COVID-19 RESOURCES

Actors Fund Entertainment Assistance Program

The Actors Fund provides services and financial support to entertainment professionals facing personal or work-related problems. It is also a conduit for emergency financial assistance in times of pressing need or in response to catastrophic events.

Anonymous Was A Woman Emergency Relief Grant

This special grant allows women-identifying artists to apply for up to $2,500 for financial hardships from loss of income or opportunity as a direct result of the crisis. *NOTE: The application for this grant is closed.*

Artist Relief

Creative Capital has joined forces with our community to form Artist Relief, a new coalition of national arts grantmakers. This new initiative includes immediate, unrestricted emergency funding of $5,000 for individual artists of all disciplines to help those in need due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Artist Relief Project

Artists in any discipline who has been impacted by COVID19-related cancellations and closures may apply for assistance from this relief fund.

Arts and Culture Leaders of Color Emergency Fund

This emergency fund can provide up to $200 for people of color that are either working artist or art administration and are affected by COVID-19.

Authors League Fund

The Author League Fund helps professional writers in financial need because of medical or health-related problems, temporary loss of income, or other misfortune by providing no-strings-attached “loans” to pay for pressing expenses.

The Blues Foundation HART Fund

The Blues Foundation Handy Artists Relief Trust Fund is available to Blues musicians and their families who are in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns.

Carnegie Fund for Authors

The Carnegie Fund for Authors awards grants to published authors who are in need of emergency financial assistance as a result of illness or injury to self, spouse, or dependent child, or who has had some other misfortune that has placed the applicant in pressing and substantial pecuniary need.

CERF+ Emergency Relief Fund 

Artists who have suffered from a recent, career threatening emergency, such as an illness, accident, fire or natural disaster, can apply for funding. CERF+ also has a list of resources centered around the pandemic.

The Creator Fund

ConvertKit has established a fund to help creators in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have already received more applications than they have funding, but encourage creators to still apply.

Dramatists Guild Foundation

This fund provides emergency financial assistance to individual playwrights, composers, lyricists, and bookwriters in dire need of funds due to severe hardship or unexpected illness.

** Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant **

The Foundation for Contemporary Arts offers one-time $1,500 grants to artists who have had performances or exhibitions canceled or postponed because of the pandemic.

Gottlieb Emergency Grant Program

This emergency grant provides financial assistance to painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs are the result of an unforeseen incident, and who lack the resources to meet that situation.

Jazz Foundation Musicians Emergency Fund

Musicians who have made a living playing blues, jazz, and roots music can apply for emergency funding from the Jazz Foundation.

Kinkade Family Foundation Emergency Grant for Curators

This emergency grant provides funding for a curatorial project that sheds light on the world during this time of darkness. Priority will be given to curators who have a venue secured for their project and are greatly impacted by the challenges we are facing due to COVID-19.

Max’s Kansas City Emergency Grants

The Max’s Kansas City project provides emergency funding and resources to professionals in the creative arts.

Musicians Foundation

The Musicians Foundation provides grants to U.S. musicians in any genre in a time of acute need due to personal, medical, dental, or family crisis, natural disaster, or other emergency situation.

** National Endowment for the Arts CARES Act Guidelines **

Through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the National Endowment for the Arts will award funds to nonprofit arts organizations across the country to help these entities and their employees endure the economic hardships caused by the forced closure of their operations due to the spread of COVID-19.

New Music Solidarity Fund for Freelance Performers

Any musician who is in financial need, does not have a salaried position, and has had a project involving a living composer canceled because of the pandemic is invited to apply.

NYFA Emergency Grants List

The New York Foundation for the Arts has a running list of additional emergency grant opportunities for artists, categorized by disciplines.

PEN American Writers’ Emergency Fund

PEN America will distribute grants of $500 to $1,000 based on applications that demonstrate an inability to meet an acute financial need, especially one resulting from the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Photographer Fund

Format has put together a $25,000 relief fund designed to help photographers facing financial difficulties during the outbreak. The fund offers $500 per person.

Pillars Rapid Response Fund

This rapid response fund supports the personal expenses of Muslim artists and activists whose livelihoods are being negatively impacted by this current moment. The application is temporarily closed, but they encourage people to check back again soon.

Queer Writers of Color Relief Fund

This fund is for queer writers of color who are in need of financial assistance. The fund will make disbursements once per day.

Rauschenberg Emergency Grant

NYFA and the Rauschenberg Foundation have teamed up to offer visual and media artists and choreographers in the US grants of up to $5,000 for medical related emergencies.

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund

This relief fund provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet because of COVID-19.

Art Interrupted Emergency Arts Fund

Twenty Summer has launched an emergency fund for artists and arts organizations suffering from unexpected and unmanageable financial loss as a result of the COVID-19. Artists can receive up to $500, while arts organizations can receive up to $1,000.

Performing Arts Worker Relief Fund
Location: Bay Area

This is a resource for performing arts workers in the Bay Area who are facing a loss of income due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

UNTITLED, ART Emergency Fund
Location: Bay Area, California

Artists who live in the Bay Area for the past two years are eligible for $250 in an effort to support the security and protection of artists who, in “normal times,” hold part-time or contract work to prioritize their art practice.

Boston Artist Relief Fund
Location: Boston, Massachusetts

The Boston Artist Relief Fund will award grants of $500 and $1000 to individual artists who live in Boston whose creative practices and incomes are being adversely impacted by Coronavirus.

Chicago Theater Workers Relief Fund
Location: Chicago, Illinois

Chicago area theater professionals may apply for a grant of up to $500 on a first come first served basis.

Biscotto-Miller Theater Workers Fund
Location: Chicago, Illinois

This fund provides emergency assistance for any member of the Chicago theater community who is dealing with serious medical issues, including those that may result from COVID-19 infection.

Colorado Artist Relief Fund
Location: Colorado

This fund provides grants of up to $1,000 to individual artists who live in Colorado who are experiencing immediate needs due to COVID-19, and whose incomes are being adversely affected.

Dallas Low Income Artist Fund
Location: Dallas, Texas

This fund provides support for low-income, BIPOC, trans, gender nonconforming, and queer artists and freelancers whose livelihoods are being affected by the pandemic in Dallas.

Durham Artist Relief Fund
Location: Durham, North Carolina

Artist, arts presenter or arts venues in need of funds due to COVID-19 can apply for funding.

Hawaii Artists and Entertainment Fund
Location: Hawaii

Working artists or entertainment professionals in the Hawaii area in need of assistance due to COVID-19 can apply.

Arts for Illinois Relief Fund
Location: Illinois

This statewide effort that provides financial relief to artists and arts organizations in Illinois with urgent need due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indy Arts & Culture COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

This relief fund was created for individuals working in the Indianapolis arts sector and impacted by the current public health crisis.

Arts Emergency Relief Fund
Location: Los Angeles, California

This program provides emergency relief grants to City of Los Angeles-based dance, music, and theater artists, as well as small ensembles who have had their public performances, shows, or concerts cancelled.

** Maryland State Arts Council Emergency Grants **
Location: Maryland

These special grant opportunities provide emergency funding to arts organizations and artists in Maryland as they adjust to losses sustained because of programming, operations, and events that have been modified or cancelled.

Mass Cultural Council COVID-19 Relief
Location: Massachusetts

Individual artists, or teaching artists, humanist, or scientists who promote education in the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences living in Massachusetts can apply for this relief fund.

Oolite Arts Relief Fund
Location: Miami, Florida

This relief fund offers up to $500 to cover lost income due to COVID-19 to Miami-based Artists.

Springboard for the Arts Emergency Relief Fund
Location: Minnesota

This relief fund supports artists in Minnesota who experience career-threatening emergencies, expanded to include emergencies related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Artists can request up to $500 to compensate for cancelled work that was scheduled and lost.

** Fulcrum Fund **
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico

516 Art’s fund will provide $1,000 to 60 local artists who have lost income as a result of cancellations due to the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic in the Santa Fe area.

** Creative Response Fund Emergency Grants **
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Creative Response provides New Orleans-based artists, performers, writers, and culture bearers $2,000 individual emergency relief grants.

NYC Community Trust COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund
Location: New York, New York

The NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund was created to aid nonprofit service providers struggling with the health and economic effects of the coronavirus.

Mayer Foundation Economic Relief Grants
Location: New York, New York

The Mayer Foundation provides grants to individual artists and nonprofits who are distressed or suffering as a result of poverty, low income or lack of financial resources.

NYC Dancers Relief Fund
Location: New York, NY

This fund offers urgent relief to freelance dance artist who have suffered financial losses due to the spread of the COVID-19 and the government enforced social restrictions.

North Carolina Artist Relief Fund
Location: North Carolina

This fund has been created to support creative individuals who have been financially impacted by gig cancellations due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Artists and arts presenters in North Carolina can apply for emergency funding.

Philadelphia Performing Artists’ Emergency Fund
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This fund was created to assist performing artists whose income has been impacted by show cancellations, slowing ticket sales, or low turnout during this pandemic.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Emergency Fund
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Artists and creative workers living in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington, Lawrence, Indiana, Greene, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland counties are eligible to request up to $500.

Portland Area Artist Relief Emergency Fund
Location: Portland, Oregon

This fund is currently for freelance and independent artists residing in the Portland tri-county area.

San Fransisco Arts and Artists Relief Fund
Location: San Francisco, California

This emergency relief fund has been set up to help mitigate COVID-19 related financial losses that artists and small to mid-size arts and culture organizations have suffered. Individuals may apply for up to $2,000 and use the award however they see fit. Awards to organizations will range up to $25,000 and will be scaled based on budget size, up to $2 million.

San Francisco Foundation Emergency Response Fund for Nonprofits
Location: San Francisco, California

SFF will make a limited number of one-time grants between $3,000 and $25,000 to nonprofits that are addressing the following four issue areas, described in greater detail below: racial bias, worker protection, homelessness and renter protection/housing security, and food security.

4Culture Relief Fund
Location: Seattle, Washington

This relief fund will distribute $1 million to artists in the King County, Washington, area who are affected by closures, cancellations, and loss of work due to COVID-19. 

Creative Industry Relief Fund
Location: Fort Worth, Texas

This creative industry relief fund helps support musicians, artists, performers and filmmakers in the Tarrant County area in Texas who have lost work due to COVID-19.

Artist Trust Relief Fund
Location: Washington

This relief fund provides rapid response grants supporting critical needs of artists in Washington state whose livelihoods have been impacted by COVID-19.

Wherewithal Recovery Grants
Location: Washington, DC

These grants are available to professional visual artists living inside the DC-area Beltway. The $1,000 grants are intended to help offset lost income from cancelled exhibitions, performances, or lectures, and from canceled or furloughed employment. 

Washington Theatre Guide Taking Care Fund
Location: Washington, DC

Any theater professional currently residing in and who has actively worked in the Washington metropolitan area within the past two years is eligible to apply for emergency relief.

Coronavirus Preparedness for Theatres

This webinar by the Theatre Communications Group provides a holistic take on preparedness for theatres, including, general preparedness strategies, how to forecast budget shifts should productions be cancelled, how to navigate insurance, and more.

Freelance Artist Resources

A list of resources specifically designed to serve freelance artists, and those interested in supporting the independent artist community, including actors, designers, producers, technicians, stage managers, musicians, and more.

How Self-Employed Artists and Small Businesses Can Apply for Financial Aid

Art Newspaper has gathered information about grants and loans in the US and Europe to help self-employed artists and small businesses in the arts community get through the COVID-19 crisis.

Creative Captial Artist Ops

 https://creative-capital.org/2020/04/02/artist-opportunities-with-upcoming-deadlines-in-april-and-may-2020/ 

 Every month Creative Capital compiles a list of residencies, grants, and exhibition open calls to support in all disciplines. Despite the effects of COVID-19, many organizations are continuing to offer open applications, including the Arts Writers Grant Program. Their application, supporting visual arts writers with grants in articles, books, and short-form writing, opens April 15. 

 COVID-19 Resources for Artists and Arts Organizations - a list of national resources for artists and arts organizations from the National Endowment for the Arts 

 COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resources - a list of COVID-19 resources for freelance artists that has been assembled by an independent group of artists and administrators.