The Covid-19 Emergency Assistance Fund was launched in partnership with Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation and seeded with their generous donation.
Over the following weeks we received incredible support from so many donors that we want to acknowledge their generosity.
Thank you to Ros Horin & Joe Skrzynski’s Sky Foundation, The Girgensohn Foundation, Jan Sundell and the Sydney Theatre Company who, in a gesture of industry solidarity, encouraged donations from their wonderful subscriber base. We have also been supported by a special grant from City of Sydney as well as several substantial donations from anonymous identities.
Over the past years our industry colleagues have worked tirelessly, collecting donations from audiences through post-show bucket rattles during ACTober, at events such as our Cause Celeb indoor picnic cabarets and the Sydney Theatre Awards. Now it is time to make those funds available so our artists and technicians can come through this crisis safe and well.
It is a spirit of collegiality that makes the world of show business and the people who create within it so very special. In the 77 years ABF has been serving the performing arts, we have never seen artists, technicians and arts companies in such a fragile state, nor have we been aware of so many needing our help.
The days of sitting comfortably in packed theatres may still be a long way off, as is a return to thriving film & TV production and arts festivals. Actors Benevolent Fund is committed to supporting the needs of our creative arts colleagues during this difficult time and beyond.
Thank you to everyone who has donated. Please keep the support coming so we can continue to provide help when it's needed most - and that time is now.
