Creative Haverhill believes that artists and arts organizations are the keys to a happy and healthy community, and a strong economy. We recognize that the current COVID-19 crisis presents one of the biggest challenges we've had to face as a creative community. Below is a list of funding opportunities and other resources for our local artists and arts organizations to access during this challenging time.
How can Creative Haverhill help our local artists? Please fill out this quick form to share your input on how Creative Haverhill can help. Thank you!
Funding resources | Artists
Essex County Artist Relief Fund: Essex County Community Foundation’s (ECCF) philosophy is to build a creative ecosystem focused on awareness and appreciation for arts and culture, capacity building, collaboration and cultural planning. ECCF has created an Artist Relief Fund that will provide $400 per applicant to support full or part-time professional artists who have lost income used to sustain their creative practice due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Mass Cultural Council COVID-19 Relief fund for Artists: Mass Cultural Council (MCC) is providing a wide range of funding opportunities and resources for artists and the creative community. Below is a link to the MCC fund for individual artists opening on April 8th.
225 grants of $1,000 each will be available to Massachusetts individual artists and independent teaching artists/humanists/scientists who have lost income derived from their work as a direct result of COVID-19 related cancellations and closures.
The application is now open and will stay open through April 22nd.
Americans for the Arts Artist Relief Fund: This artist relief will distribute $5,000 grants to artists facing dire financial emergencies due to COVID-19; serve as an ongoing informational resource; and co-launch the COVID-19 Impact Survey for Artists and Creative Workers, designed by Americans for the Arts, to better identify and address the needs of artists.
Funding resources | Arts organizations
Details about the CARES Act: On March 27, the House unanimously passed and President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion economic stimulus law intended to provide immediate relief for individuals, nonprofits, businesses, and state and local governments.
This page provides helpful, clarifying information about the CARES Act.
Small Business and Nonprofit Relief Fund: The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses and nonprofits suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Essex County Creative Nonprofit Resiliency Grant Program: ECCF is providing one-time grants to the Essex Country cultural nonprofits that anchor our vulnerable and vitally important cultural communities. The intent of this program is to assist small and mid-sized organizations severely impacted by the crisis.
Grants will be available as long as funds are available
Applicants may apply for $2,000 to $5,000 based upon actual losses
These grants are specifically for Essex County-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations whose purpose is to support arts and culture as reflected in their organizational mission.
General resources
Mass Cultural Council COVID-19 Resources for Organizations: Mass Cultural Council (MCC) is providing a wide range of funding opportunities and resources for artists and the creative community. Below is a link to the MCC Safe Haven resources for arts and cultural nonprofits, which will be available after April 7th.
The Safe Harbors Program seeks to provide broad assistance to Massachusetts arts and cultural nonprofit organizations in the form of webinars and online tools, empowering leaders to assess their organization’s current financial situation, create an actionable roadmap for the future, and determine their eligibility and the appropriateness for accessing resources through various COVID-19 funds.
MORE INFO | REGISTER FOR SAFE HARBORS WEBINARS AND FINANCIAL HELP PROGRAM HERE
Mass Cultural Council General COVID-19 Resource Page: Mass Cultural Council (MCC) is providing a wide range of funding opportunities and resources for artists and the creative community. Below is a link to the MCC page listing general resources and ways to stay connected during this challenging time.
WBUR Resource Page: This page has a list of federal and local support for artists and arts organizations who have lost income due to COVID-19.
National Endowment for the Arts: This page has a list of federal and local support for artists and arts organizations who have lost income due to COVID-19.
ArtsReady: ArtsReady is an online emergency preparedness service by and for arts/cultural nonprofits. It provides arts organizations with customized business continuity plans for post-crisis sustainability.
COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resources: This list is specifically designed to serve freelance artists, and those interested in supporting the independent artist community.