*3rd UPDATE*

Dear Donors and Friends,

Firstly, thank you all for your generosity and support in making this campaign successful. We had a very good event and thank you for all your messages of support.

While we had set the campaign end date of 30th June, with your support, the fund has already received a significant amount of contributions, well beyond our expectations. We have also received a good number of applications seeking financial assistance. It is clear from an initial look at them that the need is urgent.

Given all of the above we now intend to bring the deadline for the applications and donations forward to the 19th of June. This will help us close out the campaign and help those in need at the earliest.

Thank you once again for your support!

*2nd UPDATE*

Dear Donors and friends,

It’s Event Day! We are so heartened by all your donations and encouragement thus far and we can’t wait to have you at our Web Concert and Chat.

If you are donating after 6:30pm on 24th May, kindly drop and email to karishma@teamworkprod.com with a screen shot of your donation or call Karishma as +65 81189144.

Bandwidth and TeamWork Productions have decided to raise our target to $75,000, to respond on behalf of the community to the increase in applications that the campaign is witnessing. With the outlook for Live Entertainment events looking bleak for the year, we want to be able to support freelancers for a minimum of 3 months this year. If we achieve a fund-raise of $75,000, we will be in a position to provisionally support up to 25 freelancers with approximately $1,000 per month for 3 months. This serves as a guidance – actual number of cases supported and the financial assistance per qualified applicant may need adjustment up or down, depending upon the need and circumstances of each case.

We thank you for your support this far on behalf of the freelancers. We will keep you updated on the status of the financial assistance given to the freelancers. Donations and Applications for the financial aid ends on 30th June.

We look forward to entertaining you tonight!

With thanks,

Bandwidth

*1st UPDATE*

Dear Donors and friends,

Thank you for your support and donations thus far. Bandwidth started up this campaign, with the support of TeamWork Productions, with an initial target of $20,000 not knowing exactly how many beneficiaries would apply for help, for what period of time and also how the appeal would work. We now believe, seeing the applications that have come in, as well as the encouraging signs of people donating, that we can help more people and for slightly longer periods of time. Hence we are increasing the target amount to $50,000. Thank you once again for your support and encouragement.

See you on Sunday!

With thanks,
Bandwidth

ABOUT THE INITIATIVE

When you go for a live show, what you see and experience is much more than what the live performers put together.  There is a large group of people who put in a lot of hard work, planning, designing and creating to give you an audio visual spectacle that completes the “live” experience for you. They are the FREELANCERS who work from gig to gig putting up fabulous A/V shows and with each show, earn a modest living.

When COVID-19 hit, the gigs dried up and over the last 3-4 months, without the gigs the meagre income that these freelancers made, has disappeared. The scary part is that there is no sight as to when the gigs will return.  With the lights and sound having gone from the gigs, so has it from the lives of these wonderful people. Many of them are struggling to feed their families.

Today as we look around us and see the suffering of those who gave joy to our lives, we appeal to you to reach deep into your hearts and your wallets and help them tide through what is most certainly the toughest time of their lives.

ABOUT THE EVENT

As part of this campaign, Bandwidth and Teamwork Productions are excited to bring you  “Bandwidth – Apart yet Together” – a fundraising web concert to help the above individuals and their families.

This is a live event with songs recorded while in lockdown. All the funds generated through this event will go to the above cause. With the help of Ray of Hope, we hope to continue to raise funds to help these individuals and families tide over this crisis, after the concert as well.

Where: Online Webinar (Log in details to be shared via an email closer to the event date)

When: 9:30 pm (Singapore), Sunday 24th May 2020

Duration: 60 minutes

What: Music and Conversation

A minimum donation of $50 is required to receive a link to the event on the 24th of May.

Make your donation and register your details to receive the web link for the show by email. Log in details for the concert on 24^th May. 9:30 pm (Singapore) will be shared in a separate email closer to the show. In case you do not receive the email till the day of the show please reach out to karishma@teamworkprod.com or +65 81189144

WHO CAN APPLY

Singaporean & PR, self-employed (SEP) or freelance professionals working in the entertainment sector, who have suffered job loss or loss of income due to no projects / cancelled projects arising from Covid-19 measures. These include operational, technical and production crew, sound, light, stage and props technicians, designers, producers, ushers, artist liaison officers and others.

We are specifically looking to help those working primarily behind the scenes for ‘live’ events and were engaged for projects that were cancelled or postponed during this period.

HOW TO APPLY – CLICK HERE

Applicants must provide the following information:

• Full name, NRIC, postal address, email & mobile phone contact, job role and description of work, and bank account number;
• Details of paid work done (at least one) in the Live Events scene between July 2019 – January 2020. This may include payslips, signed contracts or letters of agreement of previous work done;
• Details of income loss as a result of Covid-19 measures, including cancellation or postponement notices, signed contracts or letters of agreement from cancelled/postponed projects, or email correspondence with the director or producers, rehearsal schedule with applicant’s name etc;
• Additional information on any pressing family circumstances for e.g. urgent medical bills or essential expenses, new born babies, medical expenses etc.
• Number of dependants relying on your income in your household and their details (Name, Relationship to applicant and Age);
• Latest bank statement.

Applicants can submit their request for Financial Assistance through the following Google Form.

Deadline for submission is Sunday 19 June 2020 at 2359hrs. All applicants will be informed of application outcome by mid July.

As the funds collected will be limited and the number of applicants is not yet known, please note that priority will be given to those who bear heavier financial burdens, or are evaluated to be urgently in need. Ray of Hope shall evaluate all applicants, based on which the funds will be disbursed directly to the recipients.

About Bandwidth

Bandwidth is a Singapore-based band that has, for the last 16 years, been having concerts in Singapore playing their signature ‘Bollywood Rock’ (cover versions of Classic Rock as well as music from Hindi movies from the 1960s to the 2000s) to audiences of between 1500 and 2000 people.

If you saw these guys on a regular day, at a party, at the park, at the kopitiam or even at work, they would surely pass off as the regular Indian Singaporean.  But there is nothing regular about them when they are together and on stage – for that one night it is pure magic!

Bandwidth owes their success to their unique connect with their audience.  They connect through music – music that spans many generations – from Pink Floyd to Maroon 5, from Led Zeppelin to Green day, RD Burman to Shankar Ehsan Loy, and from AR Rahman to…..well, it just stops with AR Rahman! They also connect by being just the average person – a group of guys with regular day jobs, families, the hopes and the worries and everyday issues and successes – donning their rock gear and transcending the ordinary for that one concert night.

Find out more on Facebook @Bandwidthbollywoodrock

About Teamwork Productions

Concept.Curation.Design.Production

Teamwork Productions applies its wide experience with the performing arts, artists, organisations and sponsors to building well curated Live events. Over the last 19 years we have curated festivals, concerts and shows and also presented theatre productions, stand up comedy, fundraisers and corporate events for the audiences in Singapore and the region. We have worked with esteemed organizations and government agencies like The Esplanade, National arts council, Singapore Tourism Board, Media Development Authority and others. A team of passionate women have been running the show and it has been a fun rollercoaster ride doing live events!

About Ray of Hope

100% of your donations through Ray of Hope goes to people in need. We do not take a cut from the funds. We even cover the 3rd party credit card charges, if you choose not to, that other crowdfunding platforms deduct from your donation for campaigns.

100% of all campaigns are also fully verified, so you know your funds goes to real people with real needs.

We take donor accountability very seriously – with yearly audited accounts and strong governance in place to ensure that your donations is properly channeled to the beneficiaries.

Ray of Hope is a registered charity and a member of the National Council of Social Services.

FAQS

I am a performing arts student. Am I eligible?

The grant is targeted at helping freelance practitioners who rely on their work in the entertainment sector for a living, but have lost jobs during Covid-19. If you are a full-time student or if you are under 18 years of age, you will not be eligible for this grant.

I have a part-time job, but I also freelance occasionally in entertainment sector. Can I apply?

Freelancers who earn some income from part-time employment are eligible to apply, although priority may be given to self-employed arts practitioners who rely completely on freelance work for their income.

I am a freelancer, but I do not have proof of paid work in the performing arts scene between July 2019 and Jan 2020. Am I eligible?

We prioritise those who have been working regularly as freelancers, and whose income stream has been disrupted by Covid-19 measures.  While not having proof or documentation does not disqualify you, more the information, the better the chances of qualifying.

I am a freelancer, but I do not have any projects in 2020 that were cancelled or postponed. Can I apply?

No – Unfortunately, this fund is specifically targeted at helping practitioners who have no jobs or have lost jobs as a result of event cancellations and venue closures due to Covid-19.  If you did not have any jobs at all during this period, you still can qualify.

I am not eligible for this grant, but I am an entertainment industry freelancer, who needs financial help. Where else can I seek assistance?

The government recently announced several new schemes to support families and workers. Under the Solidarity Payment, all Singaporeans aged 21 and above in 2020 will receive S$600. You can also find out if you are eligible for help under the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme (SIRS), or the Temporary Relief Fund for those who have lost jobs, or lost 30% of their income due to Covid-19. More information can be found at gov.sg.

The National Arts Council may also be able to provide other forms of support. Check their website for details here. 

Some of my gigs have been cancelled or postponed, but I have received partial compensation for them. Will this affect my chances of getting the grant?

Even if you have received partial compensation for your cancelled or postponed project, you are still eligible to apply. We will assess each application as a whole, and consider other factors surrounding each applicant’s financial situation.

My spouse and I are both freelance professionals in the entertainment sector, who have lost income due to Covid-19. Can we apply for the grant as individuals?

The grant is limited to only one per household, so a couple can only submit 1 application but you may include information for both.

What kind of projects qualify as proof of paid work in the ‘live’ entertainment sector?

Projects that qualify are ‘live’ performances in theatre, dance, or music sector, as these are the kinds of events that had to be unexpectedly cancelled or postponed due to stringent measures to prevent the community spread of Covid-19.

Projects that are not eligible for consideration include events for religious purposes or are held at a religious venue, private events not open to the public, fundraising events, and events being presented as part of the school or academic curriculum.

Why do you need to see my bank statements?

Your bank balance will give us a sense of how urgently you need cash to tide you through this challenging period. As our funds are limited, we prioritise freelancers who have heavier financial burdens, or urgent essential expenses and bills that they can no longer afford to pay. Please be assured that we value your privacy. These documents will be treated as strictly private and confidential, will not be released in any public forum and are for internal use only.

I am having difficulty filling out the online grant form. Is there someone who can help me?

If you have questions about the application form or criteria, you may send your questions to info@rayofhope.sg with the subject header ““Bandwidth – Apart yet Together (your name)”. We will try our best to answer your queries.

When must I submit my application for funding?

You can submit your grant application anytime, but it must be completed online and submitted by 19 June 2020, 2359 hrs.