The Culver City Arts Foundation (Culver Arts) granted eleven artists with funds of up to $1000 in the first round of the Arts Resiliency Fund. Grantees included playwrights with screenplays that had to be shelved, a visual arts teacher who was let go due to lockdowns, theater directors who are still waiting for theater doors to open, and musicians with cancelled performances.
In response to the economic hardships many creative individuals and organizations are currently facing, as a result of the pandemic and prolonged lockdowns, Culver Arts established the Arts Resiliency Fund. The goal of the fund is to provide grants to artists to pay for utilities and other basic expenses, following the model of The Actor’s Fund. By providing much needed funds, Culver Arts is allowing artists to maintain focus on their creative work and imagine new possibilities through their artwork.
One grantee said in their request, “Covid has catastrophically impacted my life/work by bringing all means of income to a halt for me. I have been attempting to reestablish some form of income musically, but to no avail. I am anxious and devastated by this shift in atmosphere. …. I DESPERATELY NEED SOME HELP!…”
Another grantee shared that they not only survived COVID, but also had to have emergency dental work that only deepened the catastrophic financial distress.
Culver Arts Chairperson Kathy Sue Holtorf said “Culver City is the creative capital of the region. While the economy is continuing to improve, it’s clear that the arts will be one of the last industry sectors to recover, and we need to make sure that we provide relief as long as the need persists. Full recovery could take years.”
A second round of funds to deliver another $10,000 to local artists is already in the works. The Foundation’s goal is to raise $100,000 and distribute grants on a rolling basis to artists and arts organizations. To find out more about Culver Arts and donate to the Arts Resiliency Fund, visit www.CulverArts.org
About Culver City Arts Foundation
Since its launch in 2018, the Culver City Arts Foundation has been a leader in supporting the arts in Culver City, providing major funding to programs such as the Culver City Performing Arts Grants and the Artist Laureate program. For the past year, Culver Arts has been partnering with the Helms Bakery District on #ProjectingPossibilities, a year-long project with the Helms Bakery District that highlights a local artist each week. Visit www.helmsbakerydistrict.com/projecting-possibilities for more information about #ProjectingPossibilities.
For more information about the Culver City Arts Foundation and the Arts Resiliency Fund, visit www.culverarts.org.
#CulverCityResilient
Sehnita Joshua Mattison
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