The recent coronavirus outbreak has affected most of us in various ways. People (rightfully) tend to think about those workers in the medical community, first responders, grocery store employees, and others who are helping to keep us safe.
Then some of us think about the small business owners who are suffering right now. I think often of my favorite local board game cafe. My family frequents restaurants in West Seattle and White Center that are either trying to weather the storm, or have already closed. It’s a tough time for a lot of people.
This post is about artists though, they are also suffering. Obviously, big concerts are cancelled, theaters are closed, and the venues that support local musicians like myself have shut their doors. Many musicians I know have lost nearly 100% of their income due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and the related orders to close these types of places. To that end, I’m linking to some places that are positioned to help out. There’s a great list of emergency funds at https://artisttrust.org/covid-19-response/. There, if you’re able, you can choose a specific fund that you want to support. Personally, I’m donating to the Seattle Artist Relief Fund in order to support my friends in the Seattle arts community who are experiencing financial difficulty.
Amidst all of this, many artists are also using relatively new technology to keep performing, and hopefully keep afloat. If you can, please consider donating to one of these funds, or check out a livestream of a musician you like, and donate to them directly.