City of Austin Announces New Relief Grant for Local
Creative Workers and Industry Staff
AUSTIN, TX — The City of Austin Economic Development Department announces a new grant for local creative sector workers that have been financially impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Austin Creative Worker Relief Grant is a $3.5 million fund providing $2,000 grants to help Austin’s creative sector workers offset expenses like rent, bills, and groceries.
The grant program is designed to provide immediate and equitably-focused grants to individual creatives and industry support staff in Austin. For purposes of the Austin Creative Worker Relief Grant, “creative worker” will be defined as an individual whose current or primary occupation is or has been within arts, music, film, fashion, museums, preservation, and more. This includes both practicing artists and associated personnel within the creative industries.
“Austin’s creative community, which significantly contributes to the fabric of the City’s cultural and economic ecosystem, is facing unprecedented hardships due to COVID-19," notes Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, Acting Director for the City of Austin Economic Development Department. “This program will ensure individuals will receive some level of financial support.”
The Economic Development Department is also partnering with several local community organizations to help promote the grant programs to creative sector workers. These efforts will ensure the most vulnerable creative sector workers are aware of the grant opportunity.
Creative sector workers can submit applications online between Monday, August 17, 2020 at 10 a.m. and Friday, August 28, 2020 at 5 p.m. Applicants are encouraged to visit ATXRecovers.com to preview the application and review eligibility requirements, frequently asked questions, and additional grant details.
Austin Creative Worker Relief Grant
The Austin City Council approved Resolution No. 20200604-040 on June 4, 2020 to designate $3.5 million for the Austin Creative Worker Relief Grant. Creative workers that experienced an economic hardship due to COVID-19 may apply for a $2,000 grant to cover immediate needs.
To be eligible, creative sector workers must be at least 18 years old, must be able to verify an economic loss associated with the COVID-19 global pandemic, must live in a City of Austin City Council district, and must have been actively working in the creative sector during the past two years. A complete list of eligible creative sector disciplines can be found via ATXRecovers.com. Musicians who already received a grant from the Austin Music Disaster Relief Fund may still apply for an Austin Creative Worker Relief Grant, but they are only eligible for a $1,000 grant.
As part of a partnership with the City of Austin, Austin Better Business Bureau will collect, review, and score applications on behalf of the Economic Development Department. Every eligible application submitted before the deadline will be evaluated against a scoring matrix that includes criteria for economic vulnerability and equity. Half of the funds for this program will be allocated to applicants that score the highest according to this matrix. The remaining funds will be awarded by random lottery among eligible applicants. The City of Austin has also partnered with Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts to provide consultation services and assistance to complete an application.
Informational Webinars
Application Preview
Starting August 12, 2020
Application Opens
August 17, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.
Application Closes
August 28, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.
For technical support and application status, contact Austin Better Business Bureau by email CreativeWorkerGrant@austin.bbb.org or by phone 512-318-2683.
For eligibility questions and assistance completing an application, contact Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts by email CreativeWorkerGrant@talarts.org or by phone 512-588-9971.