“CENDANA’s COVID-19 Impact on the Arts Report results showed that 93% of the 500 artists surveyed have been negatively impacted with 70% having lost all or most of their income.

Hence, we are most pleased with the YAB Prime Minister Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Muhyiddin bin Yassin’s announcement (5 June 2020) on the RM 35billion stimulus to help the economy recover from the impact of COVID-19 and the movement restrictions.

The package called Pelan Jana Semula Ekonomi Negara (PENJANA) includes RM 10 million to benefit the arts and culture sector. CENDANA will be offering multiple funding programmes under its Recharge Schemes, which funds resilience, innovation, training, arts education in addition to its six existing programmes so as to support continued practice and operations of Malaysian artists, collectives and arts/creative organisations nationwide.

Ultimately, the goal we’re pursuing to keep our arts and culture sector intact. And that once when the worst of the pandemic is over and we start to find our legs again, the ecosystem is still there to support our artists and for Malaysians to respond.”– Izan Satrina, Founding CEO of CENDANA.