Artist Relief Tree Raises Over $75,000 in 4 days to Support People in the Arts

The current global health crisis has already had a severe impact on arts and culture. Concerts and productions are being canceled, causing many artists to lose economic and social stability.

We believe that the arts help make life worth living. And help make us all lead better and more thoughtful, compassionate, enjoyable lives. We also believe that NOW is the time to support artists and the arts… the world is going to really need us in the coming months…

WHAT DO WE HOPE TO DO…?

Collect DONATIONS from those of us with the means to help. We intend to use this money to support artists – particularly freelance artists. Unfortunately we cannot hope to replace artists’ entire fees or lost work, but we wish to provide hope, make a small difference, and show solidarity with colleagues and friends. Artists need you, and you may not know who needs help. So that’s where we come in.

We aim to be the bridge which ensures that AS MANY ARTISTS AS POSSIBLE receive at least a little bit of help. We are offering a one-off, first-come-first-served $250 “solidarity donation” for artists who apply (and meet very basic criteria… see below).

HOW IS IT GOING SO FAR…?

We have raised over US$70,000… (yay!)

We have had over 1000 applications for help… a total need of over US$250,000… (oof!)

We need your help to find donors and supporters and networkers…

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

• DONATE. Every dollar helps.
• SHARE/POST the link to this fundraiser with a short personal post about why this fundraising campaign is important to you.
• INVITE others directly to donate.
• THINK about your NETWORK and other people who could help.
• EMAIL us: [email protected] if you have any comments or ideas or concerns.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I request funding?

Go to https://forms.gle/gKMdh8eSMeBtbk5m8 and fill out the Google form. It’s brief because we wanted to limit the number of barriers and restrictions. The only requirement is that you provide proof of SHARING this fundraiser with your networks.

How do I qualify for funds?

It’s very easy. Anyone who is an artist (of any kind) can request funds. We plan to fulfill every request with a flat US$250 on a first-come-first-serve basis. We decided early on that we could not claim to make any quantifiable judgement on who deserved funds and whose need was greater. We also don’t have time to place a value on each different situation. So, very simply, if you ask for it, we’ll give it to you. The only limiting factor is the amount of money we’re able to raise. It’s possible we’ll run out of funds before we’re able to fulfill every request.

What do I have to provide?

We’ve asked for some documentation to keep the honest people honest. We trust you. If you’re asking for help, we want to help you. We also want to make sure people don’t abuse this trust. Upload a resume or point us to your website. The only requirement is that you SHARE this fundraiser and provide a simple screenshot.

Where does the money go?

Facebook Fundraiser holds every donation for a period of 6 days. This means the first of these funds cannot be redistributed until March 18 at the earliest. From there is goes to a dedicated bank account that both Andrew and Morgan have access to for accountability and redundancy. As we receive funds there, Rachel will be managing redistribution on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Who is ART?

Andrew Crooks (Lawrence University), Morgan Brophy (Wolf Trap Opera), Tehvon Fowler-Chapman (National Sawdust), Marco Cammarota(freelance artist), and Rachel Stanton (Wolf Trap).

Who can I talk to about partnering or if I have questions?

Email [email protected] with questions and someone on the team will try to respond as quickly as possible. We’re trying to keep up with FB messages, but as this has spread so far so fast it’s becoming difficult. The email account is monitored by all 5 of us so we should be able to respond quickly.

Other important info

1. While this Fundraiser lists Morgan Brophy as the beneficiary, this is a function of the Fundraiser platform. All funds will be distributed to artists as needed. No one working behind the scenes is collecting a percentage or cut of these donations.

2. A separate bank account has been set up to receive these funds. Both Andrew and Morgan have access to this account to allow for redundancy and accountability.

3. We plan to continue to collect and distribute funds as long as there are funds available and the need is evident.

4. Please don’t hesitate to reach out [email protected] with questions or concerns. We’re not professional fundraisers, we just saw a need that wasn’t being met and were compelled to take action. Most of us have stable salaried jobs that we’re not at risk of losing, we do not stand to personally benefit from this fund or anything associated with it.

Reproduced with permission from Artist Relief Fund.