CultureWorks Announces Phase Two of Regional COVID-19 Artist and Creative Workforce Relief Fund

CultureWorks Richmond is pleased to announce the second phase of the COVID-19 Artist & Creative Workforce Relief Fund. The Fund was created in April 2020 by a coalition of arts and culture partners: 1708 Gallery, Afrikana Film Festival, ART 180, Black American Artists Alliance of Richmond (BAAAR), CultureWorks Richmond, Iridian Gallery, Studio Two Three, Oakwood Arts, and Visual Arts Center of Richmond. To date, CultureWorks has awarded $500 grants to 184 individual professional artists in need, spanning 32 disciplines. Additionally, CultureWorks issued emergency operating support grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 for 21 arts and culture organizations in critical need as a result of the pandemic. In total, CultureWorks has provided $172,000 of funding for the Region through the Relief Fund.

With generous financial support from Altria Group, we are able to launch Phase Two of the Fund in 2021.

Scott Garka, President of CultureWorks states, “As the pandemic and related COVID-19 precautions continue to keep many arts and culture venues closed, our region’s artists continue to be disproportionately impacted. We must invest in our artists now so that we can draw from our vibrant arts and culture to help us to heal and recover from the current crises.”

The COVID-19 Artist & Creative Workforce Relief Fund invites professional artists of all disciplines (visual, performing, or other professional artists) and creative workforce professionals* from the Richmond and Tri-Cities region who have been directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to apply for a one-time $500 grant. This grant is designed to help compensate for lost planned or scheduled paid opportunities and to support basic living expenses. If awarded, funds can be used for rent, utilities, mental health services, medical care, and other basic living expenses (though not limited to these).

While the Fund is open to all eligible artists and creative workforce professionals in need, we will prioritize applications submitted by individuals who have been historically underrepresented based on race/ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or socioeconomic status.

Applications may be submitted online. Applications open on Wednesday, February 10, 2021.

For more information about applying or contributing to the Fund please visit https://richmondcultureworks.org/relief-fund.

*Creative workforce professionals are specifically in the fields of production or operations for arts and culture organizations. For example, a production assistant (including stage lighting, props, and A/V support), museum art handler/installer, a theater set painter, music venue staff, festival directors, costuming assistant, box office worker.