Peterborough-area artists who need urgent income support have until the end of Monday (April 27) to apply for a $250 micro subsistence grant from Electric City Culture Council (EC3).
EC3 is an independent not-for-profit corporation mandated by the City of Peterborough to champion the development of the local arts, culture, and heritage community.
The micro subsistence grant is intended to provide some short-term financial relief for artists with little or no income due to COVID-19, because of the cancellation of exhibitions, tours, commissions, classes, workshops, and more.
To be eligible, you must be a professional artist who is at least 18 years of age and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident living in the city or county of Peterborough.
Professional artists are those who have a history of public exhibition, presentation, or publication and have received payment in the past for their work. Artists working in any genre or discipline — visual arts, media arts, circus arts, theatre and performance art, dance, music, literary arts, spoken word, and interdisciplinary arts — are eligible for the micro subsistence grant. Students are ineligible.
Eligible artists can apply by sending an email to peterboroughartsalive@gmail.com with the following information:
- Confirmation that you meet each of the eligibility criteria
- Your name, street address, email, and phone number
- A brief note describing your circumstances, including how your artistic income been impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic and whether you need less than the maximum grant of $250
- How you found out about the program (e.g, kawarthaNOW.com, Facebook, word of mouth).
The deadline for applications is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 27th. All applications will be kept strictly confidential.
Applications will be assessed by a three-person panel of local arts professionals, and funds will be delivered by e-transfer wherever possible.
Artists can apply for the micro subsistence grant again if there is a second round of funding.
If you have any questions about the micro subsistence grant, contact EC3 executive director Su Ditta at 705-749-9101 or peterboroughartsalive@gmail.com.
The micro subsistence grants comprise the first program in the Peterborough Arts Alive initiative, EC3’s response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the local arts sector.
For more information about Peterborough Arts Alive and for other COVID-19 financial aid resources for workers and organizations in the arts, culture, and heritage sector, visit ecthree.org/covid-19-updates/.
