Baltimore Artist Emergency Relief Fund

The Baltimore Artist Emergency Relief Fund coalition is happy to announce that it has exceeded the initial goal of raising $125,000 to award $500 mini-grants to artists living in Baltimore City. To date, nearly 200 grants have been awarded. At this rate, the available funding will be exhausted this week.

As a result, the coalition is no longer accepting submissions. All applications submitted through Friday, May 1, at 11:59pm, will still be considered for the last round of granting.

For applicants still awaiting a response, you can expect to hear back about your status within the next 5 business days. Please contact Jocquelyn Downs, Arts Council Director at the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, with any questions: jdowns@promotionandarts.org.

To all of the funders and supporters, the Baltimore Artist Emergency Relief Fund was made possible because of your generous and expedient response to a dire situation. This has been an amazing representation of citywide collaboration. We thank you all.

Inspired by the generosity of artist-led relief efforts in Baltimore and across the country, this fund was developed through a partnership between 20 artists and arts organizers committed to working together for the collective good of the Baltimore creative community, and is made possible by administrative and funding support from T. Rowe Price Foundation,Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, Maryland State Arts Council, Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, France Merrick Foundation, Joseph and Harvey Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds, Abell Foundation, Grit Fund and Baltimore Creatives Acceleration Network. A special thanks to WTMD for contributing a portion of their recently received donations to the Baltimore Artist Emergency Relief Fund.

The coalition of partners who answered the call to action to create the fund are: Elaine Asal, Station North Arts & Entertainment District; Emily Breiter, Bromo Arts District; Sharayna Christmas, Baltimore Creatives Acceleration Network, Muse 360 Arts, Necessary Tomorrows; Nicholas Cohen, Maryland Citizens for the Arts; Andy Cook, Made in Baltimore; Jocquelyn Downs, Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts; Donna Drew-Sawyer, Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts; Michelle Geiss, Impact Hub Baltimore; Brion Gill, Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District; Marian Glebes, Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance, Neighborhood Design Center; Samuel Hoi, Maryland Institute College of Art; Will Holman, Open Works; Adam Holofcener, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts; Jeannie L. Howe, Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance; Mia Jones, Invisible Majority; Alanah Nichole, Alanah's COVID-19 Emergency Fund For Artists & Freelancers; Derek Price, Eubie Blake Jazz & Cultural Center; Andrew Simonet, Artists U; Maggie Villegas, Baltimore Creatives Acceleration Network; Olu Butterfly Woods, DewMore.

For more information about COVID-19, please visit the Baltimore City Health Department website: https://coronavirus.baltimorecity.gov/