Emergency Resources for Artists / Arts Related Businesses
Impact Survey
Ohio Citizens for the Arts
Requesting Ohio artists to complete a survey on the impact of the COVID-19 crises in order to advocate for resources and support.
Local Resources
General Information
Downtown Toledo Improvement District
Resource Directory for Toledo resources available for artists, small businesses, nonprofits and others.
Destination Toledo
Resource Directory for small business, travel industry, and public health information.
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
United Way of Northwest Ohio
Provides information via phone calls, text or instant message to 2-1-1 with any non-emergency related inquiries on COVID-19, including
children's access to meals during school closures.
Financial Assistance
Verizon Small Business Recovery Fund
LISC will use the Verizon funding to provide grants of up to $10,000 to businesses facing immediate financial pressure because of COVID-19—especially entrepreneurs of color, women-owned businesses and other enterprises in historically underserved communities who don’t have access to flexible, affordable capital. The funds can be used for: paying rent and utilities, meeting payroll, paying outstanding debt to vendors, and other immediate operational costs.
Apply for Financial Assistance
Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Loan
The Ohio Development Services Agency is working this week to qualify Ohio for the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program. This program provides low-interest loans up to $2 million in order to help businesses overcome the temporary loss of revenue during the state of emergency. Non-profit organizations in Ohio will also be eligible for low-interest loans through the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program
The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo : Emergency Grants for Artists
Recognizing the immediate need for support to local artists affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, The Arts Commission re-allocated $10,000 towards a new grant program for artists whose performances, exhibitions, and events have been cancelled due to this crisis. Emergency Grants for Artists are first-come, first-served for eligible applications, with no set deadline. Grant amounts are available at $500, $250, and $100.
National Resources
General Information
The Actors Fund
Provides free and confidential assistance nationally to everyone who works in performing arts and entertainment—including actors, dancers, musicians, stagehands, playwrights and many more.
COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resources
Offers an aggregated list of free resources, opportunities, and financial relief options available to artists of all disciplines.
Financial & Medical Expense Assistance
Artist Relief
To support artists during the COVID-19 crisis, a coalition of national arts grantmakers have come together to create an emergency initiative to offer financial and informational resources to artists across the United States. Artist Relief will distribute $5,000 grants to artists facing dire financial emergencies due to COVID-19.
Equal Sound Corona Relief Fund
If you are a musician who has lost income due to a cancelled gig as a result of the Coronavirus / Covid-19 outbreak, please apply to receive support from Equal Sound's Corona Relief Fund. To be eligible, musicians must have a confirmed gig that was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Apply For Financial Assistance
Glass Art Society Emergency Assistance
Assists independent artists, freelance glassworkers, or small businesses that are a current member of Glass Art Society (GAS). GAS can offer support for income loss, cancelled orders, medical costs, shop closures, cancelled events, or cancelled teaching contracts. This is not a complete list and applicants are asked to be as specific as possible about their individual needs. The funds are given on a sliding scale between $250 and $1000.
The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant
The emergency grant is intended to provide interim financial assistance to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs are the result of an unforeseen, catastrophic incident, and who lack the resources to meet that situation. The maximum amount of this grant is $15,000; an award of $5,000 is typical.
The Artists' Charitable Fund
Assists American visual fine artists (painters and sculptors) living anywhere in the United States by paying a portion of their medical/dental / eye-care bills.
The Artists' Fellowship, Inc.
A charitable foundation that financially assists professional visual artists and their families in times of emergency, disability or bereavement.
Apply For Financial Assistance
The Authors League Fund
Helps professional authors, journalists, poets, and dramatists who find themselves in financial need because of medical or health-related problems, temporary loss of income, or other misfortune with no-interest loans paid back on a timetable set the recipient.
The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+)
Emergency assistance includes grants and/or brokered assistance, such as booth fee waivers and discounts or donations on supplies and equipment for artists who have experienced a recent, career-threatening emergency, such as an illness, accident, fire or natural disaster. The grant amount is $3,000.
The PEN America Writers’ Emergency Fund
A small grants program for professional—published or produced—writers in acute or unexpected financial crisis. Grants are up to $2,000.
HART Fund (Handy Artists Relief Trust)
The Blues Foundation established the HART Fund (Handy Artists Relief Trust) for Blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns.
The Haven Foundation
The mission of The Haven Foundation is to offer interim financial assistance to freelance professionals in the arts who face crises. The Foundation’s reach is the United States, and its awards are granted with a view to helping individuals overcome temporary adversity and return to full-time work.
Apply for Financial Assistance
The Musicians Foundation
Aids musicians of any genre in a time of acute need, due to personal, medical, dental, or family crisis, natural disaster, or other emergency situation. Grants typically range in amount from approximately $500-$3000.
New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)
Has a comprehensive list of emergency aid for artists listed by discipline and geographic area.
Rauschenberg Emergency Grants
One-time grants of up to $5000 for artists with medical emergencies. Rolling deadline.
How can I support others?
The Arts Commission Emergency Artist Grants
The Arts Commission’s Emergency Grants for Artists program offers financial support for local artists whose creative work has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Corona Relief Fund: Equal Sound
The Equal Sound Corona Relief Fund was set up on short notice to provide direct financial assistance to musicians who have lost work as a result of Corona-related event cancellations.
The Artist Relief Tree
Helps artists affected by the current global health crises with a one-time solidarity donation of $250.
