The first round of artists to receive grants in the ArtsWestchester Artist Relief Campaign have been selected. The $500 grants will help local artists and creatives who live or maintain a studio in Westchester and are suffering from the loss of work due to cancelations resulting from the novel coronavirus. The artists selected include:
- Sidra Bell, dance, White Plains
- Gina Bergamini, music/performance/dance, Mt. Kisco
- Margaret Fox, visual arts, Sleepy Hollow
- Rukhshan Haque, visual arts, Yonkers
- Jackie Meier, visual arts, Mamaroneck
- Logan Wall, visual arts, White Plains
- Mansheng Wang, visual arts, Dobbs Ferry
- Hubert Williams, visual arts, Mount Vernon
- Hiroshi Yamazaki, music, Tarrytown
In a statement, ArtsWestchester CEO Janet T. Langsam said, “We are thrilled to be able to provide some support to members of the artist community who have been deeply hurt to due to the abrupt loss of work due to the COVID-19 crisis. Artists throughout Westchester County are feeling the pinch of canceled gallery exhibits, darkened theaters, shuttered museums and no artist residences in schools or community sites.”
The application process opened on May 1 and will continue on a rolling basis. Submissions are reviewed by ArtsWestchester staff and the grants committee of ArtsWestchester’s board of directors. Distribution of funds to artists will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. The number of artists supported is directly dependent on how much funding is raised, so the public is asked to please share widely with their social media networks.
According to a recent survey by Americans for the Arts, the COVID-19 outbreak has dealt a $4.5 billion blow to America’s nonprofit arts sector as of April 6. Many of these devastating losses are trickling down to creative practitioners locally with no end in sight.
Individuals and businesses interested in participating can donate by visiting charity.gofundme.com/awrelieffund.
And for more, visit artswestchester.org.
