As the fires rage on across the country and some communities are returning to find their towns razed by the horrific blazes from the last few months, bands, artists, authors and heaps more creative folk, as well as brands across Australia and beyond, have begun donating money from everything they sell to bushfire relief initiatives.
[jwplayer E4BC1Y8Y]
We’ve already seen the likes of Flume, P!nk, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Novak Djokovic, and Maria Sharapova directly donating hundreds of thousands of bucks to fire relief efforts, and celebs and influencers like Magda Szubanski, Will ‘Eggboy’ Connolly, and Celeste Barber using their celebrity to raise tens of millions of dollars.
Athletes across the country currently working through their summer seasons are donating cash for every big moment they have this year, including tennis stars like Ash Barty, Nick Kyrgios, Samantha Stosur, and Dylan Alcott, NBL’s LaMelo Ball from the Illawarra Hawks, and cricketers Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, D’Arcy Short, and others.
If you’re wanting to help get much-needed funds and resources to communities affected by fires while also copping yourself a little treat or something special, plenty of artists, bands, writers, and other creative types are donating profits and proceeds from their own sales to bushfire relief appeals and not-for-profits.
Of course, the most direct way you can ensure that 100% of your money will be going to fire relief is to donate directly, which you can check out at the link below, but if you’re wanting to support local businesses both big and small, considering flinging some of your pay this week to these folks.
WRITERS, AUTHORS & PUBLISHING HOUSES
Authors For Fireys has writers and other literary types auctioning off their books and other experiences (like a yum cha lunch with Benjamin Law), with the winning bid being directed to donate directly to the Country Fire Authority. It runs from now until 11pm AEDT on January 11.
Check out the nitty-gritty of the auctions over on the website, and here’s a choice selection of what Aussie authors and publishing houses are putting up to the highest bidder.
https://twitter.com/yassmin_a/status/1213949141233143814?s=20
For #AuthorsforFireys we’re offering the following package to the highest bidder:
– a *lifetime* online subscription to KYD
– an Online Writers Workshop of your choice
– a lucky dip print journal from the KYD archive!
Bid in comments – Ends 11pm AEDT Sat 11 Jan 💛 pic.twitter.com/3kyD2TpUYo
— Kill Your Darlings (@kyd_magazine) January 5, 2020
Auctioning 6 signed cookbooks +one-on-one recipe writing workshop (Skype or at my CC kitchen). Learn practical recipe writing + how to access the memories & tell the stories that give them meaning.Reply to bid. #AuthorsForFireys https://t.co/JYTXqgiKvY
— Julie Goodwin (@_JulieGoodwin) January 5, 2020
My book is a campaign handbook on how ppl from all walks of life & all sides of politics worked together to force the biggest social change in a generation, if you reply with a screenshot of a $50+ donation to a fire appeal, I’ll post you a signed copy for free!#AuthorsForFireys pic.twitter.com/0Bq5hTaEdo
— Sally Rugg (@sallyrugg) January 5, 2020
I’m donating signed copies of my fucking awesome cookbooks THE ZERO FUCKS COOKBOOK and ZERO FUCKS ENDLESS SUMMER, (the cookbooks for when you *have* to cook but got no more fucks to give) as part of #AuthorsForFireys ! pic.twitter.com/UPtDLzysFU
— Yumi Stynes she/her (@yumichild) January 5, 2020
Alright here we go #AuthorsForFireys. An auction to win dinner with me and my mum, Deb – the star of One Hundred Years of Dirt – together with 2x copies signed by both of us and advance copy of my next book when it is available later this year. Bid in replies, closes Jan 11. pic.twitter.com/y8rQX28zQg
— Rick Morton (@SquigglyRick) January 5, 2020
I’m in! I’ll send a personally autographed copy of Dead Man Switch to the highest bidder, and will arrange a meet and greet via Skype to chat about the novel, Billie Walker, the writing process or whatever you want, really. (Warning: I’m on Vancouver time zone!) #AuthorsForFireys https://t.co/775nB0XMww
— Tara Moss Author (@Tara_Moss) January 5, 2020
MUSIC, LIVE GIGS & ZINES
A whole bevvy of bands and musicians have made quick work of using both their celebrity and music to raise money for things like fire services, crisis support, and First Nations initiatives, whether it be from donating proceeds or profits to charities and not-for-profits, or working overtime to lock in charity gigs across the country.
Spanning across a whole bunch of genres, there’s a shitload of music happening out there to raise needed funds for those in desperate need.
Including, and I shit you not, The Wiggles.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B69mNyVhlFG/
🙏 You sold out the factory in just over an hour. We’ve upgraded to the Enmore Theatre, all welcome. https://t.co/xTcYlgL552 pic.twitter.com/UKAwy1BzXM
— Urthboy (@urthboy) January 6, 2020
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5AHZJ3lEDg/
Jess Mauboy, Montaigne and Lily Papas‘ performance at the Australian Open this year will donate all profits and proceeds to the Red Cross, cop yourself a ticket to the Jan 19 gig over here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B64L0mchHEu/
COMEDY
Comedians across the country have also whipped together a couple of very special events this month, with some big names in Aussie comedy performing in Sydney and Melbourne.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B67esBSB6WX/
ARTISTS
There are seemingly endless artists out there who are donating profits from everything from prints to tattoo flash to jewellery to bushfire appeals and initiatives. Check out some of the artists and incredibly creative folk below who are giving everything they feasibly can, and grab yourself some nice art for your home or your skin.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B62bRX1gFpw/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B69sW3lnHzQ/
CLOTHING, SKINCARE & OTHER BRANDS
As well as donating a total of $20k to the CFA, Spell from Byron Bay are auctioning off a private shopping experience with co-founder, Isabella Spell. The actual Make It Rain fundraising gigs at the Beach Hotel in Byron are extremely sold out, but you can still enter into the auction over on the Make It Rain website.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B65Ehd9gcx6/
Country Road Group – who yes did those duffle bags that everyone was obsessed with in the early 2010s – have donated $100k from all of their brands including Mimco and Witchery. They’re also encouraging people to donate directly to the Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund.
Koala Mattresses has donated $10k to the RFS, a solid donation to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital on top of its regular donations to the WWF, and are sending mattress donations for firefighters and families at the relief centre in Goulburn. They’ve urged customers and fans to donate directly to NFPs like the CFA and WIRES, and are working on more fundraising through an official raffle soon.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6-BOfGA2il/
The Body Shop has donated $25k to the Red Cross as well, and though they’re not actively donating profits from products at the time of writing, the company has directed customers to directly donate to several charities.
We’ll update this as we come across more initiatives and collectives holding events and raising funds for bushfire relief, please give us a shout on editor@pedestriangroup.com.au for anything we’ve missed.
