Practical Resources for the Cultural Sector in Uncertain Economic Times
For advocacy tips, strategies, research data, and talking points:
Americans for the Arts’ Policy and Advocacy section: multiple resources for individuals and organizations
E-Advocacy: Online Strategies for Arts Advocacy: downloadable monograph published by National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Arts Advocates in the Legislature: A Legislative Caucus on the Arts: downloadable monograph published by National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Creative Economy Resource Center: information from National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Iowa Cultural Coalition: Iowa’s advocacy organization for arts, culture, and history
Iowa Alliance for Arts Education: umbrella organization for arts educator groups in Iowa
For organizational support and assistance:
The program, Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative, is a high-tech support service through which arts administrators can have confidential discussions with the center's executive staff about issues such as shrinking income sources, fundraising, budgeting, marketing, the use of technology, and other areas pertinent to maintaining a vital performing arts organization in a troubled economy. Any nonprofit arts group may sign up to receive assistance, which will be provided via e-mail, phone, Web chats, and/or site visits. Arts in Crisis has received $500,000 in seed funding, mainly from board member Helen Lee Henderson and Miami businesswoman and philanthropist Adrienne Arsht.
Strategies for Survival Checklist for nonprofit arts organizations
For individuals needing immediate financial assistance or services:
Iowa 2-1-1
Iowa's information and referral database for health and human services. Search resources by county and city – a wide variety of resources, including financial assistance, child care, clothing assistance, etc.
Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF)
CERF emergency relief assistance includes small grants, no-interest loans, access to resources, waivers and discounts on booth fees, and donations of craft supplies and equipment.
Mayer Foundation
The Foundation makes economic relief grants to individuals who are distressed or suffering as a result of poverty, low income or lack of financial resources. Proposals are considered by the Foundation’s selection committee, which meets quarterly.
The Actors Fund
The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that helps everyone – on stage and those behind the scenes – who works in entertainment and performing arts. As a safety net for those in need, crisis or transition, The Actors Fund provides comprehensive social services including counseling, crisis intervention and connections to local resources for personal, family or work related problems as well as emergency financial assistance for basic living necessities.
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists Financial Assistance
AFTRA members of at least two years' standing may be eligible for grants for living expenses.
Carnegie Fund for Authors
Emergency assistance to needy writers who have commercially published at least one book of reasonable length which as received reader acceptance. Carnegie Fund for Authors, 1 Old Country Road, Carle Place, NY 11514.
Directors Guild Foundation
The Directors Guild of America provides confidential loans to members who are facing short term financial hardship.
Screen Actors Guild Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund
The Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund provides emergency financial assistance to SAG members east of the Mississippi struggling with a financial, personal or medical crisis. The MPPWF can be used for rent, utilities, mental health, medical care, and other basic living expenses. In the New York tri-state area, the fund is administered by The Actors Fund; contact The Actors Fund for more information. All others should contact their local SAG branch office.
Broadcasters' Foundation
The Broadcasters Foundation of America provides an anonymous safely net to men and women in the radio and television broadcast profession in cases of critical illness or crisis.
Jazz Foundation of America - Musician's Emergency Fund
The Musicians' Emergency Fund offers aid to elder jazz and blues musicians in crisis.
Motown/Universal Music Group Fund
The Fund provides grants for assistance to R&B recording artists formerly affiliated with Universal Music Group and any of its labels, to ensure that artists in need have access to financial resources for health, welfare and medical needs.
Musicians Foundation
The Musicians Foundation helps professional musicians by providing emergency financial assistance in meeting current living, medical and allied expenses.
MusiCares Foundation
MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares' services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly impact the health and welfare of the music community.
Authors League Fund
The Authors League Fund helps professional writers and dramatists who find themselves in financial need because of medical or health-related problems, temporary loss of income or other misfortune. The Fund gives open-ended, interest-free, no-strings-attached loans. These loans are not grants or scholarships meant to subsidize personal writing projects. It should be kept in mind that the Fund's resources come from other professional writers.
The PEN Writers' Fund
The PEN Writers’ Fund is an emergency fund for professional—published or produced—writers in acute, emergency financial crisis. Depending on the situation, the Fund gives grants of up to $2,000. The maximum amount is given only under especially dire circumstances and when monies are available.
PEN American Center - Additional Emergency Fund Links
A listing of national and regional emergency grants available to writers in acute financial crisis. Please contact the organizations directly for more details. Self-published authors or those published by vanity presses are generally not eligible. We hope this is helpful.
The Artists' Fellowship, Inc.
The Artists' Fellowship, Inc. is a private, charitable foundation that assists professional fine artists (painters, graphic artists, sculptors) and their families in times of emergency, disability, or bereavement. The Artists' Fellowship's Board of Trustees and Officers all serve as volunteers in service to our community of artists. Assistance is given without expectation of repayment. One does not need to be a Member of the Fellowship to receive assistance; neither does membership in the Artists' Fellowship entitle one to assistance from the foundation.
The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Inc.
The Pollock-Krasner Foundation‘s dual criteria for grants are recognizable artistic merit and demonstrable financial need, whether professional, personal or both. The Foundation‘s mission is to aid, internationally, those individuals who have worked as professional artists over a significant period of time.
Society of Singers
SOS helps singers who have financial needs resulting from personal, family, or medical crises. Charitable grants may be provided for basic needs including rent, utilities, medical/dental expenses, substance abuse rehab, psychotherapy and HIV/AIDS treatment. Grants are always paid directly to creditors. SOS is unable to provide assistance for credit card debts, tax debts, loans, voice lessons, demos, head-shots and other music projects.