Sunday Spotlight – Resources for Musicians affected by COVID-19

Brian Paden, a member of the Gordon Law Group in Nashville, sent this list of resources to me and I want to share it with everyone else. Gordon Law specializes in entertainment law. All of our musicians are suffering and yet many are carrying on with Facebook concerts, driven by the need not only to make money but to share their music. It is as vital to them as breathing.

So, I want to share what Mr. Paden sent and I hope there is something beneficial in this. Please help spread the word by sharing everywhere!

If you are a creative who is struggling especially hard due to the effects of the coronavirus, you should be aware of the resources that are available to help you weather the storm.

First, the CARES Act was signed into law a few days ago. The main impact for creatives is that this legislation makes non-traditional employees (such as freelancers and gig workers – yes, even musicians) eligible to receive unemployment benefits where they were not able to receive relief before. Instead of scraping by like normal, folks in the gigging community can receive unemployment benefits.

The CARES Act also, among many other things, (i) expands unemployment benefits by $600/week for up to four months, (ii) incentivizes states to eliminate “waiting week” provisions so unemployed workers can receive benefits immediately, and(iii)  provides federal funding for an addition 13 weeks of unemployment benefits through December 31, 2020, for workers who have utilized all available state unemployment benefits.

If you run a small business (like an independent studio, publishing company, or marketing firm) the CARES Act also provides loans for employers with few than 500 employees to help you make payroll and cover other expenses from February 15 – June 30. These loans may be forgiven if the money is used for payroll, interest payments on mortgages, rent, and utilities.

In addition to the CARES Act, private organizations are also doing what they can to help creatives. Some programs are genre-specific, some are only for members, and some even cover support staff who are not creatives (like stage crew). Check out the links below to see if there is an organization or program that can help you outlast the coronaverse. 

https://musiccovidrelief.com/

https://members.a2im.org/covid-19/resources/

https://www.opry.com/opry-trust-fund/
https://www.musichealthalliance.com/covid-19-resources/

https://agmarelief.org

https://cerfplus.org/get-relief/apply-for-help/

https://www.facebook.com/business/boost/grants

https://www.foundationforcontemporaryarts.org/grants/emergency-grants

https://missedtour.org

https://www.sweetrelief.org/covid-19-fund.html

https://www.lighthopelife.org/tour-support

Maybe there is something in all of this that will be helpful. Together we’ll get through this hard time!

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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