Funding boost: Eligible arts and sports organisations to get grants to help them through Covid-19

• More than half of the additional S$25 million will go into an operating grant for key sports businesses
• Grant will be equivalent to about 25 per cent of the businesses’ total operating expenses
• Eligible arts and culture organisations will receive a grant of either S$75,000 or S$50,000
• This can be used to defray operating costs

SINGAPORE — The arts and sports sectors will receive additional grants which will help augment existing measures and help organisations defray operating costs as they navigate the impact of Covid-19, said Mr Edwin Tong on Thursday (Oct 15).

The Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said S$25 million will be added to the Sports Resilience package, on top of the S$25 million it previously announced in June.

More than half of this amount will go into an operating grant for key businesses such as private academies and clubs, and sport facility operators that have been impacted by Covid-19 restrictions.

Mr Tong said: “While the resumption of sports activities since June has alleviated some immediate operational concerns, we recognise that revenue impact and longer-term survivability remain a major source of stress.”

He said the grant will be equivalent to about 25 per cent of businesses’ total operating expenses, capped at S$15,000 per month, for the next six months from October onwards, which means they could get up to S$90,000 in total.

To be eligible, they must demonstrate that:

• They are key players in contributing to athletes’ development

• Their business revenues have been and continue to be severely affected by Covid-19

• They are committed to preserving jobs and upskilling their workforce

“We hope to support up to 150 sports businesses with this operating grant — helping operators who do not currently receive Government funding,” said Mr Tong.

Mr Tong also announced a one-off operating grant to eligible arts and culture organisations, and those in closely related sectors, such as media and design.

Depending on the size of the organisation, those eligible will receive a grant of either S$75,000 or S$50,000, which can be used to defray operating costs.

Details of this grant — which is expected to benefit more than 300 organisations — will be made available by the National Arts Council at the end of this month, said Mr Tong.

“We hope organisations that receive this grant will also provide work opportunities for their freelancers,” he added.

The grant will be taken out of the S$55 million arts and culture resilience package announced by the ministry in April, which is expected to be fully utilised by end of this year.

To date, the package has generated more than 10,000 work and training opportunities for arts and culture practitioners, of which almost 4,000 were for freelancers.

It has also supported close to 1,200 digitalisation projects and programmes by local artists and arts organisations.

SUPPORT FOR ARTS AND SPORTS PRACTITIONERS

Touching on the role freelancers play in the arts and sports sector and addressing the challenges they face, Mr Tong said there is “a certain messiness” in the way these practitioners are organised.

He added that the MCCY has also “taken a light touch” towards freelancers in the past, recognising the spontaneity and flexibility of gig work.

“But Covid-19 has thrown into sharp relief the importance of organising dedicated assistance for these stakeholders and supporting their efforts to organise themselves,” said Mr Tong.

He added that one area of need is for freelancers to level up and diversify their skills.

To support those in the sports sector, S$2.5 million will be set aside for two initiatives under the package.

Firstly, coaches who are registered under the National Registry of Coaches (NROC) can receive a training allowance of S$10 per hour when they take up courses run by CoachSG, beyond the required hours they need to serve under the Continuing Coach Education programme.

Secondly, CoachSG will pick 50 to 80 pairs of level two and three NROC-registered coaches to participate in its structured mentorship programme and raise their coaching capabilities. Participants will be provided with between S$400 and S$600 a month.

Mr Tong said likewise, arts freelancers can upgrade their skills and tap available support through the Arts Resource Hub, set up under the National Arts Council.

Much as the packages will help practitioners tide over this period, Mr Tong acknowledged that it will take more than financial assistance to sustain the arts and sports sectors.

“People must be able to see, and appreciate, the intrinsic value which our arts, culture, and sporting talents can bring to our community. It brings us together, we rally behind our artistic and sporting heroes.

“It builds and shapes our Singapore, in a way which nothing else can,” said Mr Tong.