Co-ordinated by OutdoorArtsUK, this is a small grant fund to provide some modest financial support during the coronavirus outbreak for those working in the Outdoor Arts sector. Like so many freelancers and gig workers, everyone working in this sector has had their work and ability to earn decimated as festival after festival has been forced to cancel or postpone. By offering some small and rapid financial help, the aim is to provide immediate support to help them through this crisis, so we have a chance of rebuilding our sector when this terrible time has passed.

If you are able to support this, we will be ensuring all the money goes directly to our freelancers and small companies, including artists, technicians, producers and makers, who can apply for £500 with the minimum of fuss. We're really not going to be too strict on what the money is used for (it might be replanning a show, hiring a fundraising expert, running an online event, supporting a creative idea or just paying the rent), but it should help sustain them during this period.

To make this happen, OutdoorArtsUK has repurposed some of its existing funds which would have been used for events, projects and bursaries which cannot now take place; but many other individuals in the sector who are in the position of being salaried or in a more secure place expressed a desire to offer support across the sector.

This will be an imperfect exercise of course, and we are bound not to have enough cash to meet demand, but we will manage it with the best of intentions, with the input of the OAUK Director and Board. We will deal with the requests in order of receipt and on a case by case basis, and will limit reporting and application to a minimum. At OAUK we try and know everyone, but just in case we don't, we're going to ask you to give us the name of a "referee" who is one of our OAUK Member and can vouch for you.

If you can support this project and help us to support the Outdoor Arts community, thank you. If you are in need of a grant, you are very welcome to apply.

Stay safe out there, and we will all get together on the other side.