Methow Arts has announced a grant program to help support local artists affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a press release, Methow Arts said it will offer at least 30 unrestricted grants of $1,000 each to working artists. Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis, and awarded weekly until the available funds have been exhausted, Methow Arts said. The first grants were to be distributed this week.
The grants are intended for artists who have lost income due to COVID-19; lost income due to canceled events, conferences, school closures, and performance cancellations; or have difficulty in meeting living expenses due to the pandemic.
The Artists’ Relief Fund is open to individual artists of all disciplines who are at least 21 or financially independent, and living in the Methow Valley at the time of the application and payment. The grants are not open to graduate or undergraduate matriculated students enrolled in any degree program; anyone applying on behalf of a company, nonprofit, organization, community group, ensembles, or collective; or any current Methow Arts staff or Board of Directors.
To find application information, visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PMMHHYD or http://www.methowarts.org/methow-arts-covid-19-relief-fund-grants. For information, contact Methow Arts Executive Director Amanda Jackson Mott at amanda@methowartsalliance.org, or call 997-4004.
In the release, Methow Arts said the relief fund is supported by anonymous donors.
“Methow Valley artists are facing severe loss in income and business. Rural artists continue to be deeply impacted as events, conferences, art at Farmers Markets, and performances across the country continue to cancel,” Methow Arts said in the release. “They are impacted by hospitality industry and retail/artist studio closures, school closures, travel restrictions, continued lay-offs, and social distancing recommendations.”
