A coalition of seven national arts grantmakers has launched its Artist Relief initiative, which will provide rapid, unrestricted $5,000 relief grants to artists facing financial emergencies due to the impact of COVID-19. Artist Relief will also co-launch the COVID-19 Impact Survey for Artists and Creative Workers, designed by research partner Americans for the Arts, to better identify and address the needs of artists moving forward.
The fund begins with $10 million, consisting of $5 million in seed funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation matched with $5 million in initial contributions from an array of foundations across the country. Organizers will continue to fundraise beyond the launch of the grant program to assist with the escalating needs of the country's artists.
The fund will operate through the next six months as organizers monitor the impact of the pandemic. Artists living in all 50 states, territories, and Tribal Nations—working in any discipline—are eligible to apply for the $5,000 grant. Applicants must be 21 or older, able to receive taxable income in the United States regardless of their citizenship status, and have lived and worked primarily in the U.S. over the last two years. Artists demonstrating the most severe financial needs will be prioritized, with an emphasis on funding widely across disciplines and geographies.
Grant applications are available at ArtistRelief.org.
“In hard times like these, we turn to the arts to illuminate and help us make meaning and find connection. Without immediate intervention, individual artists and the arts ecosystem of which they are the foundation could sustain irreparable damage,” said writer Elizabeth Alexander, president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. “As artists confront these new fiscal realities, we are proud to support this vital effort to address artists’ urgent needs. We call on others to join us in supporting artists so they may continue to be our lights, chroniclers, and connectors throughout this crisis and beyond.”
To meet the needs of as many artists as possible, donations to Artist Relief can be made at ArtistRelief.org. Donations are tax-deductible; 100 percent of the donations will be applied directly to aid.
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