With the preliminary recovery from Sandy’s wrath now underway, artists and art organizations who need financial and other assistance have a variety of sources available. ARTINFO has put together a list of some of the most useful:
The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation Emergency Grants offers one-time financial assistance for artists affected by a catastrophe. Eligible applicants must have at least 10 years of involvement at a mature stage of their career.
Grants, loans, resource and material assistance, and waivers/discounts on booth fees are available for professional craft artists through the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF). Applicants must be residents of the U.S. and have suffered a recent career-threatening emergency. CERF is also sponsoring a resource exchange where artists can post requests for resources.
Artists whose work transcends boundaries of dance, theatre, music, multimedia, and spoken word can receive financial assistance and social services through The Howl Emergency Life Project (H.E.L.P.). Previous participation in the HOWL Festival, or living on the Lower East Side or in the East Village are the eligibility requirements for this grant.
The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) offers 24-hour volunteer assistance for artists and cultural institutions dealing with work that has been damaged in a natural disaster. They have also combined with the Collection Emergency Response Team (CERT) to aid institutions, organizations, collections and artists impacted by the hurricane, reachable by email or by their helpline at (202) 661-8068.
Though the offices of the Joan Mitchell Foundation are still closed due to Sandy damage, they have funding available to painters and sculptors who have been affected by a natural disaster. They also work with arts organizations and funders to assess needs and support recovery.
The Pollock-Krasner Foundation is accepting emergency requests for grants to professional visual artists affected by Sandy.
Lawyer Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento has generously offered to provide advice free of charge to visual artists and arts organizations who have been affected by Sandy. Sarmiento wrote, “I just wants to make my services available for any artist who is at a loss as to what rights they have or how they should proceed in getting compensated for their losses.”
Americans for the Arts has put together an Essential Guidelines for Art Responders, an abridged version of an upcoming handbook, for artists and art organizations dealing with damages from the hurricane. The free handbook includes info on coordinating with other organizations on disaster mobilization systems and creating grant relief programs.
The U.S. Small Business Association’s disaster relief program makes businesses and non-profit organizations of any size eligible for loans to replace damaged property, equipment, inventory and other assets.
Heritage Preservation, the National Institute for Conservation, has put together a thorough guide for getting through the FEMA emergency relief grant application process. They also offer museums, individuals, and organizations information on preservation of artistic works.
The American Federation of Arts has opened up several vacant work spaces in their office for artists, gallerists, and others in the art world displaced by Hurricane Sandy. The space is available, free of charge, until December 1.
Fractured Atlas is reviewing applications for fiscal sponsorship on an emergency, expedited basis, and has waived membership fees for artists affected by Sandy.
While we’ve compiled the resources that we find most helpful, lists of additional grants and funding sources have also been posted at BRIC Contemporary Arts, Grantmakers in the Arts, and NYFASource.
Know of another resource for artists? Write to sroffino@artinfo.com.