Join White Mystery and Rattleback Records from a virtual concert to support the Chicago Artist Relief Fund. An online concert of Chicago artists, in support of Chicago artists, through the Chicago Artists Relief Fund. Chicago wouldn’t be Chicago without its artists. Painters, filmmakers, sculptors, dancers, musicians, theater makers, writers: artists help us tap into our own creativity, to see the world in new ways, to share experiences in communal spaces. But as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, these communal spaces have shut down. And too many artists aren’t sure how they’re going to make rent this month. Or next. As social distancing quickly becomes the new normal, many artists whose paycheck-to-paycheck livelihood depends on the next gig find themselves looking at an empty calendar for the next several weeks (at least). An empty calendar means no income. For gig-to-gig freelancers, there’s no paid time off. There’s no work-from-home option for DJing a gallery opening, or acting in a world premiere production, or dancing for a packed club. The fund recognizes the inequity inherent in our communities – globally, nationally, locally, and often especially in the arts. Even in times of stability, many working artists are able to pursue their careers with the help of family wealth, the support of a partner, or work in other fields, and many benefit from other social privileges connected to race, gender, sexuality, size, ability, citizenship status, and more. (As Ijeoma Oluo, organizer of the Seattle Artists Relief Fund, writes, some of us are in “the rare and privileged position to be able to weather this [crisis] financially. Many are not.”) The fund recognizes that government agencies, institutions, and non-profits do not or are not able to prioritize those whom inequity affects most on a daily basis, even outside times of crisis. As such, the Fund prioritizes artists who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Queer, Trans+, Non-Binary, and Disabled, but will endeavor to support as many Chicago artists as possible.
•Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/chicago-artists-relief-fund
•Watch here: https://www.facebook.com/rattlebackrecords/
Posted 06.01.20 Permalink to this story
