Special thanks to our friend John Andrews and the whole Creative Collectiveteam for their tireless work and dedication to the arts and creative economy during this difficult time. Blow is a one stop information packet for independent creatives:

In an attempt to narrow down the search and information parameters for the current issues surrounding the COVID-19 as it pertains to the creative industries and arts and culture sectors we are going to attempt to use this page to share important information, links and help you find information on resources and relief efforts. Please shoot us a message if we are missing anything or if you have anything that you think should be added to this page.

Health and Information

• Official CDC site

• COVID-19 prevention fliers in 30+ languages

• MA Health Connector enrollment extended until April 25

• Coronavirus: Ten reasons why you ought not to panic

• Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public

• Live Data via John’s Hopkins

• Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty

• Cleaning & Disinfecting Environmental Surfaces

• COVID-19 UPDATE: First Glance at the Stimulus Bill

• Telehealth and Online Mental Health Resources During COVID-19 Pandemic

Opportunities, Grants, Resources and Relief Funds

GENERAL

• Massachusetts Workers Emergency Relief Funds - Compiled by Massachusetts Jobs with Justice for workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Please research, apply, and share.  This is a work in progress! 

• Coronavirus Tax Relief - The IRS has established a special section focused on steps to help taxpayers, businesses and others affected by the coronavirus. This page will be updated as new information is available.

• Combating the Coronavirus via the US Chamber of Commerce - The U.S. Chamber is working closely with the White House, U.S. government agencies, and foreign government officials to inform and equip businesses with the most important and up-to-date information to prevent the spread of the virus and prepare businesses for the near and long-term impact.

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Main Street Resources - Community is at the heart of everything we do. As COVID-19 begins to have an increasingly significant impact on communities across the country, we are compiling existing resources, opportunities, and community response examples to help Main Street districts during this crisis.

• Contracts, Coronavirus, and Crises - Luke Blackadar (Director of Legal Services for the Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston) talks “Force Majeure” clauses, contracts, and other legal obligations re: COVID-19.

  ARTS

• List of funding for Artists during COVID-19 - A compiled list of funding for New England artists (visual + media arts)

• ECCF: Essex County Artist Fund - The Essex County Artist Fund is Essex County Community Foundation’s response to the immediate and everyday needs of artists to be supported and lifted up across the county and across sectors. 

• An Intro to the Safe harbor Program by Mass Cultural - The Safe Harbors Program seeks to provide broad assistance to Massachusetts arts and cultural nonprofit organizations in the form of webinars and online tools, empowering leaders to assess their organization’s current financial situation, create an actionable roadmap for the future, and determine their eligibility and the appropriateness for accessing resources through various COVID-19 funds.

• Public Art Learning Fund - The Public Art Learning Fund provides grants of $500 to $2,000 to support professional development opportunities for New England artists to strengthen their public art practices. Through the Public Art Learning Fund, NEFA intends to foster the continued development of more equitable, inclusive, and vibrant public spaces and public life throughout New England.

• COVID-19 Funding for Artists via Mass Cultural Council - Mass Cultural Council has compiled an expansive list of funding opportunities throughout Ma.

• Boston Artist Relief Fund - The Boston Artist Relief Fund will award grants of $500 and $1000 to individual artists who live in Boston whose creative practices and incomes are being adversely impacted by Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).

• The Creator Fund - $50,000 fund called The Creator Fund to support creators in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• WomenArts list of available resources and emergency funds -resources and emergency funds for artists in all disciplines.

• Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts - If artists have a COVID-19 related legal question, they can reach out to the VLA without needing to pay the VLA service fee! Reach out to them atVLA@artsandbusinesscouncil.org.

• List of Arts Resources During the COVID-19 Outbreak - Creative Capital has always been anchored by a rich spirit of community and mutual generosity, and we believe that continuing communication and exchange are crucial for all of us. As COVID-19 continues to spread across the United States, we have created a list of resources for artists working in all disciplines, as well as arts philanthropists, and arts professionals.

• COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resources - This list is specifically designed to serve freelance artists, and those interested in supporting the independent artist community. This includes, but is not limited to, actors, designers, producers, technicians, stage managers, musicians, composers, choreographers, visual artists, filmmakers, craft artists, teaching artists, dancers, writers & playwrights, photographers, etc.

• The Creative Community and COVID-19 via MassCreative - newsletter with resources for Massachusetts artists.

• The COVID-19 Crisis: Here Are Resources For Visual Artists From Harlem To Hollywood - We’ve built a live archive of resources for artists, from best practices for remote work to emergency grants and guidelines for nonprofits and businesses. We’ll keep adding to the list on Mondays for the immediate future.

  EVENTS

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for Event Creators - The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is disrupting the live event industry world wide. And until live experiences are back on track, economic assistance could help ensure our industry remains strong. It’s because of this we want event creators, promoters, and venue owners across the globe to know about the options available in your part of the world.

• Your COVID-19 Fundraising Event Toolkit - Do you have a fundraising event being impacted by COVID-19? A team of experts from Greater Giving, The AV Department, Artisan Auctions and Swaim Strategies have come together to provide you a variety of resources for a variety of possibilities. Our goal is to help you continue to fundraise.

• Eventbrite: Best Practices during COVID-19 - As you navigate the decision of what to do about your event, we understand how difficult this decision is and are here to support you. Here are some relevant details to move forward on making a decision.

  MUSIC

• Boston Music Maker Relief Fund - The Record Co. has established a fund to provide financial relief to music makers in the Boston area experiencing lost revenue from gig cancellations resulting from coronavirus and COVID-19. Rapid grants of up to $200 will be made to eligible applicants on a first come, first served basis.

• Corona Relief Fund for Musicians - 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.

  RESTAURANTS & SERVICE INDUSTRY

• Restaurant Strong Fund by Greg Hill Foundation - The Greg Hill Foundation has teamed up with Samuel Adams* to support those from the Massachusetts restaurant industry who have been impacted by the Covid-19 closures. Our goal is to provide $1,000 grants to as many qualifying grantees as possible.

• Behind You Fund for Restaurant Service Workers - Behind You is launching an emergency fund for restaurant employees in Beverly, Lynn, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem, and/or Swampscott whose work is currently negatively impacted by COVID-19.

  SMALL BUSINESSES

• SBA Emergency Relief Options - The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

• Facebook Small Business Grants Program - We know that your business may be experiencing disruptions resulting from the global outbreak of COVID-19. We’ve heard that a little financial support can go a long way, so we are offering $100M in cash grants and ad credits to help during this challenging time.

• Small Business Disaster Preparedness Resources via SCORE - Small businesses are a vital part of the U.S. economy. With the recent news and concerns of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), SCORE is sharing the latest business resources, assistance and guidance.

• COVID-19 Entrepreneur Resource List via EforAll - EforAll is compiling national, regional, and local resources for entrepreneurs and small businesses in our communities. There are some great loan programs being announced but we know that loans are not always the solution and should be explored carefully. Don’t hesitate to contact someone at EforAll for guidance.

• Coronavirus and Employer Leave Obligations - Information regarding certain law changes and informational resources for businesses during this challenging time period. Certain laws will be coming into effect on April 2, 2020, and other laws must still be complied with regard to your employees. There may also be future changes in the laws in the days ahead. We will keep you posted on this ever-changing situation.

• Step by Step Walkthrough of the Unemployment Application Process

• OnDeck: Navigating COVID-19: What You Need to Know as a Small Business Owner. Keep reading for information related to available funding resources, practical tips on managing your business through uncertain times and recommended resources available from trusted sources.

  NON PROFITS

• Non-Profit Directory

• Coronavirus and Massachusetts Non-Profits - MNN acknowledges the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on Massachusetts nonprofits as employers, conveners, and service providers. Click the links to be directed to Flash Poll results, Philanthropic and Government Relief, Policy Updates, Actions and Resources for Nonprofits, and Resources for Virtual Fundraisers and Events sections of this webpage.

• Nonprofit Resources for Remote Work During the COVID-19 Outbreak - As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the communities where we live and serve, organizations are encouraging their staff to work remotely if possible. While a planned transition to a remote workforce would typically be staged over time, one may need to be implemented quickly in this scenario. Because the current situation with COVID-19 is changing so rapidly, the resources we're providing below (most of which are free) are options that can be implemented relatively quickly, with little to no external IT support needed to do so and with a focus on remote communications and information sharing solutions.

• ECCF: Tools and Resources for Non-profits - We are all dealing with the uncertainty as we navigate cancelled fundraising events, the inability to fulfill government contracts due to school closures, and other sources of revenue loss, all while needing to serve clients in new ways. We hope these tips, blogs, tools, and resources will help. We know you are busy and have tried to make this as practical as possible.

• Cancelled Fundraising Events, Written Notice Requirements

Arts, Culture and Creative Impact

• How canceled events and self-quarantines save lives, in one chart

• COVID-19 Financial Survival Guide – How to Take Care of Yourself, How to Support Each Other

• Arts and Culture Sector Can Prepare for the Coronavirus in the United States

• As Coronavirus Fears Grow, Freelancers In The Arts Feel The Squeeze

• Preparing for Potential Impact of the Coronavirus via ArtsReady

• Arts Organizations Are Heading Into a Crisis. A Few Things Might Mitigate the Disaster.

Deals, offers and Discounts for Creative Types

• Adobe Creative Suite giving members 2 months free! - The company hasn’t announced this promotion anywhere, and you’ll need to follow a few steps to take advantage of it. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get your free two months in just a few minutes.

Groups

• The Fortunate Artist Project Group

• Creative Collective Resource Group

• Industry United (Culinary Industry)

• COVID-19 Makers Collaborative

At the end of the day, we need to be sensible and come together as a community… Even if digitally, to support one another and get through these most difficult of time. Please feel free to reach out if we missed any good tips and tricks!