COVID-19 Relief Updates from Artist Trust

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Over the past four weeks Artist Trust has been hard at work providing artists with resources and support. Here’s what we’ve been up to lately:  

• Artist Trust COVID-19 Online Workshops, Convenings, and Resources Artist Trust continues to gather important COVID-19 related artist support resources to help artists navigate issues such as housing, unemployment, funding, and more. We’re also developing online workshops and convenings to help artists navigate this crisis, such as our recent live webinar, Unemployment for Artists and Creatives During COVID-19, presented in partnership with Washington Filmworks and Whipsmart. Stay tuned for more online workshops and conversations where artists can stay informed and connected as we navigate this crisis.
• Advocating with Artists Artist Trust is creating community and staying in conversation with artists to continue to understand artist needs, for solidarity and for support. Artist Trust is working closely with partners regionally and nationally to align efforts and to grow artist resources through advocacy, partnerships, and resource sharing.
• The COVID-19 Artist Trust Relief Fund As of this week, Artist Trust has distributed a total of $300,000 in rapid relief funding to 155 artists of all disciplines across the state. A coalition of more than 300 generous donors have come together in support of Artist Trust’s COVID-19 efforts, making it possible to directly distribute $500,000 to artists in financial crisis. Artist Trust will continue to distribute a new round of relief funding weekly until these funds are exhausted. On behalf of the over 2,000 artists who have applied for more than $4.5 million in Artist Trust relief funding, we truly hope to see this support grow. 

More than 30% of our donors are artists, and we are consistently humbled and inspired by the amazing ways they support our efforts. Here are a few examples: 

• Internationally recognized visual artist Victoria Haven, a 2004 Artist Trust Fellowship recipient, is doing a “Drawing Per Day” project in which 10% of each sale is being donated to our fund. Each original drawing is signed by Victoria. 

• Jewelry artist Melanie Brauner at Verso Studio has created a sliding scale collection, titled “Lockdown Love,” that is meant to foster a sense of community and generosity. 10% of sales from this collection will go towards Artist Trust. 

• Tessa Hulls, a multidisciplinary artist and 2018 Fellowship recipient, is making dinosaur drawings in exchange for donations to Artist Trust. Tessa says, “It would bring me great joy to have my love of drawing dinosaurs translate into emergency funds for WA State artists.” 

• Visual artist Aleah Chapin is releasing a limited edition, signed print, “It Was the Sound of Their Feet”. Aleah Chapin has never released a print before and says, “Now seems like the right time to begin.” 100% of profits from the sale of this print will go to Artist Trust. 

Thank you to each of these generous artists, who are part of a coalition of over 300 individuals and community partners that have joined in support of Artist Trust’s COVID-19 Relief Efforts. For a full list of donors, visit: https://artisttrust.org/thank-you-to-our-covid-19-artist-trust-relief-fund-supporters/, and watch our blog, Facebook, and Instagram for their stories of support.  While you’re visiting Artist Trust’s social media, watch for artists taking over our stories to share their work and experience of living in Washington State during the COVID-19 crisis. ⁣Our first takeover is by visual artist, curator, and 2016 Artist Trust GAP recipient Rafael Soldi. Follow our Instagram and Facebook stories this Saturday and Sunday to get to know Rafael and his work. ⁣  With your help, Artist Trust will continue to be with artists, facilitating resources, connections, information, and opportunities through this crisis and beyond. For artists seeking support, please visit https://artisttrust.org/covid-19-response/. To join in support of Artist Trust’s relief efforts, please visit https://artisttrust.org/donate/. 

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