Over $840,000 Coming to RI for Arts and Humanities

April 24th, 2020
Over $840,000 in Federal Funds to Rhode Island for Arts & Humanities COVID-19 Relief. Rhode Island’s statewide arts and humanities agencies will receive $840,600 in federal funds designated for relief to arts and cultural organizations affected by the COVID-19 health crisis, according to a joint statement by RISCA and the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities.
The funds come from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, established in part to preserve jobs and help support organizations forced to close operations due to the spread of COVID-19.
RISCA will receive $424,300 from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Humanities Council will receive $416,300 from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Rhode Island’s share is part of the $150 million allocated to the federal cultural organizations through the CARES Act.
For more information click here.
National impact of COVID-19 on the arts is $4.8 billion… and rising! According to a study by Americans for the Arts (AFTA), the economic impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the arts and culture sector is significant, with over 42.3 million lost attendance and close to 27,000 people furloughed or laid off from jobs with cultural organizations.
In Rhode Island 87 cultural organizations responded to the AFTA Economic Impact survey. They reported over $5 million in financial impact to date, with over 245,000 in lost attendance. 96% of respondees say they have cancelled events, and over 130 cultural workers have been laid off as a result of the crisis.
Check out AFTA website for more information, and to fill out the survey.
253 RI artists receive grants to make up for income lost to COVID-19 crisis. On April 18th the Rhode Island Artist Relief Fund announced that it had awarded $126,030 in grants to 253 Rhode Island artists experiencing financial challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the grants, the Fund also announced a major contribution to the Fund from the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), a regional arts organization.
The Rhode Island Artist Relief Fund was created to provide grants to Rhode Island artists who are in financial distress as a result of the health crisis. The Fund was established by RISCA, in cooperation with the Rhode Island Foundation and the City of Providence Department of Art, Culture + Tourism.
The Fund partners announced that NEFA has awarded $47,000 to the Fund in support of Rhode Island artists. This funding is part of $282,000 in emergency relief from NEFA to be divided equally among the six New England state art agencies in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
For more information click here.
Upcoming Peer Support Zoom Calls for Arts and Culture Organizations. Facilitated by Organizations Program Director Todd Trebour, you can share with fellow Rhode Island arts and culture organization staff how you are doing, what struggles you are having, what information you need, or what resources you have discovered.
Most calls are not recorded so people can speak with candor – but we did record our recent Livestreaming Performances and Concerts call with Max Ponticelli since it was more informational in nature – check it out!
For more information and schedule of upcoming calls, click here.
Governor Raimondo comments on Rhode Island Artist Relief Fund
Support Artists in RI through your donation to the Rhode Island Artist Relief Fund! Join Governor Gina Raimondo by making a contribution, in whatever amount, to the Relief Fund. These are difficult times for Rhode Island artists. The COVID-19 health crisis has left many artists without the income to pay rent, pay for food for their families, and the other essentials of life. Make your contribution at artistcommunities.org/art
401-222-3880 | www.arts.ri.gov