Artists are the Heart of Every Community
Artists are at the heart of every community. The problem these days is that those communities have, for the time being, been put on hold. Like many others, artists are feeling the devastating effects of COVID-19. In fact, according to a survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, two-thirds of the nation’s artists are now unemployed.
Luckily, several artists from Westchester were recently “granted” a small relief. They were the first recipients of funds from ArtsWestchester’s Artist Relief Fund. The GoFundMe campaign organized by ArtsWestchester offers new grants to Westchester artists whose livelihoods have been adversely affected by the current pandemic. Recipients in this first round of grants are mixed-media artist Rukhshan Haque (Yonkers), photographer Margaret Fox (Sleepy Hollow), jazz pianist Hiroshi Yamazaki (Tarrytown), ceramic artist and teacher Logan Wall (White Plains), musician and dancer Gina Bergamini (Mt. Kisco), contemporary dancer Sidra Bell (White Plains), painter Jacqueline Meier (Mamaroneck) and photographer Hubert Williams (Mt. Vernon).
ArtsWestchester will continue collecting donations indefinitely and distributing funds to artists on a first-come, first-serve basis. As more funds – every $500, to be exact – are donated to the Artist Relief Fund, new grants will be awarded to artists whose gigs have been canceled, whose residencies have been postponed due to school closures, and whose dance shoes have had to be packed away. Similar cancellations have taken place across the country. Nationally, the nonprofit arts industry has seen a loss of $5.5 billion as of mid-May. To read more about, or contribute to the Artist Relief Fund, click here.
A version of this article first appeared in the June issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNews is distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.
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About ArtsWestchester
For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.
For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.