Grassroots campaign to help San Diego artists in need
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – A grass roots campaign to help San Diego’s struggling arts community is growing in a new direction.
Starting this week, artists and performers who have lost their jobs can apply for some financial relief.
Because COVID-19 has shut down theaters, live music clubs and other performance spaces, it’s had a devastating effect on the livelihoods of dancers, musicians, visual artists and others, who make most of their income through the arts.
While small businesses, schools, and churches have received federal relief funds from Washington, no such help came for independent artists.
To offer a financial lifeline, a GoFundMe campaign has been created to award one-time grants of $1,000 to 125 individual artists.
In a first phase of the campaign, organizers distributed $250,000 to non-profits arts organizations, but in this phase, the emphasis is on individual artists with an emphasis on people of color.
If you would like to support the fund and donate, visit the San Diego Artist Relief Fund on GoFundMe.
Artists who would like to apply for a grant can submit an application, starting on Wednesday, August 26.