Coronavirus / COVID-19 Updates
Wasps continues to provide safe access to all our studio buildings in line with Scottish Government guidance during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Our highest priority is to provide access to our creative spaces for you to work in safely. Please be aware that we, like other organisations across the country, are obliged to adhere to the guidance provided by the Scottish Government.
Tenants: find out how the Coronavirus pandemic affects you as a Wasps tenant here.
Wasps takes the health and safety of our tenants, staff and partners very seriously. We have been reviewing our preparedness to ensure we can continue to deliver the most effective service and support to our tenants and staff.
Following updates to Government Guidance, Wasps is now permitted to allow tenants to run workshops in buildings located in Tier 3 and below. Unfortunately we are not allowed to hold workshops in buildings located in Tier 4, at this time all Glasgow-based buildings.
We have created a Workshop Guidance to help tenants prepare to safely deliver workshops. You can find this guidance and more information here. In line with this guidance Wasps are now also permitted to allow invited visitors to studio buildings in Tier 3 or below whose visit is for the purpose of tenants' practice. Examples of these kinds of visitors would be clients, collaborators, buyers. Any visitors must also follow Tenant Guidance in place. Visitors are not permitted for buildings in Tier 4 regions.
We continue to monitor the situation and provide updates on our social media channels and Wasps website when any changes occur. We ask all tenants to understand that the current situation is continually evolving and that circumstances are subject to change.
To find up-to-date information on the Coronavirus situation in Scotland please visit The Scottish Government website. The Scottish Government has recently published guidance for the creative industries, in particular for providers and users of creative studios in Scotland. You can read this on The Scottish Government website by clicking here.
If you have any questions you can contact us: coronavirushelpdesk@waspsstudios.org.uk
Funding Opportunities and Financial Help
The following links are for business and financial support funds. For artist commissions and opportunities, please visit this section of our website.
On Friday 28 August the Scottish Government £59m emergency funding for culture and heritage to address the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, including £31.5m for culture. This includes:
More information can be found on Creative Scotland's website here.
• £15million Culture Organisation and Venues Recovery Fund which opened for applications in September. 203 organisations and venues across Scotland have received a total of £11.75million in emergency support. A further announcement will follow regarding the remaining applications and funds within the next few weeks.
• £5million Hardship Fund for Creative Freelancers - newly enhanced by £3million to £8million - working in the arts, Screen and Creative Industries, currently open for applications.
• £3.5million Independent Cinemas Recovery and Resilience Fund, which opened for applications in September. Decisions were published on Tuesday 3 November.
• £3.5million additional funds for Creative Scotland’s Open Fund which is open for applications to individuals and organisations now. The application threshold has recently been increased from £50K to £100K.
• £3million Youth Arts funding package comprises of at least £1.2million through the Access to Youth Arts Fund which will be open to applications until Thursday 12 November; the £700,000 Small Grants Scheme which closed for applications on Monday 2 November; £50,000 assigned to the Time to Shine Nurturing Talent Fund, and an additional £1,050,000 allocated to support a number of targeted national and local area youth music and wider youth arts organisations. Assessments of applications to the targeted strand of the fund are underway and decisions will be communicated on Thursday 5 November.
• £1.5million for the Culture Collective programme (part of the £5million Sustaining Creative Practice Fund, referred to in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government), supporting organisations employing freelance artists to work in and with communities across Scotland. This programme is now taking expressions of interest, with the deadline of Wednesday 18 November.
Previously announced funds from the Scottish Government are:
• £12.5million Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund which has reached 79 venues across Scotland.
• £2.2million Grassroots Music Venues Stabilisation Fund which has reached 72 venues across Scotland.
The UK Government has an easy-to-use tool to help you find what financial support your business might be eligible for. You can find it here.
The Scottish Government Small Business Helpline is 0300 303 0660. For small businesses, the Scottish Government's Find Business Support website contains the latest updates on funding, business support and Government action: www.findbusinesssupport.gov.scot
The Scottish Government Scottish Welfare Fund is there to help families and people in Scotland who are on low incomes, through the provision of Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants. All information is available to view here.
The £20m Third Sector Resilience Fund is there to support organisations across the third sector who are at risk of closure due to the disruption caused by Coronavirus. You can find more information, via SCVO, here.The Third Sector Resilience Fund (TSRF) closed for applications on Friday 11th September at midday.Foundation Scotland have launched a response and resilience fund to support local charities and grassroots organisations across Scotland. More information is here.
The National Lottery Awards for All is open to voluntary or community organisations that will support people at high risk, will see an increased demand in this period, or that have high potential to support communities with the impact of Covid-19. More information here.
For free and impartial money advice, including advice for self-employed, information on benefits and more, contact The Money Advice Service on 0800 138 7777, or see more information here.
In June Social Investment Scotland and Creative Scotland teamed up to present three online workshops aimed at looking at the challenges faced by creative and cultural third sector enterprises as they recover from the fallout of COVID-19 and begin to look to the future. You can watch the recordings of these webinars back here.
Physical distancing and safe working measures are in place at all Wasps buildings. To enquire about a Studio or Creative Industry space with Wasps please click here.
Last update: 17 November, 17:07