A Message from Mario: NEA Applications Open, Artist Relief Announced

Dear APAP Members and Colleagues,

I want to share with you two major relief efforts and two opportunities to engage with your APAP colleagues.

First, here are two major relief efforts:

The National Endowment for the Arts announced today its guidelines to swiftly distribute funding to nonprofit arts organizations from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to preserve jobs and help support organizations forced to close operations due to the spread of COVID-19. With the $75 million appropriated to the NEA, it will award 40 percent of the funds directly to state and regional arts agencies by April 30, 2020 to distribute through their funding programs. Sixty percent of the funds are designated for direct grants to nonprofit arts organizations all across the United States and will be announced by June 30, 2020. All applicants must be previous NEA award recipients from the past four years.

Also today, a consortium of funders announced the creation of the Artist Relief Fund, a $10 million national emergency relief fund for artists and creative workers that will provide $5,000 no-strings-attached grants. It is intended for anyone who earns income from their creative or artistic practice and who has also been affected by COVID-19.

Second, here are two opportunities to engage:

SAVE THE DATE for next Tuesday, April 14 at 1 p.m. (EDT), join us for "Putting the Puzzle Together: COVID-19 Relief for Performing Artists, Arts Workers, And Arts Organizations", a joint webinar with the Alliance of Performing Arts Conferences. In this webinar, we will help make sense of the complex web of available programs. Registration information coming soon.

Next Wednesday, April 15 at 1 p.m. (EDT), we invite you to "Pause, Pivot, Adapt: Finding Emotional Resilience in Times of Crisis" with performance coach, management consultant, financial advisor and therapist Dana Fonteneau. This webinar will help you cultivate emotional resilience and provide guidance on how to thrive in times of uncertainty. Register now.

Lastly, have you encountered challenges accessing government relief? Let us know through this simple questionnaire. APAP is working with our advocacy partners to gather questions that will inform future asks to Congress.

We encourage you visit APAP's COVID-19 government relief page to understand the different relief programs that are available and for which you are eligible. We will continue to update this page as we learn more.

We are with you every step of the way. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Mario Garcia Durham

President and CEO, APAP