Arts editor HELEN MUSA reports on the day in Canberra’s arts scene. 

FORCED to shut his physical gallery in Kingston because of COVID-19, Canberra photographer and gallery owner Scott Leggo has launched a new online product to help people in home isolation.

The new jigsaw puzzle range features his Australian landscape photographs and Leggo says: “Puzzles are perfect for individuals and families at home, wanting to keep busy together and be creative, engaging both their left and right brains. It’s also a really nice way for people to spend time together.”

The full puzzle collection is at scottleggo.com/collections/jigsaw-puzzles

ARTSACT’S new funding round, “Homefront,” is now open until 5pm, April 17. Funding of up to $10,000 per artist will be available for Canberra artists, including screen artists, to support arts development and the sustainability of their arts practices over the next six to nine months. Applications to arts.act.gov.au/funding/homefront

EN plein air is a French expression that means “in the open air” and is used by artists to describe the art of outdoor painting, capturing landscapes and views in natural light. Queanbeyan arts Society president Barry Cranston has sent snaps of works produced during their recent socially-isolate “stay-at-home” Tuesday Plein Air painting class.

THE Australia Council has just announced a Resilience Fund of approximately $5 million for artists and arts organisations to provide immediate relief to Australian artists, arts workers and arts organisations and support their livelihoods, practice and operations, with applications opening this Friday, April 3.

OZCO has also re-opened applications for the Arts and Disability Mentoring initiative and has extended the deadline for applications to australiacouncil.gov.au until midnight AEST, Tuesday, April 14.

GARDENING guru Costa Georgiadis wants kids to get artistic by grabbing a camera or mobile device to snap photos of the flora and fauna in in their backyards. Young people can submit photos to juniorlandcare.org.au and say why the photo is important to them to be in with a chance to win one of 10 $250 cameras. Closing date is May 1.

DIRECTOR of the Canberra Bach Ensemble, Andrew Koll, has regretfully conceded that the ensemble’s planned June trip to Bachfest in Leipzig, Germany, is almost sure to be postponed to June 2022, although it’s “still officially in a holding pattern”.