European American Music Distributors Company is a member of the Schott Music Group

Helping Our Community: Resources for Artists

Apr. 01, 2020

We believe that during this challenging and uncertain time, it is especially important to share information about various types of assistance that are available to artists and arts organizations. The "COVID-19 & Freelance Artist" page presents a comprehensive round-up of grants, loans, informational webinars, and other resources. Readers can upload their own events or information about additional opportunities, ensuring that this list of international resources remains current and sourced from a diverse array of contributors. An international version of this page exists as well, detailing assistance opportunities available in the United Kingdom and Europe.

The urgent need for assistance was made clear from New Music USA's "New Music Solidarity" Fund . New Music USA began accepting applications for grants to independent freelance artists at noon on March 31, and by 5 PM that same day, the submission form was taken offline as the number of applications matched the amount of funding available. The New Music Solidarity Fund Collective which organized the award and includes PSNY composer Marcos Balter and Schott composer Andrew Norman, said:

"We are grateful to New Music USA for donating their time and services to help us run the Fund. Most importantly, we are immensely grateful to you, freelance artists who have risked so much in service of the music of our time. We stand in solidarity with you, and we are committed to helping you as much as we can.”


(Announcement from The New Music Solidarity Fund Collective; The organization has since
raised $270,000 for the fund)

The fund is still accepting donations to support artists in need and New Music USA is encouraging artists to share their needs via a short survey here.

The New York Foundation for the Arts has compiled an outstanding list of resources primarily for US-based artists that continues to be updated regularly. Offerings include the Rauschenberg Emergency Grants for emergency medical care, free online learning opportunities on essential and timely topics such as crowdfunding and writing grant applications, online Doctor's Hours, and grants of various sizes. These awards (such as those from the Artist Relief Project, or Sweet Relief) can assist artists who have been economically impacted by project and performance cancellations, while others (such as those from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts) help those who have an opportunity to present their work but are lacking sufficient funding to do so. There are also a number of state-specific funding opportunities.

In addition to maintaining an updated list of grant opportunities, I Care if You Listen has identified a number of organizations that provide other types of support such as the Alliance of Artists Communities Emergency Relief Program, which assists artists by connecting them with a diverse network of residency programs across the country. And, Audio Assemble created a list of financial resources for freelancers in various disciplines.

Artists are encouraged to visit these websites frequently in the coming weeks as new grant opportunities are listed and additional funding is raised.

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