It’s never easy to make a living as an artist, but — as it has for all of us — the pandemic has made that even more precarious. This week, a coalition of seven organizations launched Artist Relief, the first U.S. national, multi-disciplinary direct-to-artist relief fund. But it is not the only one.
Artist Relief launches with $10 million in funding, which will be distributed directly to artists via unrestricted $5,000 grants. Deana Haggag, president of United States Artists, says, “Artists, architects, podcast producers, playwrights, art journalists — all can seek funding.” Areas of need that will be prioritized include housing, emergency medical care, and food, and applications will start being evaluated immediately.
Here are 19 other resources for artists:
All Artists
Arts and Culture Leaders of Color Emergency Fund: The Arts and Culture Leaders of Color Emergency Fund provides assistance to artists or arts administrators whose income has been directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Aid is available to those who self-identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color).
Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant: The Pollock-Krasner Foundation administers grants allowing artists to purchase materials, pay for studio rent, and cover their personal and medical expenses. Applications are acknowledged and considered immediately.
Visual Artists
Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant: The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant program offers one-time grants of up to $15,000 to painters, printmakers, and sculptors facing a specific crisis, including emergency medical need. To be eligible for a grant, an artist must demonstrate a minimum involvement of ten years in a mature phase of their work.
Anonymous Was a Woman Relief Grants: Anonymous Was A Woman, partnered with the New York Foundation for the Arts, plans to distribute $250,000 in unrestricted grants, up to $2,500 apiece, to women-identifying visual artists over the age of 40 in the United States and territories. The grants are intended to help artists respond to financial hardship from loss of income or opportunity as a result of the outbreak.
Artists’ Charitable Fund: The Artists’ Charitable Fund is assisting painters and sculptors with emergency medical bills. The fund will cover a portion of the bill, paying the sum directly to medical providers.
Artists’ Fellowship, Inc.: The Artists’ Fellowship is providing aid to professional visual artists facing immediate medical emergencies and their aftermaths. Applicants must be able to document their need and demonstrate that it is current, not anticipated.
FCA Emergency Grants COVID-19 Fund: The Foundation for Contemporary Arts (FCA) has created a temporary fund to meet the needs of experimental artists whose exhibitions and performances have been postponed or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rauschenberg Emergency Grants: The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, partnered with the New York Foundation for the Arts, offers one-time grants of up to $5,000 for unexpected medical emergencies. The grants are open to visual and media artists and choreographers who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the United States, District of Columbia, or U.S. Territories.
Sculpture / Craft
CERF+: CERF+ offers assistance to craft artists who have experienced a recent, career threatening emergency, including illness. CERF+ emergency aid includes grants and/or brokered assistance, such as booth fee waivers or discounts on equipment.
Photography
The Photographer Fund: The Photographer Fund is providing emergency assistance of up to $500 to self-employed photographers facing financial hardship in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Photographers around the globe are invited to apply, which will be distributed via PayPal.
Organizational / Curators
Kinkade Family Foundation Emergency Grant for Curators: The Kinkade Family Foundation is distributing emergency grants for curators who are developing projects promoting contemporary and experimental art. The Foundation will give priority to curators who have a venue secured for their project and are greatly impacted by financial challenges due to COVID-19.
The DeVos Institute - Pro Bono Consultation: The DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland invites applications for pro bono consultation from any U.S.-based arts organization affected by challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Musicians
MusiCares: MusiCares, partnered with the Recording Academy, invites grant requests of up to $1,000 from musicians in need of financial aid, due to cancelled work that was scheduled and lost. Eligible applicants include those who lost income due to the cancellation of scheduled gigs or performances due to COVID-19 precautionary measures.
Jazz Foundation of America: The Jazz Foundation of America has established a COVID-19 Musicians’ Emergency Fund to aid musicians and their families with living expenses. Musicians in crisis, including those who have lost income due to cancelled gigs, are encouraged to get in touch with an advocate through the foundation’s website.
The Blues Foundation: The Blues Foundation has set up the COVID-19 Blues Musician Emergency Relief Fund to provide aid to full-time blues musicians whose revenue streams have been severely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The fund is intended to assist with essential needs such as food, rent, utilities, and phone and car payments.
American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) Relief Fund– (USA): The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) Relief Fund offers support and financial assistance to members who are in need. Grants are given on an individual basis, and any AGMA member in good standing requiring assistance is encouraged to apply.
Writers / Dramatists
PEN America: PEN America invites professional writers in acute financial need to apply for one-time grants up to $1,000. The grants are intended to address emergency financial situations, and non-members of the organization are eligible to apply. All recipients of emergency funding will be given a complimentary one-year membership to PEN America.
Authors League Fund: The Authors League Fund is offering emergency aid to career writers experiencing a medical emergency. Priority is given to ill and/or older authors in need.
Dramatists Guild Foundation: The Dramatists Guild Foundation provides emergency grants to help cover costs associated with health care, child care, housing, disability, natural-disaster relief, and other unforeseen circumstances.
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