Protecting the arts eco-system: how New York supported 3,000 artists during the pandemic

The Purpose

The first year of the pandemic had a devastating impact on New York City artists. In 2020, the city saw an over 60% drop in arts sector jobs and employment. These impacts have been especially pronounced for working artists of colour.

The Challenge

To both provide income and opportunities to working artists and to reanimate the city, in May 2021 the City announced a new $25 million City Arts Corps grantmaking and showcasing programme for artists across the five boroughs. The programme was inspired by FDR’s New Deal and sought to reach those artists most directly impacted by the pandemic and who may have had difficulty accessing other funding opportunities.

To both provide income and opportunities to working artists and to reanimate the city, in May 2021 the City announced a new $25 million City Arts Corps grantmaking and showcasing programme for artists across the five boroughs.

The Solution

The City Artist Corps distributed funds directly to artists through several programmes. The largest of these was the City Artist Corps Grants programme, which was administered and delivered with New York Foundation for the Arts as lead programme partner, in collaboration with over a dozen re-granting and arts services organisations including the Asian American Arts Alliance; A.R.T./New York; Black Public Media; Brooklyn Arts Council; Bronx Council on the Arts; Bronx Documentary Centre; Dance/NYC, Firelight Media; Flushing Town Hall; Indie Theatre Fund; Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC); MakerSpace NYC; New Music USA; Poets & Writers; and Staten Island Arts.

More than 3,000 working artists became part of the City Artists Corps Grants programme, with over 60% BIPOC artists. These one-time unrestricted grants of $5,000 were given to selected artists across disciplines including visual arts, music, literature, craft and folk arts, dance and theatre. Eligible artists who applied were selected for the grant by a lottery.

The Impact

All selected artists were required to ensure their art would be presented free and open to the public. Between the summer and autumn of 2021, these artists created and presented their work across New York City. These activities spanned community artmaking workshops, public screenings of films, art exhibitions, performances and readings, and live mural making, and were distributed across the five boroughs, with the largest percentage taking place in Brooklyn (35%) and Queens (28%).

The City Artist Corps Grants programme culminated in a showcase in October 2021 delivered with StreetLab, Queens Museum, Queens Theatre, Laguardia Performing Arts Centre, The Clemente, Open Streets, and National Sawdust.

Other artists supported through City Artist Corps worked in public schools, civic engagement initiatives, and on public art projects created in collaboration with New York City Housing Authority residents.

Source: World Cities Culture Report 2022

Images Courtesy © Getty/Canva