Updated: April 14, 2020
First and foremost, COVID-19 represents a serious public health emergency in communities around the world. The National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures advocates for a collective response to this moment that centers compassion, understanding and patience.
As this situation continues to impact artists and cultural workers in our field, our work continues. We are especially focused on listening and responding to the needs of independent cultural workers and community arts organizations.
While our physical office space in San Antonio is closed, we are fully operational and NALAC staff is working remotely. We look forward to continue working with you. You can reach us online, by email or by phone at 210-432-3982.
We take a moment to uplift and thank all the artists, organizations and partners whose creativity and innovation continues to be a beacon of hope and comfort for people around the country and the globe in these uncertain times.
Please note the links for the surveys and forms below will open in a new tab on our AirTable platform.
Field Survey
Over the past couple of weeks, NALAC has been focused on listening and responding to the needs of independent cultural workers and community arts organizations. What are your most pressing needs? We want to hear from you in order to advocate on your behalf for rapid effective support to the Latinx arts field. We will use responses from the survey to inform our work moving forward.
Participate in the NALAC Field Survey.
View preliminary live results from the NALAC Field Survey.
Resource Directory & Emergency Funding Opportunities
We are continuing to update a list of key resources that are relevant to both independent artists and cultural workers as well as arts organizations and collectives.
On the resource directory you will find emergency funding opportunities, information for freelance workers, information for nonprofit organizations, statements from arts service organizations, surveys & needs assessments, and self-care tips. Here are a few key links you’ll find there:
-
- Artist Relief is offering $5,000 Grants for Individual Artists.
- COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resources is an aggregated list of free resources, opportunities, and financial relief options available to artists of all disciplines.
- Americans for the Arts: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource and Response Center
- Freelancers Union: What the CARES Act Means for Freelancers
-
The National Council of Non-Profits has created a useful overview of Loans Available for Non-Profit Organizations in the CARES Act.
- The NEA CARES Act Grant will award funds to nonprofit arts organizations (previous NEA awardees from the past four years are eligible) for general operating support with no matching grant requirements. Applications for the $50,000 grant opportunity are now open. Apply by April 22.
- SBA Loans: The Payment Protection Plan Loan is available to section 501c3 non-profits, tribal small businesses and companies with less than 500 employees. Sole proprietors, independent contractors and other self-employed individuals may participate in the program. Typical loan amounts will be about 2.5x of one month’s payroll expenses. Loans may also be used for other payroll benefits, rent/mortgages and utility costs. Apply here.
- SBA Loans: Economic Injury Disaster Loan is a loan through the U.S. Small Business Administration. While the Economic Injury Disaster Loan has a 2.75% interest rate and is not forgivable, they are also offering a loan advance of up to $10,000 that does not have to be repaid. The purpose is for “businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue”. Application deadlines are rolling but its first come first serve. This opportunity eliminates creditworthiness requirements and so that eligible nonprofits and other applicants with 500 or fewer employees can get checks for $10,000 within a couple of days. Apply here.
NALAC Relief Efforts
NALAC has created the Actos de Confianza micro-grant initiative to support artists and arts administrators whose work has been adversely impacted by COVID-19. We will be making $500 micro-grants to provide these individuals with short-term emergency financial assistance. The deadline for applications will be on April 16th, 2020 at 4:00PM Central Time.
Read our letter from the NALAC President & CEO announcing the initiative.
Support NALAC Relief Efforts
NALAC has committed $25,000 to seed our first phase of emergency relief efforts via the Actos de Confianza micro-grant initiative. We are committed to working with partners to continue increasing the funding opportunities for our communities.
If you are in a position to donate, your contribution will allow for more emergency funds to be distributed via $500 micro-grants to Latinx artists and cultural workers. To support emergency relief for Latinx artists, arts administrators, and nonprofit community arts organizations, please consider making a donation of any amount.
Online Events Directory
We encourage artists and organizations to share any upcoming online or virtual events, programs or activities with us. We may be able to help spread the word via our social media platforms on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Submit an upcoming online program or event.
Call to Continue Supporting Artists & Arts Organizations
We encourage individuals and organizations to continue supporting independent artists directly by funding their work (purchasing books, films, artwork, tickets to future performances, etc). Consider reaching out to folks directly to ask how you can offer support; increasingly many folks are able to accept donations or artist fees via Venmo, Cash or other applications.
We also encourage supporting collectives and community arts organizations. Many groups depend on support from in-person visitors and audience members. Reach out to organizations and donate directly.
Recommendations for Organizations
Pay artist fees! Organizations or venues should consider paying artist fees for work that was scheduled to be presented but may be cancelled or postponed. Artist fees support the development and preparation of a work as much as its presentation.
If your organization has physical space that will be closed, please continue paying wages to folks who may not be able to telecommute (janitorial staff, security, retail, performers, etc.)
We recommend that organizations contact their funders and donors to request flexibility with their funding in order to remove any restrictions that could allow organizations to pay artists for events that have been cancelled or postponed. Additionally, there may be opportunities to request transferring program funding to general operating costs.
Update regarding NALAC Fund for the Arts
If you are a current NALAC Fund for the Arts grantee who has experienced a cancellation, postponement or shift in project timeline due to COVID-19, please know that NALAC will continue to support your work and collaborate with you to adjust for these unprecedented measures. If you have any questions, please contact Adriana Rios (arios@nalac.org).
Update regarding NALAC Leadership Institute
Since 2000, the NALAC Leadership Institute has offered a crucial capacity-building and leadership development program for Latinx artists, cultural workers and arts administrators through a culturally relevant lens. We encourage folks interested in this leadership development opportunity to apply for the next iteration of this program. As we continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation both locally and nationally, we will be extending the application deadline for the NALAC Leadership Institute until May 28th, 2020.
Update regarding Intercultural Leadership Institute
The Intercultural Leadership Institute, a year-long fellowship for artists and culture bearers, is a collaborative program of Alternate ROOTS, First Peoples Fund, PA’I Foundation, and NALAC. As we collectively make preparations for the third iteration of the institute, we value how critical it is for all communities to stay safe and healthy during this uncertain time. The call for applications has shifted to a rolling basis until further notice. Please note, program costs for this fellowship are covered by ILI and our funding partners. Learn more and apply at www.weareili.org.
Update regarding NALAC Advocacy Leadership Institute
While NALAC will not be traveling to Washington D.C. this April as we have in past years for the Advocacy Leadership Institute, we will be adapting parts of the D.C. immersive training virtually to explore how arts advocacy efforts at the local and national level can continue onward despite the contours of our current environment. In the coming weeks we will be sharing learnings widely from our upcoming sessions and the experiences of our ALI Fellows.