In response to the current pandemic and its devastating impact on the local arts community, the Rozsa Foundation is introducing two new granting programs, providing $400,000 of additional investment into the arts sector.
These one-time programs are intended to both alleviate some of the immediate financial pressures facing arts organizations, while also enabling them to be forward-looking, seeking opportunities to use digital technologies to deliver programming to audiences and using the arts to address specific community needs at this critical time.
“The impact of COVID-19 on arts organizations was instantaneous; as soon as gatherings were restricted, so too were most revenue-earning opportunities for arts organizations, explains Rozsa Foundation Executive Director Simon Mallett. “However, one of the things we’re now seeing as folks are physically distancing, is that so many people are turning to the arts for connection, learning and entertainment; whether it’s watching TV & movies, participating in livestreamed dance classes, taking virtual tours of art galleries or any of the many other arts offerings we’re seeing. We wanted to find a way to both lighten the impact on organizations while also providing them with the means to create digital content to share the arts with our communities, as we need the arts more than ever right now.”
1. COVID-19 PROGRAMMING CANCELLATION GRANT
The magnitude of financial impact the COVID-19 crisis and physical distancing directives have had on arts organizations of all sizes is staggering, and the speed at which the world changed made any mitigation measures impossible. Almost overnight, arts organizations lost all outstanding revenue from ticket and admission sales, programs, school bookings, venue rentals, special events, possible grants and sponsorships for the rest of their seasons. Some arts organizations were particularly hard hit, having already incurred costs for cancelled programming, then paying out contractually obligated artist fees on top of those costs.
The Rozsa Foundation is offering support to these organizations through grants of up to $10,000 for organizations with an operating budget up to $1 million, or up to $20,000 for organizations with an operating budget above $1 million. These grants will help to cover the cost of artist fees paid out to those whose contracts unfortunately had to be terminated due to COVID-19 related cancellations between March and June 2020. These funds can either be used to pay contractual obligations to artists who have not yet been paid or to restore funds already used to pay artists.
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2. ONLINE PROGRAMMING GRANT
As online arts content begins to stand in for its real-world counterpart, the opportunity exists for arts organizations to be strategic by exploring the potential of using digital technologies in new ways to advance their mission, share their art with audiences and build resiliency. At the same time, with physical distancing measures in effect, the arts organizations can deliver online-based programming that fills specific needs within the community, further entrenching the critical role of the arts in society.
The Rozsa Foundation is offering support to arts organizations through grants of up to $15,000 to create innovative programming or activities that can be shared digitally with an audience. This presents arts organizations with an opportunity to use technology to deepen connection to community, reach new audiences and implement a digital approach to programming that may continue beyond this period of physical distancing.
Especially of interest are proposals that will use the arts in a digital format to address immediate needs in the community, including supporting the learning objectives of K-12 students, promoting mental health and wellbeing, addressing social isolation in at-risk populations, and promoting social cohesion through art, bringing people together in a cooperative spirit.
Click here for more information on this grant.
APPLICATIONS OPEN TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020
These two new granting programs will begin accepting applications on Tuesday, April 14th through the appropriate pages on our website.
The application process is streamlined to make applying straightforward, and it is the goal of the Rozsa Foundation to assess applications on an ongoing basis, with notification on whether a grant can be provided within 72 hours of the receipt of the application.
Questions about the Rozsa Foundation’s COVID-19 Granting Programs can be addressed to Executive Director Simon Mallett at simon@rozsafoundation.org.
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