As artists, culture bearers, creative workers, freelancers, and more lose work and income due to cancellations and closings related to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, we look to share resources to support our community. This is a non-comprehensive list of emergency relief funds and funding resources as we navigate this moment together.
This page is an evolving list of resources for information, exchange, and support in this time. Accuracy at any given point cannot be guaranteed as this is a fast-moving and evolving situation. Please be in touch with updates or resources to add.
Springboard for the Arts' Personal Emergency Relief Fund is a resource dedicated to supporting artists in Minnesota who experience career-threatening emergencies. We have expanded the guidelines to include lost income due to the cancellation of a specific, scheduled gig or opportunity (i.e. commissions, performances, contracts) due to Coronavirus/COVID-19 precautionary measures. Artists can request up to $500 to compensate for cancelled work that was scheduled and lost.
Since the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic broke and Springboard launched the Coronavirus Response Personal Emergency Relief Fund, we've been heartened by both the number of people who want to give and the number of emergency funds popping up. We've fielded a lot of inquiries about our program and how we've managed it, and so we've put together a quick overview resource, "So You Want to Start an Emergency Relief Fund." We're sharing our program structure and big picture thoughts about running an emergency relief fund since 2001. We hope it's useful to you as you plan your response for your community.
More emergency resources and relief funds for artists, creative workers, and self-employed freelancers:
We have set up a fundraiser to expand the Personal Emergency Relief Fund, so that we can continue to support artists, contractors, and freelancers in Minnesota who have lost income due to Coronavirus/COVID-19. Please click below to give online, or send a check to:
Springboard for the Arts
Attn: Individual Giving
262 University Avenue West
Saint Paul, MN 55103
If you have any questions about individual giving, please contact Katie Hae Leo, Development Director, at katiehl@springboardforthearts, or 651-292-4381.
See our collection of local and national resources for artists and creative workers responding to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.
MINNESOTA-SPECIFIC RESOURCES
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council – (Minnesota)
http://aracouncil.org/small-grant-covid19/
East Central Regional Arts Council Emergency Response Grants – (Minnesota)
https://www.ecrac.org/grants/individual/covid-19-emergency-response-grant-individuals
MNDEED Coronavirus Information for Workers – (Minnesota)
https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/covid/workers/
Saint Paul Bridge Fund – (St. Paul, MN)
https://www.stpaul.gov/saint-paul-bridge-fund
Twin Cities Music Community Trust – (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN)
https://www.twincitiesmusiccommunitytrust.org/
Unemployment Insurance – (Minnesota)
https://www.uimn.org/applicants/needtoknow/news-updates/covid-19.jsp
Unemployment Insurance – (Minnesota)
Step-by-Step Guide to Completing the Unemployment Insurance Application for Self-Employed and Contract Workers (published March 30): https://www.uimn.org/assets/application-step-by-step-instructions-selfemployed_tcm1068-425640.pdf
USA RESOURCES
Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation – (USA)
https://www.gottliebfoundation.org/individual-support-grant-1/
American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) Relief Fund– (USA)
https://agmarelief.org/
Anonymous Was a Woman Emergency Relief Grant – (USA)
https://www.nyfa.org/Content/Show/Anonymous-Was-A-Woman-Emergency-Relief-Grant
Artist Emergency Relief Fund – (Greensboro, NC)
https://www.artsgreensboro.org/emergency-fund-artist-application/
Artists Benevolence Fund – (Laguna Beach, CA)
https://sawdustartfestival.org/about/artists-benevolence-fund/
Artists of Color Emergency Grants – (Illinois)
https://www.forthepeoplecollective.org/
Arts and Culture Leaders of Color Emergency Fund – (USA)
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfv4AazvLFVUNAgXoxqBqfZ7jJVkrMroa-CET6Vt6XygR-CaQ/formResponse
Arts for Illinois – (IL)
https://3arts.org/artist-relief
Black and Brown Creatives Artist Emergency Fund for Boston Area Critically At-Risk Artists – (MA)
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ZOo3u7pYkDnnWx52uNcSn8NYnlb6T4nTxf03KWz51r4/viewform?edit_requested=true
Black Cube Open Call – (Colorado)
https://blackcube.art/event/video-art-open-call-for-submissions
Boston Artist Relief Fund – (Boston, MA)
https://cityofbostonartsandculture.submittable.com/submit/af2153eb-2d87-4e9d-9ebc-5861eb135999/boston-artist-relief-fund
Boston Dance Alliance Dance Relief Fund – (Boston, MA)
https://www.bostondancealliance.org/boston-dance-alliance-dance-relief-fund/
Cambridge Artist Relief Fund – (Cambridge, MA)
http://cambridgecf.org/artist-relief-fund/
CERF+ – (USA)
https://cerfplus.org/get-relief/apply-for-help/
Charlottesville Emergency Relief Fund – (Charlottesville, VA)
https://thebridgepai.org/charlottesville-emergency-relief-fund-for-artists/
Chicago Artist Relief Fund – (Chicago, IL)
https://docs.google.com/forms/
Comedy Gives Back – (USA)
https://www.comedygivesback.com/covid-19-grant
Crosshatch Artist Emergency Fund – (Michigan)
https://www.crosshatch.org/emergency
Culture Connects Coalition Artist Relief Fund – (Santa Fe, NM)
https://www.santafenm.gov/culture_connects_coalition
Durham Artist Relief Fund – (Durham, NC)
https://www.northstardurham.com/artistrelief
Dramatists Guild Foundation – (USA)
https://dgf.org/programs/grants/grants-for-writers/
Equal Sound Corona Relief Fund – (USA)
https://equalsound.org/musicians-corona-relief-fund-application/
Emergency Relief Fund for Arizona Artists and Arts Professionals – (AZ)
https://azarts.gov/grant/emergency-relief-fund/
Erie Arts & Culture, Emergency Financial Assistance Fund – (Erie, PA)
https://www.erieartsandculture.org/programs-and-services/funding/emergency-financial-assistance-fund/
Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants – (USA)
https://www.foundationforcontemporaryarts.org/grants/emergency-grants
Indy Arts & Culture COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund – (Indianapolis, IN)
https://indykeepscreating.org/apply/
Jazz Foundation of America – (USA)
http://www.jazzfoundation.org/what-we-do/housing-and-emergency-assistance
Jenie Gao: Small Business Administration from an artist's perspective
https://learningtosee.jenie.org/sba-disaster-loan-artists-edition-what-you-need-to-know/
Joan Mitchell Foundation – (USA)
http://joanmitchellfoundation.org/artist-programs/artist-grants/emergency
Imagine 2020 Artist Assistance Fund – (Denver, CO)
http://www.artsandvenuesdenver.com/about-imagine-2020/imagine-2020-artist-assistance-fund
Imagine MKE – (Milwaukee, WI)
https://imaginemke.org/mke-artist-relief-fund/
Martha Kate Thomas Fund for Artists Grant, Boulder County Arts Alliance – (Boulder, CO)
https://www.bouldercountyarts.org/thomas_fund_grant_guidelines
MusiCares – (USA)
https://www.grammy.com/musicares
New Orleans Business Alliance Relief Fund for Gig Workers – (New Orleans, LA)
https://www.nolaba.org/relief-fund/
North Carolina Artist Relief Fund – (NC)
https://vaeraleigh.org/artist-relief-fund
Oolite Arts - Relief Fund for artists for COVID-19 – (Miami, FL)
https://oolitearts.org/relieffund/
PEN America Writers Emergency Fund – (USA)
https://pen.org/writers-emergency-fund/
Pittsburgh Arts Council Emergency Fund for Artists – (Pittsburgh, PA)
https://www.pittsburghartscouncil.org/programs/artist-services/emergency-fund
Pollock-Krasner Foundation – (USA)
http://pkf.org/our-grants/#pollock-krasner-foundation-grant
Rauschenberg Emergency Grants – (USA)
https://www.nyfa.org/Content/Show/Rauschenberg-Emergency-Grants
Safety Net Fund Bay Area – (Bay Area, CA)
https://medium.com/@safetynet/the-safety-net-fund
Shade Literary Arts Queer Writers of Color Relief Fund – (USA)
https://www.gofundme.com/f/queer-writers-of-color-relief-fund
Seattle Artists Relief Fund Amid COVID-19 – (Seattle, WA)
https://www.gofundme.com/f/for-artists
Sweet Relief COVID-19 Fund – (USA)
https://www.sweetrelief.org/covid-19-fund.html
Tamarack Foundation for the Arts – (West Virginia)
https://tamarackfoundation.org/fund-your-ideas/emergency-relief-funds/
Tegan and Sara Foundation Community Grants – (USA)
https://www.teganandsarafoundation.org/communitygrants
The Actors Fund – (USA)
http://actorsfund.org/services-and-programs/entertainment-assistance-program
The Columbus Foundation Emergency Response Fund – (Columbus, OH)
https://columbusfoundation.org/coronavirus-emergency-response-fund
Unemployment Insurance – (USA)
Check your state's UI for details
Vermont Rapid Response Artist Relief – (VT)
https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/grants/artists/rapid-response-artist-relief
Writers Emergency Assistance Fund – (USA)
http://asja.org/For-Writers/WEAF
INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES
Artist Emergency Relief Fund – (Ireland)
https://www.civictheatre.ie/blog/civic-news/artist-emergency-relief-fund/
Artist Relief Tree – (International)
https://artistrelieftree.com/request-funding/
Artists At Risk Connection – (International)
https://artistsatriskconnection.org/
COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resource – (International)
https://covid19freelanceartistresource.wordpress.com/
South West Creatives – Corona Virus Impact Fund – (Bristol, England)
https://www.gofundme.com/f/south-west-artists-corona-impact-fund