The Willem de Kooning Foundation, the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Teiger Foundation, and the Cy Twombly Foundation, as part of their respective COVID-19 relief efforts, have established an emergency relief grant program that will provide $1,250,000 in aid to Tri-State non-salaried workers in the visual arts who have experienced financial hardship from lack of income or opportunity as a direct result of the COVID-19 crisis. The program, initiated by The Willem de Kooning Foundation, will be administered in partnership with NYFA.

The Tri-State Relief Fund to Support Non-Salaried Workers in the Visual Arts will distribute one-time unrestricted cash grants of $2,000 each to freelance, contract, or non-salaried archivists, art handlers, artist/photographer’s assistants, cataloguers, database specialists, digital assets specialists, image scanners/digitizers, and registrars. Applicants must show proof of residency in Connecticut, New Jersey, and/or New York from the last two years. They must also have a minimum of five years experience in the aforementioned behind-the-scenes roles in the visual arts, and be able to show proof of critical financial need due to loss of income directly related to the COVID-19 crisis.

This emergency relief fund program will offer three rounds of applications: May 5-6, May 19-20, and June 2-3.

We encourage you to visit our regularly-updated Emergency Grants page for more COVID-19 specific resources that may be available to you during this time.

Who can apply:

• They are behind-the-scenes freelance, contract, or non-salaried cultural workers in the visual arts, who are able to demonstrate a sustained commitment for the past five years (2015-2020) to work in one or more of the following roles: Archivist, Art Handler, Artist/Photographer’s Assistant, Cataloguer, Database Specialist, Digital Assets Specialist, Image Scanner/Digitizer, Registrar.
• They can provide documented loss of income for the period of March 1, 2020 – August 1, 2020.
• They have experienced dire financial emergencies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• They have been living and working in the Tri-State area (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut) for a minimum of two years (from 2018).
• They are 21 years of age or older on or before the first cycle opens on May 5, 2020.
• They can provide a W9 and Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
• They are not a full-time employee, board member, director, officer, or immediate family member of NYFA, nor are they currently connected to The Willem de Kooning Foundation, the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, Teiger Foundation, or the Cy Twombly Foundation (by employment or freelance work).
• The have not previously been awarded a relief grant from this fund.

The fund will cover any documented lost income opportunities including, but not limited to: cancelled freelance projects or consulting assignments in the visual arts, lost contract work, lost temp work; as a result of business closures, etc. Loss of income must relate to your nominated freelance/contracted/non-salaried work.

GRANT TIMELINE
Grant Launch: Tuesday, April 28, 2020

CYCLE I
Application Opens: Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 10:00 AM EDT
Applications Close: Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 11:59 PM EDT
Application Review: Thursday, May 7 – Sunday, May 17, 2020
Applicants Notified: Monday, May 18, 2020

CYCLE II
Application Opens: Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 10:00 AM EDT
Applications Close: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 11:59 PM EDT
Application Review: Thursday, May 21 – Sunday, May 31, 2020
Applicants Notified: Monday, June 1, 2020

CYCLE I
Application Opens: Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at 10:00 AM EDT
Applications Close: Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at 11:59 PM EDT
Application Review: Thursday, June 4 – Sunday, June 14, 2020
Applicants Notified: Monday, June 15, 2020

Please visit NYFA’s website for more information, including a list of application questions and requirements for completing the application form.  All questions should be directed to freelance@nyfa.org.

NYFA Grants

Thank You

If you have any questions about this correspondence, please email freelance@nyfa.org.