With concerts canceled, craft fairs on hold and nonessential stores shuttered, Madison County’s art community, like most all sectors of the local economy, has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. To help local musicians and makers pay bills while continuing to create during the crisis, the Madison County Arts Council launched an artist relief fund that awards $200 micro-grants to artists living within the county.
While the Arts Council itself has been hit hard by event cancellations – both the Fiddlers of Madison County and Bluff Mountain Festival, two key fundraisers, are off for 2020 – the nonprofit was able to secure a loan from the Payroll Protection Program. The federal money will help it meet payroll demands over the next couple months, Laura Boosinger, the group’s executive director said in a phone call April 30. With that security in place, the organization launched the fund to assist artists suffering from a loss of income.
“Our mission statement is ‘Strengthening the community through the arts,” Boosinger said. “We’re trying really hard to do that even when we can’t provide programming.”
Artists can apply for the grants and donors can support the fund with tax-deductible donations by visiting the Arts Council website, madisoncountyarts.com. The process for artists to sign up is simple; the only real requirement is to be a working artist creating in any medium living in Madison County, according to Erich Hubner, the nonprofit’s program director.
“It’s specifically geared towards people who make a living through their art work. It’s an alternative to the maze people are getting into when applying for unemployment,” he said, adding that 10 have applied to the grant program so far.
Hubner moved to launch the artists relief fund in mid-April when the reality of the pandemic’s impact on artists began to hit home. “If other funds become available from any state or federal program, having this vehicle in place is a good thing,” he said. “It would show that we already have a track record of getting money out to artists in need. As much money as we get, we’ll give out. Every dollar that comes in goes back out the door.”
The grants come without strings, Hubner said, allowing artists who earn the awards to spend the cash however they choose. “It can be for anything, living expenses, groceries, anything. It’s probably not going to change anyone’s world, but $200 is $200.”
‘I got hit twice’
Martha Skinner won the first grant award, with the financial support coming at a critical time. A break-in and mold issues at her Madison County rental home forced Skinner and her daughter to move into a short-term apartment rental in downtown Marshall right as stay at home orders began to bite.
“I got hit twice,” she said, mentioning lost revenue from grants, retreats and workshops due to the pandemic.
A U.S. citizen born in Colombia, Skinner moved to Madison County last year, drawn both by a landscape similar to her South American homeland and Marshall’s vibrant art community. “Every little bit helps and I’m very thankful for it,” she said of the grant award. “It makes me feel at home.”
A visual artist trained in both design and architecture, Skinner said the backing will help her focus on projects that she hopes can foster connection at a time when social distancing is top of mind for many. “As an artist, a creator, my process is always rolling. There’s something about being in this retreat state and being inside that actually feels kind of good. I’m just bursting with ideas and what I want to do.”
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Artist relief fund aims to help Madison County artists - Citizen Times
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