Deadline: 14-Jun-21
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is inviting applications for the Artist Relief Fund to help Rhode Island artists who have lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are struggling to afford basic necessities like housing, food, and healthcare.
The Fund is managed by the Alliance of Artists Communities., who are handling donations and disbursement of grants and was initially seeded with $150,000 from the Rhode Island Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, and Rhode Island State Council on the Arts in April of 2020.
The fund has received additional funds through the CARES Act, additional RISCA funds, and private donations. Since then, they have awarded 828 small grants totaling $535,195.
Funding Information
- The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts expects to award approximately 250 grants of $800 to arts and culture workers in the state of Rhode Island.
What can you use the funding for?
- This is unrestricted funding designed to support immediate basic needs, like rent/mortgage, utilities, food, insurance, and medical care.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, you must be able to answer “Yes” to all of these questions.
- I have been a Rhode Island resident for at least one year and will be a resident upon receipt of any grant funding.
- I am a practicing artist, culture worker, or arts administrator capable of providing examples of creative work made, curated, or otherwise administered.
- I am at least 18 years of age.
- I am not currently enrolled in a degree-granting program (e.g. Bachelor’s or Master’s; if pursuing a Ph.D., coursework must be completed).
- I am experiencing financial hardship due to a loss of income related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
How to prove Eligibility?
- Submit a w9 with your Rhode Island mailing address.
- Provide either an artist résumé, a work sample, or a social media account or website featuring your artistic/cultural work.
- Verify that you are at least 18 years of age.
- Verify that you are not currently enrolled in a degree-granting program.
- List your immediate anticipated expenses that you cannot afford.
For more information, visit https://risca.online/grants/artistrelieffund/