Arts & Artists

Help during COVID-19

Help is coming for artists and entrepreneurs affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

• Arts and Culture Leaders of Color Emergency Fund intends to support artists or art administrators who identify as a person of color whose income has been directly impacted by COVID-19.
• Artist Relief is an initiative by Creative Capital and several national grantmakers for immediate, unrestricted emergency funding of $5,000 for individual artists of all disciplines.
• Artist Relief Project is an initiative of Artly World to assist artists, musicians, and performers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis with a short-term relief cash stipend or long-term assistance such as programs and resources. 
• Collective Fund for Trans Communities provides financial resources to trans-led organizations, gender nonconforming, and non-binary communities who are organizing in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
• COVID-19 Arts Aid PHL provides grants up to $500 for individual artists and up to $1,000 for small arts and culture organizations. 
• Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) has a dedicated emergency response fund for artists dealing with health impacts from the coronavirus.
• Emergency Gap Relief Fund for Philly’s Black Working Artists is from the Village of Arts and Humanities and does what it says.
• Foundation for Contemporary Artists is providing relief for a canceled performance or exhibition due to COVID-19.
• MusicCares Foundation provides short-term financial assistance for personal or addiction needs that have arisen due to unforeseen circumstances.
• Musicians Foundation Emergency Aid is temporarily closed due to a high volume of applicants, but will reopen.
• The NDN COVID-19 Response Project is designed to provide rapid response resources to Indigenous artists, entrepreneurs and small businesses. 
• PEN America Writers’ Emergency Fund provides small grants to published or produced writers in acute or unexpected financial crisis.
• Philadelphia Performing Artists’ Emergency Fund was created to assist Philly performing artists whose income has been impacted by show cancellations, slowing ticket sales, or low turnout during the pandemic.
• Rauschenberg Emergency Grants provides one-time grants of up to $5,000 for unexpected medical emergencies.

Many of the Philadelphia-friendly artist resource organizations on this site are developing their own crisis response. You may also be eligible for a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Other Lists

• Authors League Fund publishes a list of emergency resources, and helps career authors, dramatists, journalists, and poets in emergency circumstances.
• COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resource is a clearinghouse for financial, legal and health assistance.
• Creative Capital is compiling a a list of resources for artists working in all disciplines, as well as arts philanthropists and arts professionals.

We will get through this crisis together. Please reach out to Jake Norton jnorton@nkcdc.org or Jessi Koch at jkoch@nkcdc.org, or call 215-427-0350 with your needs and ideas.