Texas continues to be an epicenter of a coronavirus surge as artists continue to struggle to make ends meet. In response to the substantial economic and social impact of the ongoing pandemic, a group of Texas folk and traditional arts organizations and stakeholders have come together to help offset the immediate and ongoing needs of the Texas Folk and Traditional Arts community at large.
Artists in need of assistance can fill out the short Relief for Texas Folk and Traditional Artists Application. If you know of an artist needing assistance, please nominate them by filling out the application form.
A group of Folk and Traditional Art organizations, with the support of Texas Folklife, will award emergency grants of $500 to community-based folk and traditional artists impacted by COVID-19. Grants are one-time award made to individuals to assist with their financial well-being. The panel will be intentional in the distribution of awards, striving to reach a statewide dispersal and to reach those most in need.
To be eligible for this $500.00 one-time grant, the following conditions need to apply:
1. You must currently live in Texas.
2. You must identify as a traditional or folk artist (see below) and be currently active as a traditional artist.
3. You must indicate a financial need.
Folk and traditional artists are those artists who are practicing an art form that is held by a shared community of people – with community defined by ethnicity, occupation, region, gender, place of origin, religion, etc. Learning in this community is accomplished by one-on-one interaction through a long period of instruction between master/teacher and student, or through a more formal apprenticeship. Formal learning through classroom instruction is not the usual form of instruction for folk and traditional art forms. Often the art or skill is passed from older generation to younger generation, or through a peer network.
Applications will be reviewed by a panel of people working in the field of folk and traditional arts. Applications must be received by August 14, 2020 and awards will be distributed no later than September 1, 2020. All decisions are final and non-acceptance does not indicate a dismissal of the applicant or the applicant’s art form. Texas Folklife will unfortunately not be able to fund all applications but hopes to raise money to fund subsequent rounds of grants.
If you wish to make a donation to the Texas Folk & Traditional Arts Relief Fund, you may do so here:
https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/texasfolkartrelief
