COVID-19 Resources for Artists

We hope you are staying safe and healthy during these turbulent times, as there’s no denying this pandemic has thrown us all into uncertain and unprecedented circumstances. We have been working to put together a list of resources for artist relief, general arts industry updates, and how to use ZAPP in the wake of COVID-19. As we learn of other resources, we’ll continue to update this page. We also encourage you to visit updates that our parent organization, WESTAF, has on its resources page.

COVID-19 Relief and Funding Opportunities

Many of the opportunities listed below are being offered on a first-come, first-served basis. If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit these resources, determine your eligibility, and apply as quickly as possible. For a quick and easy reference guide to eligibility and offerings, you can visit this list of Federal Arts Funding Opportunities.

• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) – Applicable for small businesses, sole proprietors, independent contractors, and the self-employed. You can find eligible lenders here: https://www.sba.gov/paycheckprotection/find.
• Pandemic Unemployment Compensation – Applicable for individual artists, self-employed, independent contractor artists, 1099 workers, and “gig” workers.
• Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) – Expanded to include 1099 independent contractors, the self-employed, and entrepreneurs.
• Artist Relief – A $10M+ relief fund to support the emergency needs of individual artists.

In addition to the national opportunities that are outlined above, many states are also offering state-level relief funds administered by arts councils and state arts agencies. You can find more information about your state arts agency and regional arts organization HERE. You may also want to check the resources listed on the Arts Endowment’s COVID-19 Resources for Artists and Arts Organizations.

Art Fair and Festival Industry Resources 

• ZAPP List of COVID-19 Related Postponements and Cancellations – This list is updated daily with any confirmed cancellations or postponements from March through December 2020.
• NAIA Database of Cancelled Shows – A resource compiled by volunteers with the National Association of Independent Artists that outlines details of show cancellations and refund policies.
• Podcast on Economic Injury Disaster Loan Application – A podcast with Connie Mettler from Art Fair Calendar/Art Fair Insiders on applying for assistance.
• Artist INC Cares – A Four-Part Series on Finding Financial Help – A webinar series that helps artists navigate funding and relief opportunities related to COVID-19.
• ArtZipper! – E-commerce Gallery run by Amdur Productions.
• ArtFest Fort Myers: COVID-19 Updates for Artists – The event’s website has several artist resources for emergency funding and other opportunities related to COVID-19.
• COVID State by State: A state by state resource list put together by FestivalNet
• Small Business Support Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic: Information and a listing of loans available on a state and federal level for small businesses.

Gathering Information Through ZAPP

ZAPP can be a useful tool to help you communicate with cancelled events and plan for the future. We house contact and payment information, and our search options can help you find new shows to apply to in the fall and winter, or search for updates on existing shows that are slated for the summer.

1. 1. Finding Contact Information
      Every show on ZAPP can list an email address and a phone number. Listing an email address is required. To find the contact information for a show you applied to, click on the event title within your My ZAPPlications page. The email address will be listed in a modal once you click the “Contact Event” button. A phone number, if provided, will be listed with other important information on the left-hand side of the event’s information page.
   2. Receipts & Payment Information
      You can find a receipt on your My ZAPPlications page within the corresponding event card to reference your transaction. If the event has been cancelled and you are receiving a refund through ZAPP,  you will receive email confirmation once the refund has been processed, and a new receipt for the refund will appear within the corresponding event card. Your original transaction and its receipt will still be listed. Once you have received confirmation that your refund has been processed, it may take up to five business days for the funds to return to your account. The money will be returned to the account connected to the payment method you originally used for the purchase.
   3. Search for Events
      You can also use ZAPP to search for events slated for a specific month. This may help you locate fall and winter events to apply to, or it can help you search for and check the status of summer shows. To find events that are accepting applications, go to the Apply to Shows page and toggle the search to “By Filter.” You can then choose the event month and any applicable state or region constraints you may have. To search through all events — even those are not accepting applications — use the Events List page and toggle the search to “By Filter” to search by event month and/or any applicable geographic area available. Some of these events are offering discounts, payment plans, or other options for artists who have been affected by COVID-19 – reach out to them and see if they can do anything to help!

The ZAPP team is also here to help! The fees you pay through ZAPPlication.org belong to the event, and thus, are not something we can refund without the event’s express permission; however, we are always happy to connect you with the event and help facilitate positive communication. We aim to promote best practices and transparency, and we appreciate hearing from you! Send us an email or submit a contact form if you have a suggestion for an improvement that would make your use of ZAPP easier.