The Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) division announced last week that it will contribute $127,500 to the Colorado Artist Relief Fund to support artists, musicians and other creatives financially impacted by COVID-19.
“Arts and culture makes up 4.5% of the state’s GDP,” Margaret Hunt, director of Colorado Creative Industries, said in a news release. “It is important for Colorado’s creative workers to have access to essential funding during this economic interruption.”
Grants of up to $1,000 can help cover basic needs such as food, rent, medical costs and childcare, she said.
The CCI operates as a division of the state’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
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The grants are being made available on a rolling basis to individual artists in all media who live in Colorado and whose incomes have been adversely affected by the pandemic due to cancelation of events, classes, performances and other creative work.
The Colorado Artist Relief Fund prioritizes lower-income artists and artists who have no other source of income.
CCI has partnered with RedLine Contemporary Arts Center to seek business and philanthropic donations to expand its funding capacity and increase its reach. Individual donations of $5,000 or less can be made on the RedLine website.
Applications for the Colorado Artist Relief Fund opened on April 1 and 571 applications were submitted in its first week alone. The application is now open to applicants residing outside of the Denver metro area. Applicants should visit https://redlineart.submittable.com/submit to apply. Grants will be awarded on a first come, first-served basis.
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