While it saves lives, social distancing has brought the country’s arts to a halt. No concerts, no book tours, no gallery exhibitions. This is bad enough for the public, but for the artists, it means no rent money, no groceries, no medical care. That’s why [Artist Relief](http://artistrelief.org/) is so important. This new coalition of seven arts funders has raised over $10 million: enough to fund 100 artists across the country with $5,000 unrestricted grants every week between now and September. Artists of every discipline are invited to apply, with the main criteria being need.
“Now is the time for institutions to come together, each bringing its own strengths, to support the country’s artistic communities in the challenging months that lie ahead. We hope this coalition will directly impact artists who have lost income sources and opportunities and are in dire need,” said **Sarah Arison, Board Chair, National YoungArts Foundation**.
Artist Relief is a coalition of [Academy of American Poets](https://poets.org/), [Artadia](https://artadia.org/), [Creative Capital](https://creative-capital.org/), [Foundation for Contemporary Arts](https://www.foundationforcontemporaryarts.org/),[MAP Fund](https://mapfundblog.org/), [National YoungArts Foundation](https://www.youngarts.org/), and [United States Artists](https://www.unitedstatesartists.org/). They launched with $5 million in seed funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which matched gifts from the Andy Warhol Foundation, the Joan Mitchell Foundation, the James S. and John L. Knight Foundation, and more.
“In hard times like these, we turn to the arts to illuminate and help us make meaning and find connection. Without immediate intervention, individual artists and the arts ecosystem of which they are the foundation could sustain irreparable damage,” said **Elizabeth Alexander, President of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and a poet and memoirist**.
As of launch, the initial $10 million fund will be enough to fund 100 artists per week from now through September. This translates to 2,000 artists, a far cry from the 2.5 million currently working in the United States, according to a [**recent survey**](https://www.arts.gov/news/2019/new-report-reveals-findings-artists-and-other-cultural-workers) **from the NEA.** That’s why Artist Relief is aggressively fundraising to close the gap. They’ve also partnered with Americans for the Arts to administer the **COVID-19 Impact Survey for Artists and Creative Workers**. The information collected will help the philanthropic field better understand (and meet) artists’ needs moving forward.
So how can you get involved? For starters, if you’re an artist in need, [apply](https://www.artistrelief.org/apply) for the $5,000 emergency grant. If you’re willing to share your story, fill out the [survey](https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5532991/6539d78e3593). Knowing what artists need is the first step. And if you’re in a position to give, consider [supporting](https://www.unitedstatesartists.org/artistrelief/) Artist Relief.
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