San Francisco Arts & Artists Relief Fund
THE SAN FRANCISCO ARTS & ARTISTS RELIEF FUND
The San Francisco Arts & Artists Relief Fund was made possible by the direction of Mayor London Breed, SFAC, and GFTA with the City and County of San Francisco allocating $1.5 million to this grantmaking relief effort. Given how long the financial consequences of the coronavirus pandemic will last, the Fund welcomes additional funds to help artists and arts organizations workers. Please contact CCI, SFAC, or GFTA if you would like to help with tax-deductible support.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) and Grants for the Arts (GFTA) have launched an emergency relief fund—the San Francisco Arts & Artists Relief Fund—to mitigate COVID-19 related financial losses that artists and small to mid-size arts and culture organizations have suffered. San Francisco’s arts and culture ecosystem is fragile, vital, and at risk—it’s necessary we respond immediately. The San Francisco Arts & Artists Relief Fund will initially provide $1.5 million in financial support to the individuals and organizations that anchor our vulnerable and vitally important cultural communities.
The Fund will prioritize the financial needs of individuals and organizations who are of and serving cultural populations that have been and remain financially vulnerable—black, indigenous, immigrant, trans, and people with disabilities. It is imperative that we do not lose their participation in shaping the County’s unique and diverse cultural identity.
Individuals (artists, teaching artists, cultural producers, etc.) may apply for up to $2,000 and use the award however they see fit. Individual applicants will be invited to participate in an artist-to-artist listserv to exchange expertise, advice, and resources as a way to foster social connections during this time of financial crisis and social isolation. Awards to organizations (501c3 nonprofits, fiscally sponsored organizations, collectives and mutual aid societies of artists, artist cooperatives, cultural land trusts, etc.) will range up to $25,000 and will be scaled based on budget size, up to $2 million. These general operating grants may be used to pay rent and salaries, to retain employees, and to help keep artists and organizations in San Francisco.