This week in Creative Money (10 July, 2020)
Have you ever told yourself that you are bad with money? Building on my previous piece about the stigma of talking about money in the creative industries, this week I've been thinking about the messages we send ourselves about our finances. For better or worse, our view of our 'natural ability' to handle money is tangled up in a complex knot of emotions – and is often reflective of the way we interpret expectations about our creative role and its intertwined lifestyle. Sometimes, I believe, these instincts are worth challenging.
Other than that, hopefully you'll notice that the newsletter has been revamped for week two and now includes a section on grants/funding, a Creative Money news round-up and a to-do list with a few bits and bobs you might want think about this week... It's taken ages, frankly, so we'll see how the new format goes down and whether I can keep it up in its current guise!
Indeed, if you like what I'm doing here and want to help me sustain it, please follow and share on social media (links below), or forward to your friends and colleagues, so they can sign-up for the mailing list. It really does make a big difference in these early stages.
Finally, as ever, if you want to say hi, or drop me an email with any ideas or requests, you can get in touch on creativemoneycontact@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.
All the best,
Matt
On the site this week:
You are not 'bad with money' - how stereotypes prevent us from sorting out our finances
What do you need to know this week?
£1.57bn support for the creative industries
The news of a massive £1.57bn support package for the UK creative industries broke on Sunday night, much to the relief of many in the theatre and music sectors. It includes £880 million worth of grants for cultural organisations, including theatres, music venues and museums.
Excluded still excluded
However, while the likes of the Arts Council have promised to prioritise funding for freelancers and individuals, the demand for support for the 3 estimated million workers excluded from the SEISS and furlough has gone, quite literally, unheard by Rishi Sunak. This is a huge number of people who are now in dire need of financial help, many of whom have gone nearly four months without income.
On the plus side, MP Jamie Stone has launched an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to tackle the issue, which is now up to 200+ MPs. The Excluded UK campaign is gaining some serious traction now, with a lot of major media coverage.
Money Advice Service launches free Money Navigator tool
If you need some money guidance but are not sure where to turn, this could be a good start. You just input some simple information about your employment and financial status and it recommends the services you can contact and the next steps to take in tackling subsequent financial issues.
And finally... Lidl is the cheapest UK supermarket in June
The venerable Which? has confirmed that Lidl was the cheapest supermarket in June, so those of us watching our budgets right now might want to nip down. Special offers on food are down 17% compared to pre-lockdown times, so it's definitely getting more expensive to shop. Particularly, if like me, the only time you experience true joy nowadays is getting organic cheese shipped to you in fancy boxes.
Grants and funding opportunities
Youth Music Incubator Fund
Youth Music announced its new Incubator Fund, which aims to support open up sustainable music career paths for 18-25 year-olds by offering grants of £5,000-30,000 for businesses, collectives and not-for-profits working in the music industries. They're doing a (free, but ticketed) online Q&A on Friday 17 July, 2020.
Theatre Artists Fund
A new emergency grant scheme for theatre artists backed by UK Theatre, Netflix and Sam Mendes. It issues one-off grants of £1,000 and th e first round deadline is Monday 13th July, 2020.
MOBO Help Musicians Fund
Successful applications get £3,000 plus business and health support. You must be in financial need, lack backing from labels/publishing or management and have worked in music for 12 months plus. The application deadline is 27 July.
Common Ground commissions
Season For Change, backed by Artsadmin and Julie's Bicycle, has an opportunity for four £10,000 commissions for work on "creative climate leadership, justice and equitable participation within the climate movement." It invites applicants who identify as Black, Asian and minority ethnic/POC, refugee, D/deaf, disabled, neurodivergent, working class and/or LGBTQI+, however "will not expect or require them to explore their identity in relation to these groups through the commission." Deadline is Thursday 30th July, 2020.
This week's to-do list:
Claim for SEISS (the first round deadline is 13 July, 2020), if you are self-employed and your business has been adversely affected by Covid-19
Think about your taxes. The VAT and self-assessment payment deadline (for those making two payments a year) is the end of July (though SA payments can be deferred until January 2021, if required)
Sign this petition from Forgotten PAYE asking the government to allow PAYE freelancers to receive the COVID-19 self employed grant (SEISS)
Email your MP and ask them to join the Excluded UK APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group)