Artist Resources
Tools for Bay Area artists grappling with the repercussions of the COVID-19 outbreak.Intersection for the Arts recognizes the immense burden COVID-19 places on artists and their livelihoods. We also recognize that the arts sector is innovative and resilient and that together we will find a way through these times. Intersection provides the following tools and resources to help artists navigate this moment:
Emergency Money
Actors Fund Entertainment Assistance Program
Any performing arts or entertainment professional may call on the Entertainment Assistance Program for support.
Adolph & Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant
Provides interim financial assistance to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs are the result of an unforeseen, catastrophic incident, and who lack the resources to meet that situation.
ArtsFund COVID-19 Arts Emergency Relief Fund
Immediate relief grants for arts organizations negatively impacted by COVID-19.
Arts and Culture Leaders of Color Emergency Fund
The Arts and Culture Leaders of Color Emergency Fund is intended to help those pursuing careers as artists or arts administrators whose income has been directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Arts Loan Fund COVID-19 Emergency Loans
Loan can cover any emergency need identified by the borrower to help the organization stay solvent until Federal/State/County restrictions on social gatherings are lifted and events and programming can be resumed.
Artists' Fellowship Financial Aid
Provides emergency aid to professional visual artists and their families in times of sickness, natural disaster, bereavement or unexpected extreme hardship.
ASJA Writers Emergency Assistance Fund
Helps established freelance writers who, because of illness, disability, a natural disaster, or an extraordinary professional crisis are unable to work.
Authors League Fund
Helps professional authors, journalists, poets, and dramatists who find themselves in financial need because of medical or health-related problems, temporary loss of income, or other misfortune.
The Blues Foundation HART Fund
For blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns.
California Jazz Foundation
Financial assistance for jazz musicians.
Center for Cultural Innovation SF Arts & Artists Relief Fund
The San Francisco Arts & Artists Relief Fund is made possible by the San Francisco Arts Commission and Grants for the Arts.
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.
The Creator Fund
Providing financial assistance to active creators who are experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. If you have medical, childcare, housing, or grocery needs, you can apply for assistance.
Facebook Small Business Grant Program
Offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits.
Foundation for Contemporary Arts COVID-19 Relief Fund
For those seeking relief for a canceled performance or exhibition.
Freelancer COVID-19 Emergency Fund
If you’re a creative freelancer who has been adversely affected by the COVID-19 virus and resulting public response, you can apply for temporary assistance.
The Haven Foundation
Offers interim financial assistance to freelance professionals in the arts who face crises.
Music Health Alliance COVID-19 Relief Resources
Emergency financial assistance is available for music professionals who are unable to pay their basic living expenses (health insurance/food/health care) over the next two months.
MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund
The Recording Academy and its affiliated charitable foundation MusiCares have established the COVID-19 Relief Fund to help our peers in the music community affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Musicians Foundation
Gives grants for medical and allied living expenses in emergencies.
PEN America Writers' Emergency Fund
Providing small grants for professional—published or produced—writers in acute or unexpected financial crisis.
The Photographer Fund
A $25,000 fund to help photographers impacted by COVID-19. Self-employed photographers who are facing financial hardships are invited to apply for assistance of up to $500 per person.
Rauschenberg Emergency Grants
The program provides one-time grants of up to $5,000 for unexpected medical emergencies.
The Safety Net Fund
The Safety Net Fund is a fiscally sponsored project of Intersection for the Arts designed to help support artists in the Bay Area during the COVID-19 crisis.
San Francisco OEWD COVID-19 Small Business Resiliency Fund
Allows impacted small business owners to access up to $10,000 for employee salaries and rent.
SOZE Foundation Artist + Activist Relief Fund
Supports artists + activists whose work has been impacted by COVID-19.
Theatre Bay Area Performing Arts Worker Relief Fund
A resource for performing arts workers who are facing a loss of income due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
UNTITLED, ART Emergency Fund
Qualifications for the UNTITLED, ART Emergency Fund include financial assistance for freelance, hourly, and wage working artists vulnerable to the economic standstill. Funds of $250 per member of household will be distributed by the &Art& team 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.
Business Resources
- Employment Development Department Disaster Unemployment Assistance Fact Sheet
- San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development Resources for Businesses and Employees Impacted by COVID-19
- Unemployment Insurance Eligibility Guide
- CDC Guidance for Businesses and Employers
- Leave and Pay Issues Related to COVID-19 from Fenton & Keller
- Families First Coronavirus Response Act (english explanation)
- Familias Primero Acta de Respuesta al Coronavirus (resumen en español)
- Americans for the Arts Preparedness Guide for the Arts Sector
- WAGE Guidelines for the Postponement of Cancellation of Work
- CERF+ Artist Business Continuity Planning
- SBA Disaster Assistance Loans
- CA Employment Development Department Statement
- Find info from your local health department
- Lawyers Alliance legal tips for protecting your business
- Report on Usage and Impact of Digital Technologies in the Arts and Culture Sector (Arts Council England)
- Race Forward statement on COVID-19 impact on communities of color
Resource Databases
Please note that many of these databases contain duplicate information. We include them here for your perusal.
- Americans for the Arts Resource and Response Center
- Alliance of Artist Communities Emergency Relief Programs List
- California Lawyers for the Arts Emergency Resources
- Creative Capital COVID-19 Resource List
- Grantspace COVID-19 Emergency Financial Resources
- Resources for Freelancers
- Kickstarter COVID-19 Crisis Resource Guide
- KQED Emergency Funds List
- National Endowment for the Arts COVID-19 Resources for Artists and Arts Organizations
- New York Foundation for the Arts Emergency Resources
- WomenArts Emergency Funds
Tools
- How to plan a virtual event
- How to recession-proof your creative practice
- A creative person’s guide to feeling healthy
- Preparedness webinar from Event Safety Alliance
- Preparedness webinar for theaters from Theatre Communications Group
- Sample communications from League of American Orchestras
- Tips and tools for event organizers
- Tools for the museum field from American Alliance of Museums
- Resources for Art Houses and Cinemas from Art House Convergence
- Resources for the Arts Education Field from Arts Education Partnership
- Association of Performing Arts Professionals Emergency Preparedness
- Muff Magazine Emergency Digital Issue Call for Submissions
- Tour a Virtual Museum
- Art in the Time of Corona
- LEVYdance Online Dance Classes
- Women’s Audio Mission Virtual Workshops
Take Action
Americans for the Arts Economic Impact Survey
This survey is designed to collect information about the financial and human impacts that the spread of the coronavirus have had on arts and cultural organizations.
CARES Act
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), will provide forgivable Small Business Administration loans for struggling non-profit arts organizations and independent artists, as well as $75 million of emergency funding through the National Endowment for the Arts. A massive expansion of unemployment benefits that would put up to $1050 per week into the pockets of many self-employed and contract workers such as independent artists and increase the period that someone can receive benefits from 26 weeks to 39 weeks.
DONATE to performing arts workers
The COVID-19: Performing Arts Worker Relief Fund is a resource for performing arts workers who are facing a loss of income due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Theatre Bay Area has launched this fund with the generous donations from individual donors, many of them fellow artists.
DONATE to visual, literary, media, film, and video arts
Fund organized by Independent Arts & Media.
Volunteer for East Oakland Collective COVID-19 Response
In light of COVID-19, East Oakland Collective has had to adjust normal food and supply distribution programs. They are currently resourcing food and supplies and using our office at 7800 MacArthur Blvd. as a resource and distribution hub.
Volunteer for East Bay Mutual Aid
East Bay Mutual Aid is essential for addressing people’s immediate needs. They are compiling a list of volunteers so people can be contacted as asks arise during the COVID-19 quarantine.
Share the Safety Net Fund
The Safety Net Fund is a fiscally sponsored member of Intersection for the Arts designed to help support artists in the Bay Area during the COVID-19 crisis.
Bay Area Support
- SF Bay Area Resources for Families and Students
- List of Relief Funds for Undocumented Workers
- California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance Resources for Undocumented People
- Recursos para la comunidad indocumentada del Área de la Bahía
- COVID-19 Resources for Indigenous Peoples
- City of Oakland Guidelines for Homelessness and COVID-19
- East Bay Mutual Aid Assistance Application
- East Bay Disability Support Request Form
- How to help small businesses in the Bay Area
- Bay Area Venues
- SF Queer Nightlife Fund
- Oakland At Risk
Make art possible for the bay area and beyond.
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