Arts Foundation launches artists’ funding platform

Artists, performers, musicians, dancers — creatives of all types often have precarious livelihoods at the best of times, so the Covid-19 lockdown has required some innovative thinking to generate an income, writes Rebecca Fox. Boosted Live is an example of that thinking.

Live streaming concerts has been a positive way for performers to show support during the Covid-19 lockdown, but it has not helped them financially.

New Zealand’s Arts Foundation, which runs the Boosted crowdfunding platform for arts projects, saw a great opportunity to help performers receive income and recognition from these endeavours.

Arts Foundation lead Jo Blair says it is really great to see live performances during these tough times, but the performers are valued professionals and deserve to be paid for their work.

‘‘We believe the foundation is in a prime position to enable this.’’

With funding help from Creative New Zealand, which has paid for the technology to make it a reality, the foundation will launch Boosted Live tomorrow night.

Boosted Live will enable performers — from musicians to poets and authors — to live stream their work and receive donations.

‘‘We’ve been inundated with artists wanting to do projects from all genres.’’

During launch weekend, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, dance company Black Grace and musicians Arjuna Oakes, Luigi Cappel and Ant Stretch will be among the performers.

Blair says Boosted has also removed the ‘‘all or nothing’’ requirement where artists only get the funds raised if they reach their target.

‘‘We wanted to make it less stressful for people.’’

They can also run their campaign for up to four weeks and can record their live stream for their audience to watch later.

It is also designed for those artists who want to grow their audience and get their work out there during this time.

Another way the foundation is trying to help is through a new Arts Foundation Future Fund.

For every Boosted project that runs and raises $1000, the future fund will donate $1000.

‘‘We want to give artists a generous boost to show their art, live stream or not, and rally their communities to support them.’’

To fund the Future Fund, the Arts Foundation has donated $30,000 and hopes to raise $100,000 during the next few months.

The immediate goal is to get to $50,000 by tomorrow night so the foundation can give artists assurances that at least 50 projects will get support.

At the time of writing, the foundation was very close to meeting that goal.

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