Relief + Resources from Arts Organizations

Whether you’re looking for a new studio or improving your current space, the CERF+ Studio Safety Guide can help you reduce risk to yourself, your artwork + your career.

In addition to the major emergency relief providers that you are most likely aware of (American Red Cross, FEMA, SBA, etc.), a number of arts organizations and funders also provide emergency financial relief, emergency residencies and other emergency resources for artists recovering from emergencies.

Emergency Financial Assistance

Emergency grants and other assistance are available to professional artists working in craft disciplines who have had a recent career-threatening emergency.

Visual Artists

Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation

For visual artists working in the disciplines of painting, sculpture, or printmaking. Artists must demonstrate a minimum involvement of ten years in a mature phase of their work. Assistance is for a specific emergency, not a chronic condition, projects, or situations resulting from indebtedness or lack of employment.

212-226-05811

Rauschenberg Emergency Grants

One-time grants of up to $5,000 for visual and media artists with unexpected medical emergencies

[email protected]

All Artists

Artists At Risk Connection

A global directory of resources to help artists. ARC’s definition of “artist” is inclusive. They serve visual artists, musicians, filmmakers, performance artists, writers, and other individuals who produce significant creative output in any medium.

improving access to resources for artists at risk
enhancing connections among supporters of artistic freedom
raising awareness about artistic freedom

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Artist-Innovator Fund

Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI) has the SCI Artist-Innovator Fund available to offer artists, innovators, inventors, makers, and entrepreneurs financial capital for social-impact oriented, creative entrepreneurship projects. Wednesday, June 12, 2019 application deadline.

Musicians

MusiCares

Provides assistance to musicians including musical instrument replacement for musicians affected by disasters.

Help Lines:

MusiCares West Region (Santa Monica, CA): 800-0687-4227
MusiCares South Region (Nashville, TN): 877-626-2748
MusiCares East Region (New York, NY): 877-303-6962
Map to see which office to contact

Jazz Foundation of America

Emergency assistance to jazz and blues musicians.

[email protected]
212-245-3999

The Blues Foundation HART Fund

For Blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns.

[email protected]
(901) 527-2583 ext. 13

Musicians Foundation

Financial assistance to musicians in times of need, crisis, or transition.

[email protected]
212-239-9137

Actors + Performing Artists

Emergency Resources

Database + Directories

NYFASource

NYFASource is the most comprehensive national listing of emergency resources for artists. The database is also a source for information about grants, awards, and programs for all artists, regardless of medium.

National Endowment for the Arts Resources for Artists, Arts Organizations, and Audiences

While not a listing of emergency resources, it does list state arts agencies and regional arts organizations as well as other resources by discipline. During emergencies, state agencies and organizations that do not normally have emergency assistance often have special emergency resources available to artists they serve.

Artist Trust

The Emergency Preparedness & Assistance resources include some resources you may not find elsewhere.

Women Arts Directory of Emergency Funds

Includes some smaller, regional funds that are not in the other listings.

More Help

Emergency Relief Residencies

Alliance of Artists Communities

The Alliance works closely with CERF+ and the Joan Mitchell Foundation, both of whom have a long history of supporting artists in times of emergency and providing vital leadership to the arts community in addressing the needs of artists in emergencies.

Vermont Studio Center Displaced Artist Fund

This fund exists to assist visual artists and writers displaced due to natural disasters, climate change, or political turmoil or threat by providing residencies in a safe and supportive community of creative peers. Artists and writers from anywhere in the world who have been directly affected by natural disaster may apply for Displaced Artist Fund residencies. These residencies are 4- to 6-weeks in duration.

Artist Relocation

A number of cities and towns provide tax credits, loans, grants, and other financial incentives for purchase or construction of affordable artists’ housing, work or retail space in designated districts)—programs that may be a post-disaster option. For a listing of these communities, go here.

Artspace

Creates, fosters and preserves affordable space for artists and arts organizations

Legal Aid

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts

This national network has provided help in past disasters.

Dealing With Post-Disaster Legal Issues

This article by Casey Summar of Volunteer Lawyers and Professionals for the Arts of Nashville contains a number of legal resources for artists facing an emergency.

The Elder Artists’ Law Project

A valuable resource for estate and legacy planning for artists. Their Elder Artist Legal Resource takes you step-by-step through successful estate planning with templates and lists.

Lawyers for the Creative Arts provides free legal services to financially eligible clients in all areas of the arts—visual, music, dance, literary, digital media, arts education, and much more.

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts

This national network has provided help in past disasters.

Dealing With Post-Disaster Legal Issues

This article by Casey Summar of Volunteer Lawyers and Professionals for the Arts of Nashville contains a number of legal resources for artists facing an emergency.

The Elder Artists’ Law Project

A valuable resource for estate and legacy planning for artists. Their Elder Artist Legal Resource takes you step-by-step through successful estate planning with templates and lists.

Lawyers for the Creative Arts provides free legal services to financially eligible clients in all areas of the arts—visual, music, dance, literary, digital media, arts education, and much more. We help individuals and organizations with business issues, contracts, copyrights, trademarks and many other legal areas.

CONTENTS

ESSENTIAL RESOURCES

Artist Emotional Help Resources

Get Organized

Rebuilding Your Art Business After a Disaster

Relief + Resources from Arts Organizations

Emergency Financial Assistance

Emergency Resources

More Help

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