory webinars for employers to help them manage the impact of coronavirus in the workplace.

Creative Industries Federation is offering 6 months free membership to freelance arts workers.

The Charity Commission has prepared responses to the most commonly asked questions about the response to the coronavirus outbreak. It confirms that trustees must continue to report serious incidents using the commission's current guidelines. These may include harm to people who come into contact with your organisation, and the sudden loss of 20% of more of your income due to cancellation.

Directors UK has published FAQs around coronavirus, including what to do if your work is cancelled and if your insurance company tells you you’re not covered.

Thinking Museum has published blog sharing first-hand experience of quickly and successfully creating an online training course out of an in-person course. 

Arts Council England’s tech champions are available to help organisations with one-to-one support for working and collaborating remotely, keeping up engagement with audiences, strategies for generating income through online retail and donations, and maximising your website offer. Contact [email protected] for help. 

Keep up to date with the very latest government news on the pandemic, which is changing daily. Information for employers and businesses is also updated regularly.

A free Future Learn online course, Collaborative Working in a Remote Team, explores the challenges and benefits of remote working, covering different technologies for collaboration and introducing project management tools and practical planning techniques to ease the difficulties of working remotely. Starts 30th March.