New emergency funding initiative: Community Cares announced to support the Indigenous arts community

 

In response to financial pressures being experienced by Indigenous artists and cultural workers

Ottawa, June 30, 2020 – The Canada Council for the Arts, the Aboriginal Curatorial Collective, Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance, the Indigenous Screen Office, and the Inuit Art Foundation  announced today the creation of Community Cares: Emergency Response Fund for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Individuals Working in the Arts, a new time-limited emergency response fund to support First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals working in the arts and culture sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. Indigenous communities have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a special fund devised to provide immediate support to Indigenous artists and cultural workers adversely affected by the pandemic.

First Nations, Inuit or Métis artists and cultural workers who have lost income due to COVID -19 may apply to the fund. Loss of income may be due to self-isolation, postponement or cancellation of travel, events or market access, reduced sales of work, or due to caring for family members or children, as well as other disruptions caused by the pandemic. This fund will be open to any individuals who are First Nations, Inuit or Métis, working in the arts and culture sector, whose practice has been negatively impacted by COVID-19.

Support in the amount of $1,000 will be distributed to successful applicants. Applicants will be able to apply online through the websites of the Aboriginal Curatorial Collective, Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance, the Indigenous Screen Office, and the Inuit Art Foundation. Funds will be distributed by the Aboriginal Curatorial Collective. The Canada Council for the Arts has committed $250,000 to support this initiative.