NATIONWIDE: Artist Relief, a coalition of Academy of American Poets, Artadia, Creative Capital, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, MAP Fund, National YoungArts Foundation, and United States Artists, has announced that it has raised nearly $20 million to support artists affected by the pandemic.
Since establishing the direct-to-artist fund in April, Artist Relief has distributed $13.5 million in funding to 2,700 individual artists across multiple disciplines. In addition to the continued support of foundations, the fund has received contributions that will extend the $5,000 grants through December.
“Over the last six months, we have witnessed artists face extraordinary fiscal challenges as a result of the COVID-19 crisis,” said Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, in a statement. “At Mellon, we have continued to work closely with Artist Relief and many other partners across the country to support artists as they navigate this difficult time. We need artists as we work to heal and recover, and we continue to call on others to join us in supporting artists so they may continue to illuminate our path forward from this prolonged pandemic.”
To date, Artist Relief has received more than 130,000 applications. The initiative is prioritizing applicants in need of rent, food, medical, and dependent care. The coalition has adopted an explicit equity lens in the application and selection process to address structural access barriers to relief grants encountered by disabled artists, individuals of color, low-income communities, and other vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Artists needing support can apply online. Tax-deductible donations can still be made to support the initiative and will help extend the fund for as long as possible.
