Anxiety and fear is pervading the $2.5bn sector, which is calling on the government to step in before ‘irreparable damage’ is caused
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Australian arts industry operates on a knife-edge at the best of times – but in recent years, the pressure has reached boiling point: local creators have faced millions in funding cuts, with draconian laws decimating once thriving scenes.
Now, with the coronavirus pandemic causing the Australian government to recommend any gathering of more than 500 people be cancelled, the industry is bracing for the worst, with insiders describing “a growing sense of doom” about what’s to come – and politicians and industry bodies calling for an “urgent” plan to help.