Emergency Grants and Resources for Artists
This list has been compiled in an effort to help artists across the nation find emergency funding in these unprecedented times. Please check the organization's website for further information about eligibility and application details.
Emergency Funding
National Emergency Grants
- For black women artists
- offering monthly awards starting at $1,000 from April 2020 to August 2020 and may continue into January 2021
- The application must be received by the 1st of every month
The Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant
- For qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors who are able to demonstrate a minimum involvement of ten years in a mature phase of his or her work.
- One-time assistance for a specific emergency
- The maximum amount of this grant is $15,000; an award of $5,000 is typical.
- This program has no deadlines
- For artists and activists whose work has been impacted by COVID-19
- Grants of $250 awarded to selected applicants on an on-going basis dependent upon available funds
- Join the waiting list
- For artists in need of financial assistance due to medical, fire or other disasters
- Contact the Fund Coordinator
Arts and Culture Leaders of Color Emergency Fund
- For those who BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists and arts administrators
- A one-time micro-grant of $200
Artists Fellowship Emergency Aid
- For professional fine artists and their families dealing with immediate medical emergencies and their aftermaths
- Year-round opportunity, except in the months of July and August
- Best time to apply in at the beginning of the month
- For any artist in any discipline who has been impacted by COVID19-related cancellations and closures
- Stipends and support were given on a first-come, first-serve basis with a one-time emergency stipend of $200 and free resources and support to pursue alternative economic opportunities
- Alternative needs-based opportunity was also available
- Sign up for their newsletter to stay informed on future opportunities
- For working artists in dire financial hardship due to COVID-19
- Grants of up to $5,000
- Deadline not specified
COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resource
- For freelance artists looking for funding opportunities, wellness support, job opportunities, or information on how to take action to advocate for the arts
Crews Nation Global Relief Fund for Live Music Crews
- For live music crews who have been directly impacted as shows are put on pause due to COVID-19
- Accepting applications in phases based on when shows were originally scheduled to play
- For 30 young creatives and arts professionals
- Providing a one-time relief donation of $500
- The application window has closed
- Check their website for updates about other resources
- For freelancers who primarily reside in the United States and experiencing a sudden decrease of at least 50% of income as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Assistance of up to $1,000 per household
- Applications may be temporarily closed, check their website for updates
Foundation of Contemporary Arts, Artist Relief Fund
- For artists who have had performances or exhibitions canceled or postponed because of the COVID-19 virus
- Grants of $1,500 will be awarded to select applicants
- Deadline is December 1, 2020
- For freelance professional artists who have experienced a recent, unforeseen emergency or triggering event that has significantly and adversely affected the qualified person’s ability to produce, perform and/or market his/her work and, thus, creates the need for immediate relief funds and/or assistance
- All work must be done in the United States
The Jazz Foundation's Musicians' Emergency Fund
- For musicians who have made a living playing blues, jazz, and roots music
- Support programs include housing and emergency assistance, pro-bono medical, disaster relief, and COVID-19 emergency funding
- For musicians of any genre in a time of acute need, due to personal, medical, dental, or family crisis, natural disaster, or other emergency situation
- Grants typically range in amount from approximately $500-$3000
PEN America, Writers' Emergency Fund
- For professional writers
- 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
- Applications are currently paused, but an update will be provided on their website in mid-September
- For photographers who are facing financial hardships
- No longer accepting submissions
- Check their website for updates on future deadlines and programs
The Recording Academy and MusiCares Relief Fund
- For music professionals affected by the Coronavirus pandemic
- COVID-19 emergency fund has closed
- Other resources are still available for artists
Relief Fund for Muslim Artists and Activists
- The application window is temporarily closed, please check their website for updates
- For musicians and music industry workers affected by the Coronavirus
- A donor-directed fund
Queer Writers of Color Relief Fund
- For queer writers of color only
- Grants of $100 to $500 based on need
- Applications have been paused, please check their website for updates
Emergency Grants in the Northeastern States
- For individual artists who live in Boston whose creative practices and incomes are being adversely impacted by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Grants of $500 to $1,000
- The application window will be open on a rolling basis
Boston Music Maker Relief Fund
- For Boston-area music makers experiencing lost income as the result of performance cancellations related to COVID-19
- grants of up to $200 will be paid rapidly on a first-come, first-served basis to affected artists and groups
- The application window closed on April 30, 2020
- Other resources are available on their website
- For arts organizations and artists who live, work, create, and/or perform in Cambridge
- This fund has been closed, check their website for other local resources
Cambridge COVID-19 Emergency Fund
- For Cambridge residents – or people whose main source of income emanates from Cambridge, MA
- One-time grants ranging from $200 to $1,000 will be made available on a rolling basis until funds are depleted
- This fund has been closed
- For individual artists whose operations, work and livelihood have been deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Up to $500 for working artists and up to $1,000 for small arts and culture organizations in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties
- This fund has been closed
Erie Arts & Culture's Emergency Financial Assistance Fund
- For creative or cultural professionals in the Erie region
- Apply for grants of up to $500
Greater Pittsburgh Emergency Fund for Artists
- For artists and creative workers living in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington, Lawrence, Indiana, Greene, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland counties
- Apply for grants of up to $500
- This fund has been closed to new applicants
Theatre Community Benevolent Fund
- For active individual theater practitioners and all operational non-profit organizations of Greater Boston and the surrounding areas
- Individual funding will be between $500 and $1,500 based on individual circumstances and documentation of specific COVID 19 losses
Mass Cultural Council Relief Fund for Individuals
- For individual artists and independent teaching artists/humanists/scientists who have lost income derived from their work
- Grants of up to $1,000
- Applications closed on April 22, 2020
- Visit their website to learn more about other opportunities for support
New York, Max's Kansas City Project
- For professionals in the creative arts living in New York or who have been affiliated with Max's Kansas City
- Funding is determined according to the individual’s need and is disbursed in the form of a grant not to exceed $1000
- Deadline not specified
NYC Dancers Relief Fund (COVID-19)
- For freelance dance artists who have suffered financial losses due to the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) and the government enforced social restrictions
- Funds will be distributed in increments of up to $500 and will not exceed $1,000
- Closed until further notice, visit their website to learn more
- For individuals working in NYC independent theater (Off-Off-Broadway in theater houses of 99 seats or less), operating with budgets under $250,000
- Grants will be awarded on an on-going basis until funds run out
- For tri-state non-salaried workers in the visual artists
- Applicants may apply for cash grants of up to $2,000
- Application window was open on a rolling basis and has since closed
The Vermont Community Foundation
- For artists and arts and cultural organizations located in the state of Vermont
- Multiple opportunities available
- Some grant deadlines have changed, visit their website to find details
Vermont Rapid Response Artist Relief
- For artists who have lost income due to the loss of a job or cancellation of a specific, scheduled gig or opportunity (e.g., commissions, performances, contracts, workshops, classes, etc.) because of COVID-19
- Applications are now closed
- Visit their website to learn more about awardees
Emergency Grants in the Central States
The Arts Commission Artist Relief Fund, Toledo
- For individual artists and artist collectives with a residence or a creative studio within 25 miles of downtown Toledo
- Application window has closed
- Visit their website to learn more about awardees
Chicago Theatre Workers Relief Fund
- For Chicago-area theatre professionals
- Grants of up to $500 on a first-come-first-served basis
- Deadline not specified
- For dance professionals based in Chicago
- May provide up to $4,000 annually to a dance professional facing a critical health need
- Deadline is not specified
Chippewa Valley Artist Relief Fund
- For artists/creatives, living in the Chippewa Valley, in need of support due to event/gig cancellations, the inability to sell your work/book shows, and/or lost revenue from your day job being eliminated from the coronavirus outbreak
- Individual distributions are capped at $500
- Deadline is not specified
Crosshatch Artist Emergency Fund
- For individual artists (not non-profits or institutions) who earn 33% or more of their income from their art, who have lost income because of COVID-19 related cancellations, and who live in the 5-county area of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau, MI
- Maximum request of $500
- Deadline is not specified
Greater Columbus COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grants for Artists
- For professional, working artists (age 18 and older) who live in Franklin County
- Grants of up to $1,000, with priority being given to those with the direst needs of shelter, food and other essentials
- Application window will be open on a rolling basis
Indy Arts & Culture COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund
- For individuals working in the arts sector and impacted by the current public health crisis, specifically independent artists and staff working for small-to-midsize nonprofit arts and cultural organizations
- Rapid response grants of $500
- The application window will be open on a rolling basis
- For any member of the Chicago theater community who is dealing with serious medical issues, including those that may result from COVID-19 infection
- Proof of testing positive for the virus is required
- Deadline not specified
Springboard for the Arts Personal Emergency Relief Fund
- For artists in Minnesota
- Request up to $500 to compensate for canceled work that was scheduled and lost
- The application window will open on a rolling basis dependent upon available funds
Emergency Grants in the Southern States
ArtsGreensboro Artist Emergency Relief Fund
- For artists of Greater Greensboro
- ArtsGreensboro will disperse funds weekly, based on available funds
- For artists who are unable to leave their home or out of work
- Delivering free home-cooked, nutritious meals to doorsteps
Charlottesville Emergency Relief Fund for Artists
- For artists living in the Charlottesville area including the city of Charlottesville or the counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, or Nelson
- Deadline not specified
- For artists and arts presenters in Durham, NC who have been financially impacted by cancellations due to COVID-19
- Priority given to BIPOC artists, transgender & nonbinary artists, and disabled artists
- Grants will be disbursed once per month depending on available funds
- For visual artists located in North Texas
- Deadline not specified
- For artists and arts organizations headquartered within Houston city limits
- All city-funded grant programs are currently closed
- Sign up to receive information about future deadlines and programs
New Orleans Business Alliance Relief Fund for Gig Workers
- For gig economy workers who have been directly impacted via loss of income
- Awards of $500 - $1,000 dependent on a determination of need
- The application window is temporarily suspended, visit their website to learn more
North Carolina Artist Relief Fund
- For artists and arts presenters in North Carolina who have been financially impacted by gig cancellations due to the outbreak of COVID-19
- The application window is temporarily closed, please check their website for updates
Oolite Arts Relief Fund for COVID-19
- For visual artists who live in Miami-Dade County
- Request up to $500 to cover lost income due to the novel Coronavirus
- Application window closed on April 16, 2020
- Visit their website to learn more
- For individuals currently residing in Oklahoma and has been working in the music industry for at least 5 years
- Each recipient is eligible for up to $3,000 annually, or $10,000 maximum in a lifetime, depending on circumstances
- Deadline not specified
Emergency Grants in the Western States
4 Culture Cultural Relief Fund
- For artists and arts groups in King County, Washington
- Grants up to $2,000 for COVID-19-related emergencies
- This fund has closed, please visit their website for other resources
- For Colorado-based artists
- Awarding 10 artists $200 each for selected video submissions
- The application window closed April 10, 2020
- Visit their website to learn more
California Relief Fund for Artists and Cultural Practitioners
- For more than 900 California-based individual artists and cultural practitioners statewide
- Offering unrestricted $1,000 rapid-relief grants
- The application window will close on August 18, 2020, at 3 P.M.
COVID-19 Artist Trust Relief Fund
- For individual artists of all disciplines residing in Washington State
- Grants range from $500-$5,000 based on artists’ needs
- Account required
- For 60 artists based within an 80-mile radius of Albuquerque who have lost income as a result of cancellations due to the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic
- Awarding $60,000 in emergency relief grants
- This fund has closed, please visit their website to learn more about other resources
IMAGINE 2020 Artist Assistance Fund
- For individual artists who live in Denver and within an 80-mile radius of Denver (including Colorado Springs and Fort Collins)
- Grants of up to $1,000
- The application window is temporarily closed, visit their website to learn more
Laguna Beach Artists’ Benevolence Fund
- For working artists living in Laguna Beach, CA
- $1000 maximum monthly grant amount
- Deadline not specified
Los Angeles Arts Emergency Relief Fund
- For City of Los Angeles-based dance, music, and theatre artists, as well as small ensembles who have had their public performances, shows, or concerts canceled
- Solo artists are eligible for up to $400 and ensembles up to $1,200
- The deadline to apply was June 1, 2020
The Martha Kate Thomas Fund for Artists
- For artists located in Boulder County, CO
- Grants of up to $3,000 on a rolling basis
- Visit their website to find details
- For artists located in the Bay Area
- The maximum grant is $500 per person per month, and the number of grants per month is dependent upon the funds raised
The San Francisco Arts & Artists Relief Fund
- For individuals (artists, teaching artists, cultural producers, etc.) living full-time in San Francisco
- Grants of up to $2,000 may be used however awardee sees fit
- This fund has closed, please visit their website for updates
Seattle Artist Relief Fund Amid COVID-19
- For the greater Seattle arts community who have been financially impacted by cancellations due to COVID-19
- Applications have been temporarily suspended, please check their website for updates
- For artists who have graduated from a Bay Area institution or have lived in the Bay Area for two years as a working artist
- Funds of $250 per member of a household
- Application deadline was March 31, 2020
- For individual artists of all disciplines residing in Washington State
- Grants range from $500-$5,000 based on artists’ needs
- Account required
Additional Resources
File For Unemployment
We're facing the harsh reality that many in the cultural sector have lost their jobs due to the impact of COVID-19.
Along with applying for grant funding opportunities, make sure you also apply for unemployment if you've recently lost your job and are eligible for unemployment benefits.
Hyperallergic Artist Opportunities
A list of artist contests and other opportunities to share your work.
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