COVID-19 Resources for NZ Music/Production Industry Pals - 2022

Comparison Table for the MCH $5k Grant vs. IRD Covid Support Payment: https://mch.govt.nz/grant-comparison-table

Covid Support Payment

https://www.ird.govt.nz/covid-19/business-and-organisations/covid-19-support-payment-information

Two-week payments of $4000 + $400 per FTE for businesses that can show a 40% revenue drop over 7 consecutive days at some point in the 6 weeks prior to 15-Feb (the date we moved to Phase 2 of Omicron Response).

A total of 3 payments will be available to cover a 6-week period. If the peak of Omicron has not passed by the end of March the gov’t may extend this.

Period 1: 16 Feb to 4 Apr - applications open now

Period 2: 7-Mar to 4-Apr - applications open 14-Mar

Period 3: 21-Mar to 4-Apr - applications open 28-Mar

Applications for all periods close on 5-May 2022.

If you are self-employed, you can claim yourself as a FTE.

If you apply for the MCH $5k grant you are ineligible for the 1st round of the CSP (this does not affect eligibility for the 2nd or 3rd).

MBIE Events Transition Support Payment Scheme

https://www.mbie.govt.nz/business-and-employment/economic-development/events-transition-support-payment-scheme/

For over-5000pax events that are cancelled or postponed as a result of Covid-19 restrictions (see website for specific eligibility criteria).

Covers 90% of unrecoverable costs only.

Events must be scheduled to take place between 17 December 2021 and 23 Jan 2023.

MCH Arts & Culture Event Support Scheme

https://mch.govt.nz/arts-and-culture-event-support-scheme

For 100-5000pax events that are cancelled or postponed as a result of being in the Red setting or where a lead performer gets Covid or needs to isolate.

Covers events scheduled to take place before 31 January 2023, that were being planned before New Zealand moved to Red on 23 January 2022.

DO NOT FREAK OUT if you had gigs that are not on the published list of eligible events; applications are still being accepted for event dates that have not yet passed.

Notably, this fund covers both non-recoverable costs (already paid or owing) as well as 

• Reasonable costs incurred by the event organiser in the planning and development of the event.
• Full payments for artists, performers and production crew and companies as if the event had occurred - there is an OBLIGATION to pay this under the scheme, see full eligibility criteria.

Support of up to $300,000 is available per eligible event.

Email support.culture@mch.govt.nz when in doubt, they are by all accounts being very responsive to questions.

**Ticket revenue: there are reports from applicants that you can claim the lost ticket revenue for your show as if it were 100% sold out, if that revenue is considered part of the artist payment (e.g. if the artist is entitled to the door take in whole or in part).

**Future events: MCH has said that the date criteria will not necessarily be the same for events in future e.g. July onwards or whenever we get out of Red, so that this scheme will cover future events announced down the track as well.

MCH Cultural Sector Emergency Relief Fund (“ERF”)

https://mch.govt.nz/cultural-sector-emergency-relief-fund

A fund of last resort which provides up to $5m to support cultural organisations, including sole traders, at clear risk of no longer operating viably.

The funding amount will be to cover the shortfall between your revenue and your expenses over a 6-week period following your application. ERF does NOT cover your full costs of operation, only your deficit. ERF does not cover ‘lost income’. All your cash reserves must be exhausted when showing your deficit.

You will be required to provided reasonably detailed financial information (cashflow, balance sheet, profit & loss, evidence of your expenses, evidence of receipt or ineligibility for other funding). There are templates available, found in the Key Info for Applicants doc p12.

How this affects your eligibility for other funding: this is vague, MCH says only that you can have applications in for other funding, and that it ‘may’ impact your eligibility to receive funding from them or other sources.

For sole traders:

• “‘no longer operating viably” would mean that as a result of a loss of income from your work in the cultural sector, you are unable to meet your business expenses associated with operating in the cultural sector and you are at risk of going bankrupt.
• Manatū Taonga will cover wages to the value of the Wage Subsidy they were receiving, up to $600 per week. Evidence of previous receipt of the Wage Subsidy is required.

Getting an NZBN number (free, very easy, no GST registration needed): https://www.nzbn.govt.nz/get-an-nzbn/self-employed-or-sole-trader/

Also see the $5k grant information below for the ‘income replacement’ solution on offer.

As at 8-Feb: all documentation including the Key Information for Applicants is still in the process of being updated. MCH expects this to be complete by end of February but has also advised all their Omicron funding mechanisms will be undergoing continuous review with industry input.

APRA-AMCOS cancelled gig payments

https://www.apraamcos.co.nz/music-creators/member-resources/guides/cancelled-gig-performance-reports

Direct financial support to music creators who lost royalties from performances that were scheduled to take place in Australia and New Zealand from 1 October 2021 to 28 February 2022.

APRA AMCOS members can submit claims for cancelled performances via the web form. The cutoff to submit is 28 February 2022 with payments to be distributed in March.

MCH $5000 one-off grant

https://mch.govt.nz/grant-self-employed-individuals

Applications open 28-Feb. This is something of an 8-week wage subsidy paid in lump sum.

Part of the ERF. One-off $5000 grant to self-employed or sole trader practitioners who can show proof of practice as a cultural sector practitioner and show proof of a loss of income or opportunity.

You cannot claim lost work on events that are being covered by the MCH Event Support Scheme.

Putting in an application for this makes you ineligible for the 1st round of the Covid Support Payment. (Does not affect eligibility for the 2nd or 3rd.)

Getting an NZBN number (free, very easy, no GST registration needed): https://www.nzbn.govt.nz/get-an-nzbn/self-employed-or-sole-trader/

Template for supplying evidence of lost work: MCH Self Employed Arts Practitioner Verification TEMPLATE-Shared

Music Helps NZ

https://musichelps.org.nz/2020/03/covid-19-information-and-support-for-kiwi-music-people/

REGULARLY UPDATED WITH A VARIETY OF RESOURCES. You should definitely check this one out. Financial hardship grants, financial planning resources, mental health resources, and more for anyone working in the music industry (on or off stage).

NZMC Capability Grants

https://nzmusic.org.nz/resources/capability-grants-programme/capability-grants-programme-overview/

A contestable fund from the NZ Music Commission for music industry upskilling, training and development opportunities.

There is ONE ROUND for 2022 remaining • Wednesday 2 March 2022 – Friday 25 March 2022 (applicants notified mid-April)

MCH Innovation Fund

https://mch.govt.nz/innovation-fund

The Innovation Fund supports innovative projects that meet one or more of the Fund’s outcomes:

Sector sustainability and resilience are increased

Commercial opportunities are increased

Access and participation are improved

Short Term Absence Payment

https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19/short-term-absence-payment/who-can-get-it.html

For a worker, or a self-employed person, who is required to isolate at home while:

• waiting for a COVID-19 test result or to, in accordance with public health guidance, or are
• the parent or caregiver of a dependant who is staying home while waiting for their COVID-19 test results, in accordance with public health guidance, and the dependant needs support to do so safely, or are
• a household member or secondary contact (as described in public health guidance) of someone who is a close contact of a person with COVID-19, and the worker has been advised to stay at home while waiting for the close contact’s test results.

Leave Support Scheme

https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-19/leave-support-scheme/who-can-get-it.html

If you have to isolate for 4 or more days because you:

• have COVID-19 or
• are a close contact of a person who has COVID-19 or
• are the parent or caregiver of a dependant who has been advised to self-isolate or
• are in the category of people most at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 or
• have household members in the category of people who are most at risk of severe illness from COVID-19

General WINZ/MSD support information

https://covid19.govt.nz/isolation-and-care/financial-support/

IRD - tax relief measures

https://www.ird.govt.nz/Updates/News-Folder/tax-relief-coronavirus

IRD have a number of measures in place to assist with financial hardship due to Covid-19.

Credit Card Hardship

https://www.consumerismcommentary.com/credit-card-hardship-program/

General information on credit card hardship programs, including what they are, how to apply with your credit card company or bank, and the risks involved.

Music Helps Wellbeing Service

https://musichelps.org.nz/backline/wellbeing/

24/7 online, on the phone (toll free 0508MUSICHELP) and in-person counselling service fully funded by MusicHelps and provided free of charge to those that make live or recorded music possible in Aotearoa.

Safe To Talk

https://1737.org.nz/about/index.html

New Zealand’s national mental health helpline number.

It is free to text or call this number 1737 anytime to talk with a trained counsellor.

Guide: Coping with Financial Stress

https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/assets/ResourceFinder/coping-with-financial-stress.pdf

A guide from the last recession specifically related to mental health issues as they relate to financial stress.

Human psychology & the Coronavirus

https://medium.com/@rebecca.koomen/7-things-to-know-about-human-psychology-when-dealing-with-the-corona-virus-f011bcb52b9e

A good tool if you’d like a little more literacy around your own reactions to Covid-19 and answering the questions of “What is the right way to respond to Covid-19? What is the right amount of panic? And precaution? How about the right amount of calm adherence to normalcy?”

ETNZ Survey

https://us18.list-manage.com/survey?u=7c8dbc4b854999cc10bd06a8f&id=1c2f307e0f&attribution=false&e=e0c65ce509

Entertainment Technology NZ (representing technicians, craft persons, and designers working in the entertainment industry) is lobbying gov’t for sector support, this survey will help them get numbers together around income loss and what the industry needs to be properly supported.

Change.org Petition

https://chng.it/SGvM2pv6Jd

Change.org Petition: Support payments for workers and businesses unable to operate under the Red setting

Screen Industry NZ Response

https://www.screenindustrynz.co.nz/?fbclid=IwAR02amh3GPytoKk3cJ3pjNbFlajmu7APPhjt0EBQv78eQvsQzHiNlrMBxfs

one-stop hub that will help you find screen-specific health and safety resources, wage and earning subsidy assistance and information, key updates on COVID-19 as well as relevant news and updates from screen guilds and industry organisations.

The Screen Industry Guild NZ

The Screen Industry Guild of Aotearoa New Zealand Inc - Home

The Screen Industry Guild / ScreenSafe is available for you to call on +64 09 889 9522 (always dial 09 – even from Auckland) or email Executive Officer - Kelly Lucas at info@screenguild.co.nz

Screen Production Recovery Fund

https://www.nzfilm.co.nz/funds/screen-production-recovery-fund

Supports selected NZFC funded and NZSPG-New Zealand productions impacted by a change in NZ COVID-19 alert level status up until 30 June 2022.

Applications close Friday, 29 July 2022 - 5:00pm.