COVID-19 Response
During the spring and summer of 2020, ABC put in nearly 400 hours in a combined effort to provide COVID-19 related support to approximately 100 individual artists, business owners, creative entrepreneurs, and nonprofits led by people of color. Through a diverse array of resource and capacity building workshops, we were able to significantly impact artists and communities of color across the countries.
Grant-writing workshops
During our March webinar on grant writing, we had nearly 50 people in attendance. All participants got a recording of the webinar as well as a folder of resources that included: a template grant checklist, one of ABC’s grants as an example, a sample budget, notes from COVID-19 Resources webinars compiled from staff, listings of funding opportunities, and advocacy materials that help them articulate the economic value of their cultural capital for grant narratives.
COVID-19 and the Creative Economy
When initial plans for quarantine were announced, few artists, arts businesses and arts nonprofits were well-positioned to manage a potential crisis or engage in the aid-seeking process. ABC and the Rising Tides will conduct a 3 phase, 10 month $260k impact study on the economic survival of POC-led arts organizations, entrepreneurs, and artists during and after COVID-19.
Office hours
ABC staff held open office hours in individual one-on-one settings and in small groups in order to advise artists and entrepreneurs on applying for emergency relief funds, NYCT Application questions, post-crisis financial relief, grant prospecting, and more.