ARTISTS, MUSICIANS & GIG WORKERS:
Please note that the inclusion of these links and sources does not constitute an endorsement by the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District. (updated 9/01/2021)
RECENT UPDATES - (updated as changes come in!)
- Colorado Arts Relief Fund is open! This fund provides $15.5 million for the second round of funding to support arts, cultural and entertainment artists, crew members, and organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding through this bill will be distributed through two separate grant applications: Colorado Arts Relief—Business and Organization and Colorado Arts Relief—Individuals. Applications are open from August 23 – October 15.
- City of Fort Collins Recovery Plan Vision – The City is set to receive $28.1 million of the nearly $6 billion American Rescue Plan Act funds. To guide this spending, the City is developing a Fort Collins Recovery Plan. They want to hear from you! What does a resilient, vibrant recovery for all residents and businesses look like? How can we get there? Share your ideas, thoughts, stories and hear others’ experiences and ideas HERE or Take a quick survey here.
- The Freelancer Failure Ball is the first-ever black-tie charity gala created to celebrate screw-ups in business. This is the chandelier-soaked rooftop fundraiser that benefits To Write Love on Her Arms, an American nonprofit focused on mental health for whole humans. September 18 at 5pm
- Rent Assistance from Neighbor to Neighbor! If you need some assistance with an existing rental click here and If you are looking for assistance for a new rental, visit their First Month’s Rent Assistance page.
- Art-Train brings together artists and creatives with municipalities, agencies, and organizations to create culture-based collaborations. With separate tracks for artists and agencies, Art-Train helps you use American Rescue Plan and American Jobs Plan funding to support locally-rooted, culture-based collaborations.
- Get info on vaccines from the Larimer County Health Department
- COVID-19 tests for yourself or your employees? Find the testing closest to you
FUNDS/GRANTS
- ALL ARTISTS:
- Help for Artists and Musicians Affected by the Fires and COVID – Emergency Relief for Artists Working In Craft Disciplines — CERF+’s emergency assistance includes grants and/or brokered assistance, such as booth fee waivers and discounts or donations of supplies and equipment. To learn more about our eligibility requirements and guidelines, visit the website or contact us at relief@cerfplus.org.
- Take Note Colorado, a responsive, competitive opportunity for individuals and organizations statewide to offer highly inclusive, culturally relevant and student-centered music instruction. Individuals can apply for up to $10,000 to develop programming that meets Take Note’s goals.
- Federal Aid Package: business loans, direct payments and unemployment benefits
- MUSIC INDUSTRY:
- NoCo Music Event Fund – Apply for a grant for your event through Bohemian Foundation
- MusiCares who provide support for musicians and music industry
- SPECIFIC ARTIST GROUPS:
- ArtistCommunities.org offers a list of emergency relief programs
- Food industry workers: get help at the Colorado Restaurant Association Foundation’s Angel Relief Fund
- FUNDS FOR YOUR SPECIFIC ART! See more relief options at our Discipline Specific Resources
- Relief Grants for Latinx arts organizations, artists, and cultural workers! Offered by The National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC) (et. al): Actos de Confianza: Relief Grants – FY 2021
FOOD
- Any Needs Call or Text #211 to connect with United Way of Larimer County’s help hotline.
- Food Bank of Larimer County – where you can see if you qualify for food donations
- Vindeket Foods – a food/produce rescue program/storefront, providing free food boxes that can cater to food restrictions such as gluten free, vegetarian,.. (Pay what you can, volunteer)
- Hunger Free Colorado – apply for food, cash, medical assistance, or other programs
- Locally distributed food and hygiene products open to anyone in need by Serve 6.8, a Christian nonprofit working with churches
HEALTH & MENTAL HEALTH
- COVID-19
- COVID-19 tests for yourself or your employees? Find the testing closest to you
- COVID-19 vaccinations Get the latest info on vaccinations HERE
- HEALTH:
- Get FREE mental, emergency dental and advance care planning locally (The Health District) or call or text at #211 to connect with United Way of Larimer County’s help hotline.
- MusiCares – Addiction and other health resources for professionals in the music industry
- MENTAL HEALTH:
- Support during COVID – Larimer County Health COVID Resources & Services
- Join other musicians and creatives at a FREE weekly virtual mental wellness meetup for musicians. (MusicMindsMatter.org)
- Larimer County Emotional and Mental Health Resources
HOUSING
- Call #211 to connect with United Way of Larimer County’s help hotline
- Rent assistance from Neighbor to Neighbor
JOBS & MARKETPLACES
- Larimer County Economic & Workforce for current openings and answers about employment and unemployment
- Connecting Colorado for Job Seekers and Employers
- FoCoFreelance.com – Register here as a Fort Collins Freelancer looking for jobs or help with projects
- Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce member businesses job postings
- Fort Collins Marketplace – An online platform for selling your Fort Collins art
FAMILY RESOURCES
- Colorado Child Care Collaborative – Childcare for essential employees while they return to work.
- Childcare-related COVID-19 resource page at the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County
- Fort Collins Child Care Fund through United Way of Larimer County
- Call or Text 211 to connect with United Way of Larimer County’s help hotline.
UNEMPLOYMENT
- How to File for Unemployment
- UNEMPLOYMENT for Gig Workers & Contractors (1099 workers) (Site has a chat box and/or watch a helpful Q &A video here)
- Get the latest on applying for unemployment at (303) 860-5881 or oedit_sbnavigator@state.co.us
- Claiming Unemployment: A guide to claiming unemployment under provisions in the CARES Act.
- HOW TO VIDEOS from the Unemployment Office — How to Apply for benefits, How to Protect Yourself From Fraud,…
- COVID-19 Pandemic Scenarios & Benefits Available (ENGLISH)
- COVID-19 Escenarios en la Pandemia y Beneficios Disponibles (SPANISH)
LOCAL BUSINESS RESOURCES
- NETWORKING & GROUPS:
- NoCo Gigging Musician Facebook Group – join here to hear about all things concerning musicians and COVID
- ALSO see our Discipline specific page for individual Facebook groups and more!
- TOOLS:
- Keep NoCo Open – Full graphics, videos and messaging in English and Spanish Download all the assets HERE – Marketing Kit here
- How Can you Support Local Business? ForFortCollins is here to help with tools, graphics and more to support your community
- See our collection of Creative Tools and Tips about virtual events, webinars, best practices, classes, podcasts and livestreaming
- OTHER:
- Free Consulting and tons of business tools at Larimer Small Business Development Center
- Stay up to date on the City of Fort Collins critical COVID-19 announcements and updates
- Document and share your experience through COVID-19 with History Colorado
THE LAUNCHPAD SERIES- by The Music District
- Episode #1 The Cares Act Part 1– What freelancers can apply for in the CARES Act, Livestreaming and much more
- Episode #2 Financial Assistance for the Music Industry – Highlights the stories of several NoCo musicians and industry workers who have applied for relief funding.
- Episode #3 Level up Your Livestream – tune into this workshop to learn more about accessible tech and tactics to improve your livestream game.
- Episode #4 Save Our Stages: The Future of Live Music in FoCo & Beyond – We’ll discuss what a return to live music could look like, how independent venues are making it through COVID-19, and what you can do to #SupportOurStages.
- Episode #5 Play it Safe! Evaluating Today’s Live Music Opportunities – Join us for a discussion between local and regional musicians and music workers about how artists, hosts, talent buyers, and promoters are evaluating live performance opportunities, keeping themselves and their audiences safe, and navigating new types of challenges to playing live.
- Episode #6 – Sync Licensing – placement of music in film, television, video games, and advertisements can be a huge asset in an artist’s career, but the sync world is often difficult to navigate without the proper network, music supervisor-friendly tunes, and business acumen required. Discussion about breaking into the world of sync licensing.
STATE BUSINESS RESOURCES
- COLORADO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS:
- Colorado Creative Industries – resources for artists and creative industry
- Colorado Business Committee for the Arts
- INFORMATION & SERVICES:
- Colorado Creative Industries (CCI) released the 2020 Colorado Creative Economy Report, studying the Creative Economy in before and during the COVID-19 pandemic The report was prepared in collaboration with CCI and Dr. Michael Seman of Colorado State University’s LEAP Institute for the Arts and Regional Economic Development Institute.
- Pro Bono Attorneys services for Colorado businesses affected by COVID www.coloradocovidrelief.org
NATIONAL BUSINESS RESOURCES
- NATIONAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS:
- List of Arts Resources During the COVID-19 Outbreak (Creative Capital.org)
- A collection of safety nets and preparedness and response guides (NCaper.org)
- FUNDING:
- Rolling deadline – AGMA Relief Fund (For Actors – AGMA members only)
- Twenty Summers: Emergency Arts Fund (EAF) no deadlines adjusted as income is received – Artist’s video is hosted on shared fundraising platform, Twenty Summers distributes proceeds.
- Patreon’s Response to COVID-19 resources page
- Freelancer’s Union Relief Fund
