NYC Musician Resources for COVID-19

Whether you’re a touring artist, session musician, or industry professional, COVID-19 has been tough on the entertainment and music industry. Here are some picks for resources not to miss out on!

National Resources (U.S.):

MusiCares has opened a Covid-19 Relief Fund. Music industry professionals may apply for basic living assistance (rent or mortgage). They are currently offering grants up to $1000. Applicants should be able to provide proof of cancellations and bookings, have at least three years employment in the music industry and/or six commercially releases recordings (singles) or music videos, and have EPK materials ready (biography, resume, discography, etc). Note that MusiCare also offers short-term financial assistance for personal or addiction needs that have arisen due to unforeseen circumstances (non-COVID related).

Musicians Foundation offers both COVID-19 specific and general grant applications (due to other forms of disaster or need; see bottom of page). Their COVID-19 form is sporadically being closed to control flow of submissions, but keep checking back. They are offering $200 grants for professional performers, educators and composers who have at least five years experience, earn the majority of income via their music work (allows for combined income from teaching, performing, composing), files taxes as a musician (1040), and have documentation. Grants are $200 or less.

For grants due to other reasons that COVID-19 related needs, you must have an acute need (due to personal, medical, dental, family crisis, natural disaster or other emergency situation), worked in the U.S. as a professional musicians for at least five years, currently reside in the U.S. and be able to provide proof of lost work/1040 status. Grants can range $500-$3000.

Sweet Relief is nonprofit focused on providing financial aid to artists/musicians with illness, disability or age-related problems. They’ve opened a COVID-19 specific donor-directed fund. Applicants must be able to prove that they acquire at least 50% of all income from the music industry, and provide proof of cancellations or medical need. Note that funds will not be distributed until the campaign is over, and Sweet Relief will pay third parties directly (i.e. if you need assistance with rent, they will pay your landlord directly). Funds can be used for medical expenses, lodging, clothing, food and other vital living expenses to those impacted due to sickness or loss of work.

Music Health Alliance has opened a COVID-19 Relief Grant. COVID-specific fund to provide financial support for music professionals directly impacted by COVID-19. You must be able to show immediate need for food, baby needs, medication, or health insurance premiums. You need to also show three years music industry employment, and work documentation. Funds are rather limited, assisting for up to 8 weeks at $250 per month/maximum of $500.

Freelancers Union is running a Freelancers Relief Fund, offering financial assistance of up to $1,000 per freelance household to cover lost income and essential expenses not covered by government relief programs, including: food/food supplies, utility payments, and cash assistance to cover income loss.

Twenty Summers started an Emergency Arts Fund for artists of all mediums, including musicians, suffering from “unexpected and unmanageable financial loss” as a result of COVID-19.

Membership/subscription platform Patreon has opened a grant to support artists/musicians impacted by COVID-19. It’s open to all artists globally, and you do not need to be a Patreon member to apply. Details are limited as to amounts being offered.

ArtistRelief.org is distributing $5,000 grants to artists of all disciplines. To be eligible for a relief grant, applicants must be: demonstrate a sustained commitment to their work & audience, experiencing dire financial needs due to COVID-19, be 21+, and residing in the U.S. for the last two years (ad legally able to accept income). Grants will be prioritizing to artists demonstrating severe need, and emphasis on wide spread across disciplines, geographies, ethnicity, disability and gender.

Unemployment Benefits: The CARES Act, temporarily expands unemployment insurance eligibility to self-employed workers, freelancers, independent contractors, and part-time workers via the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). This differs from normal unemployment as self-employed, independent contractors and 1099 filers who are affected by COVID-19 are now eligible for unemployment benefits. If you’re a full-time musician/artist, and have lost the majority of your work due to COVID-19, you’ll likely be eligible. Note if you are still receiving random one-off jobs (say a few Skype lessons, or few hours of recording work) you can still apply and report/deduct these from your weekly benefits.

For New York residents, this flow chart is helpful to determine eligibility, and you can apply online (guidance/instructions here). Residents of other states should check online for further instruction and status (ability to apply online may be delayed as it’s such a new program).

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) launched a Paycheck Protection Program open for small businesses with up to 500 employees, as well as sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed persons. If you’re a full time musician, chances are you fall into one of these categories, and it’s worth investing. Independent contractors/self-employed individuals will be eligible to apply starting April 10th. SBA will forgive the loan if you spend 75% of the loan funds on payroll costs, and the remaining 25% can be used on rent, mortgage interest, and utilities. Finance for Musicians breaks down the details in a great blog post, to help you determine if you’re eligible and if you should apply, and we also appreciated the simplicity of Bench.co’s blog. You can apply until June 30th, and will need to go through a local lender (ideally via a bank where you have an established checking account – this SmartAsset blog links to many banks PPP pages). As Bench.co‘s blog states, “it is important to note that you cannot receive both Unemployment Benefits and a PPP loan at the same time. You should consider the payout of each program to determine which is the best fit for you.”

Specialty Grants, Funds & Loans:

Arts Administrators of Color Network has opened an emergency fund, providing up to $200 for artists & industry professionals who self-identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). They should be either a working artist or art administration directly affected by COVID-19.

NYC Chapter of BYP100 has opened COVID-19 NYC Black Folk Mutual Aid Fund as a mutual aid resource available to black folk in NYC. They’re distributing up to $200 financial assistance, as well as networking and direct need support.

Genre-specific opportunities are also great for artists to seek out. We’ve seen: The Blues Foundation HART Fund (not COVID-19 specific) “…for Blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns”, and The Jazz Foundation of America has opened COVID-19 Musicians’ Emergency Fund to assist with basic living expenses for those impacted by the virus (scroll to bottom of their page for the application).

SoundGirls started a CoronaVirus Relief Fund specifically to aid production techs across the globe that are now unemployed due to COVID-19. You should have three years of live event production as your primary source of income, be able to provide two referrals and employment documentation.

LiveNation has announced a ‘Crew Nation‘ fund, to help touring/backstage staff including: tour managers, production managers, riggers, sound engineers, backline techs, lighting directors/designers, special effects teams, carpenters, and more. Recipients will be selected based on ‘objective determination of need’. There’s no application online yet, but they say to check back this week.

Bartenders & Restaurant Workers: it’s cliche for a reason, that many musicians/artists work in bartending or restaurant industries to keep their artistic careers afloat. These industries of course have been hit especially hard by COVID-19. USGB opened a Bartender Emergency Assistance Fund (you do NOT need to be a USBG member to apply), and The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation opened a Relief Fund, of $500 grants for part and full time workers who qualify.

State & Local Resources (NYC Region Focused)

We’re based in NYC, which has been especially hard-hit by COVID-19. We’ve seen a number of resources for every major city; if you’re not NY based, scroll down for some suggested lists to check out!

New York State of Health – the state’s health insurance exchange has opened up an emergency special enrollment period for uninsured residents through April 15. Note that enrollment is open all year if your income is low enough to be eligible for Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and the Essential Plan. You can also also request free assistance from a broker/navigator via phone or online.

Max’s Kansas City Project has opened an Emergency Relief Fund, providing a one-time grant of $500-1000 to artists (of all disciplines) who have financial needs. Note that grants money goes directly to third party (i.e. if you need rental assistance, goes directly to your landlord). It’s a rather in-depth application, required a letter by the applicant explaining their need of assistance, work samples, and letter of recommendation. Open to all New York State residents.

Mayer Foundation‘s Economic Relief Grants are open to all NYC based individuals. They are offering large grants, up to $2000 for individuals who are distressed or suffering as a result of poverty, low income or lack of financial resources, witht eh mission/use “to provide health care to those who cannot afford health care or whose health insurance or financial resources are insufficient to cover medical needs”. This is a non-COVID specific grant, but solid resource to check out if you’re financially suffering due to medical related costs.

Don’t discredit surveys – Americans for the Arts are running a survey to understand COVID-19 impacts on musicians/artists — take a moment to fill out, as it could help lobbying for financial assistance on local/state/national levels.

There’s numerous databases with further resources being constantly added and updated including Billboard’s Coronavirus Resource Guide, Pollstar’s Live Industry Relief Guide, and COVID-19 Freelance Resource.

Note that many smaller organizations may temporarily close applications due to overwhelming responses, so be sure to check back on a regular basis, and keep track of your applications.

Stay healthy, keep applying & good luck!

Have suggestions we should add, corrections or clarifications? It’s a team effort to stay on top of changing resources, we’d love to hear: [email protected] – thanks!

[Last updated 4/9/2020]