Nicole Car Launches Freelance Artist Relief Australia
Soprano Nicole Car has established Freelance Artist Relief Australia, a fund providing financial aid for her colleagues after the closure of arts venues due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Founded in March 2020, its grants will be available for any Australian classical singer who has suffered quantifiable losses with major Australian and overseas opera companies and concert organisations.
“Freelance artists have seen their contracts annulled and income disappear for the foreseeable future and as of today, nobody knows when it will be possible to perform again.”, says Car. “There is no safety net and there was no time to prepare. I felt I needed to do something to help my colleagues who, like me, fall into the gaps. This is a time for human kindness and looking after people as best as we can.”
The advisory committee includes Virginia Braden OAM, Jane Hemstritch, Graham Pushee, Patrick Togher and Maureen Wheeler AO, while Simpsons help as honorary legal advisors.
While an amount of over $150,000 has already been raised, the goal is to collect $1,000,000. It is possible to donate online on the fund’s website https://freelanceartistrelief.com/, using the very simple process described on the page. All donations for the fund are fully tax-deductible and will be processed by Music & Opera Singers Trust Ltd (MOST®), which is a registered charity and enjoys DRG status.
The fund will advocate sums of money based on the artist’s living costs and environmental factors and the relief shall attach only to the performances cancelled/postponed on or after March 16th, 2020.
