ArtSmart Launches Mentor Relief Fund
“Due to recent school district closures in response to COVID-19, ArtSmart’s policy must be to follow their lead; if they close, we close. Unfortunately we are unable compensate our mentors during such extreme events, when lessons cannot be taught. We do not say this lightheartedly. ArtSmart was founded on the premise that working artists must be paid. We strongly believe that artists deserve a living wage, which is why ArtSmart has paid over $1,000,000 dollars to our artists since our founding four years ago.
COVID-19 threatens more than the ability of artists to remain competitive in a creative economy. An outbreak of such magnitude is devastating to the gig economy, in which individuals rely on various sources of income for their livelihood. With your help, we can remedy this problem. Starting today, we are launching the #GigEconomyAwareness fundraising initiative. Every dollar raised from this campaign will go to a separate emergency fund outside of our operating budget. With the #ArtSmartMentorReliefFund, we want to supplement this lost compensation for our mentors because unfortunately #GigsAreNotCovered during extreme times such as these.
As part of this initiative, we will also be sharing important information on the gig economy to educate the general public on how artists’ livelihoods are particularly vulnerable under such duress. With your help, we can raise awareness as well as much needed income for our valued mentors. Please visit our website or find us on Venmo (@artsmart) to make a contribution.”
For more information about ArtSmart, click here. To make a contribution and to learn more about the Mentor Relief Fund, click here.
