What is the Million $ Artwork Project?
Giving you the opportunity to own a 'Million $ Artwork' while helping to raise a $1 Million to support your favorite performers, artists and their crews.
The seed for the Million $ Artwork Project had been a doodle in my sketchbook from many years ago for a project I was going to 'get around to someday'. The concept was rooted in the idea that as a child 'a million' of anything was totally beyond comprehension and how could such a thing be graphically representing in such a way that it could be comprehended? The '$' sign was chosen as the 'thing' because who doesn't want their own 'Million $ Artwork'?
The intent was that it would make an interesting novelty gift - a 'Million $ Artwork' you could give to a friend as a joke or have on your wall just for a laugh.
Then the Covid-19 hit and we saw not only the effect the pandemic had on many peoples ability to work but in particular the devastating impact it had on those involved in the arts industry.
It became evident that there was lack of support being offered to those that dedicate their lives to entertaining us and advancing our culture heritage. As someone who has personally enjoyed all forms of art and entertainment I decided the first edition of the the 'Million $ Artwork' should be dedicated to them - the 'We Will Sing' Edition.
So, while the idea behind this project started as fun and lighthearted, aiming to put 'Million $ Artworks' in the hands of ordinary people, this first edition also has a much more serious objective.
The Million $ Artwork Project is lending it's support to orgainisations within the arts industry that are set up to directly help performers, crew and artists that have been affected by the rolling lockdowns across Australia and the globe since the start of the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Our goal is to raise $1 million by Christmas 2021
We want to show the people that dedicate their lives to entertaining us that we care and value their contribution to the fabric of our society.
The project aims to help ensure that the amazing talent that has entertained us in the past will still be there to bring us live music, festivals, shows, film and exhibitions that entertain and challenge us long into the future.
We may be held down now but WE WILL SING!
Million $ Artwork | 1st Edition | We Will Sing
Art poster comprised of 1,000,000 microscopic '$' signs in gold ink - complete with magnifying glass.
Support the Million $ Artwork Project
The Pandemic through the eyes of artists
James Bustar's heart wrenching spotlight on the personal toll the Covid-19 Panedemic is having workers in the arts industry says it all.
The Arts industry worldwide has been severely impacted over the last 18 months. Entertainers feel like their identity is lost. Entertainment isn't a job. Its a career.
We feel like we have been totally forgotten by the government. We can't wait to have our livelihoods back again, we just don't know when.
This video shows the financial and mental impacts this has caused, and how vulnerable we are. Here are just some of those entertainers stories.
- James Bustar
This is not a small problem
Alison Pennington and Ben Eltham's July 2021 report prepared for the The Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute made made the following key findings:
- More people work in broad cultural industries (over 350,000) than many other areas of the economy that are receiving greater policy supports, including aviation (40,500) and coal mining (48,900).
- Despite years of significant funding pressures and policy neglect, the arts and entertainment sector contributed $17 billion in GDP to the Australian economy in 2018-19.
- Due to their disproportionately insecure labour market conditions, arts and entertainment sector workers are experiencing significant ruptures in their employment arrangements due to COVID-19.
Culture is an inescapable part of what it means to be human. We can no more imagine a life without the arts than we can imagine a life without language, custom, or ritual. Australia is home to the oldest continuing cultural traditions on the planet, and some of the world's most renowned actors, musicians and artists. But while we have a proud story to tell, the future of Australian culture looks increasingly uncertain.
- Alison Pennington and Ben Eltham, Creativity in crisis: rebooting Australia’s arts and entertainment sector after COVID