Relief for the Arts

Resources

The California Arts, Culture and Entertainment Industry suffers from one of the highest unemployment rates with one- third of our sector out of work. That is more than 450,000 jobs and an estimated $45B in accumulative economic loss. That’s 30.4% of California’s creative jobs lost due to COVID.  Art venues including museums and theaters across California were the first to close and may be the last to re-open with billions of jobs and revenue losses.  Locally The Yuba Theatre has been closed all of 2020 and Sierra County Arts Council has lost all event income. The Kentucky Mine museum and amphitheater have been closed.  Public art and music events that support local community and business groups across our county have been cancelled.  Local artists and musicians have been unable to practice their art in public and have lost performance income and sales revenue. The Sierra County Arts Council is here to provide assistance and information regarding arts relief resources. Here is a list of regional, state, and federal relief opportunities. The Sierra County Arts Council is here to help. Please contact Executive Director B.J. Jordan if you are in need of assistance.

The Actors Fund - Free and confidential assistance nationally to everyone who works in performing arts and entertainment.

Arts Administrators of Color Network Arts and Culture Leaders of Color Emergency Fund - Up to $200 to help those pursuing careers as artists or arts administrators whose income has been directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Author's League Fund - Helps professional authors, journalists, poets, and dramatists who find themselves in financial need because of medical or health-related problems, temporary loss of income, or other misfortune.

CERF+ Emergency Assistance - Supporting intensive care, focused on those infected with the COVID-19 that require intensive medical care.

Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grants for Visual and Performing Artists - Urgent funding for visual and performing artists who incur unexpected or unbudgeted expenses for projects close to completion with committed exhibition or performance dates.

MusiCares - Short-term financial assistance for musicians’ personal needs that have arisen due to unforeseen circumstances. 

Musicians Foundation - Financial assistance to professionals in the music industry. Applications closed on May 7th and will reopen when current applications have been reviewed.

PEN America Writer's Emergency Fund - Small grants for professional writers in acute or unexpected financial crisis.

California Arts Council Grants - grants for organizations and individual artists

CARES Relief Grants Awarded to Local Arts Organizations

As State-Local Partner(SLP) with the CAC, Sierra County Arts Council in partnership with Nevada County Arts Council is pleased to announce that we have awarded CARES Relief grants to the following organizations. 

  1. Musica Sierra will receive $4,200 to fund eight BIPOC musicians as part of its existing Digital Stage Series. These artists will work with Musica Sierra to develop videos that highlight BIPOC artists in a month-long event in the first half of 2021. These BIPOC(black, indigenous, people of color) artists will be brought together to help create a series of performances and presentations that will explore the unique perspective of artists of color.

  2. Sierra Native American Culture Group will receive $4,200 to support indigenous artists, events, workshops, and programs in Sierra County, as an essential resource and meeting space for Sierra County’s Tribal peoples so that they may continue their important culture work and bring programming and events to citizens and visitors to Sierra County.

  3. California Heritage Indigenous Research Project will receive $4,200 in a combination of general operating support and continued function of its "Nisenan Visibility Project". This would include three educational events sharing Nisenan history in collaboration with the Sierra County Historical Society.

We would like to give a big thank you to our partner, Eliza Tudor of Nevada County Arts Council. Her assistance was invaluable in helping local arts organizations to receive this vital funding.