Open Call For Flood Recovery Support

Arts Northern Rivers is seeking support from urban, interstate, national and international communities to assist in the recovery from the catastrophic 2022 floods across the Northern Rivers region. In parallel, the peak arts organisation for the region is underway advocating for support from all available avenues; including state and federal governments, philanthropic, corporate and private channels. While these take time, the creative community needs assistance now.

The creative sector across the entire region has collectively suffered untold losses: galleries losing entire collections, studios, equipment, and artworks in ruin, and livelihoods in freefall.

With a core value of advocacy, Arts Northern Rivers has already reached out to the region’s colleagues and peers to begin the task of tracking the scale of the damages. These damages are rising into the 10’s of millions in building and infrastructure alone including; Lismore Regional Gallery, The Northern Rivers Conservatorium, M-Arts (Murwillumbah), Byron School of Art, Spaghetti Circus, and so many more. We are working with these orgs to support them in strategies for recovery.

What is extremely prevalent is the magnitude of loss for the region’s independents, which, with the highest concentration of creatives outside a metro area numbering into the hundreds, are suffering greatly, and it will take months if not years to come through this.

With your support, we can assist these independant artists/small groups to recover from the losses through this rapid funding support to provide lifelines in recovering and maintaining careers, incomes and livelihoods in unprecedented times.

Arts Northern Rivers Executive Director Jane Fuller said: “It’s heartbreaking to witness our community suffer. Following a run of unprecedented crises, we are collectively exhausted, and the concept of ‘resilience’ seems to be out of reach right now. All assistance contributes to the imminent needs of the creative sector to start recovering from the destructive impact of flooding that inundated our region and we thank anyone with the ability to support our creative recovery.”

This call for donations will directly assist Arts Northern Rivers to provide funding assistance to the arts and cultural sector across the region to recover from the flood losses.