No matter who you are, where you live, or what you do for work — it's a tricky time for us all. Especially now, donations are integral and essential to supporting the arts and arts organizations around the world that are currently closed due to localized and nationalized lockdowns. If you have a few seconds and some change to spare, consider clicking a link (or two!) below to support arts organizations.
Also, if you have a local theater that you love, consider sending them a donation or subscribing to their next season. Arts organizations are hurting worldwide during the time, and showing your support can be invaluable right now.
Thanks for your generosity and we can’t wait to see you in the audience and all of these creatives back onstage and behind the scenes again soon.
Check out organizations in New York City.
Check out organizations in London.
Check out organizations across North America.
NYC
The Actors Fund
The Actors Fund provides all types of support for any entertainment professional who needs some extra help. From affordable housing to health care and insurance counseling to career development and senior care, this is an organization that can do a lot of good during this time — with your help. A donation to The Actors Fund goes directly to actors, stage managers, and more who have been impacted by these recent events. We're also launching a performance series on our Instagram channel to support. Tune in, and donate here.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Broadway wouldn’t be Broadway without this organization. It helps people across the country receive medication, healthcare, food, counseling, and financial assistance whenever and wherever they need it. Along with being one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations, Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS supports multiple programs, including The Actors Fund, the Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative, and The Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts. Help them give to the artists who need it most and donate to their COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund here.
Dramatists Guild Foundation
This national charity supports the writers who create American theater. DGF is the go-to place for all creatives who lend their words to the stage — from playwrights to composers to book writers. Their goal is to protect the stories of tomorrow, and donating to the Dramatists Guild Foundation will allow them to provide emergency grants to writers who’ve been impacted by these world events. Give here.
New York Foundation for the Arts
The NYFA “empowers working artists and emerging arts organizations across all disciplines at critical stages in their creative lives and professional/organizational development.” A donation to this organization can assist multiple relief funds including the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music and Theatre, and the Rauschenberg Emergency Grants program. Donate to NYFA here.
NYC Low-Income Artist/Freelancer Relief Fund
A group of low-income creatives in NYC are raising money to support other artists and freelancers like them. Donations to this GoFundMe will directly support individuals throughout NYC with emergency and preventative funding. This group is especially working hard to assist low-income people of color and those who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ communication. Give here.
Roundabout Theatre Company’s “Bid for Roundabout” Auction
Roundabout Theatre Company is a New York institution responsible for bringing theatergoers some of the biggest hits of recent seasons, as well as some of the biggest celebrities to their stages. Now, they’re giving generous fans the chance to bring the stars you know and love right into your living room! “Bid For Roundabout” is an online auction series where you can bid on the chance to meet stars like Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris, Idina Menzel, and more. All auction proceeds help create and distribute virtual programs for students, teachers, and community members, ensure opportunities for hundreds of artists and technicians when doors open again, and keep vital staff and artists employed through the continued shutdown. You can learn more about the auction, including information on how to bid here.
The NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund
This fund aids nonprofits struggling with the impacts of COVID-19 in NYC. It will give grants and loans to those in the city that are feeling the effects most directly. While priority will be given to essential healthcare and food organizations, arts and culture groups are also able to apply — as they are so important to New York, too.
London
Acting for Others
Acting for Others provides financial and emotional support to all theatre workers in times of need through their 14 member charities — each with their own remit. The member charities dispense over £2 million to hundreds of people within in the industry - actors, dancers, musicians, lighting technicians, scene painters wardrobe, front of house and backstage stage. During this unstable time and the impactful effects of COVID-19 on the industry, Acting for Others are stepping into the spotlight to help as many as they can. Take a look of the 14 member charities and donate here.
Actors' Benevolent Fund
For over 135 years, Actors' Benevolent Fund has supported actors and stage managers experiencing hardship due to injury, illness, or old age. Many receive help managing their household expenses, including a regular weekly payment and contributions towards bills, most importantly, they offer a friendly support service to make sure they know they're still a part of the acting community.
Equity Benevolent Fund
Equity's Benevolent Fund provides members with payments to help them get through the impact of COVID-19 on the industry. If you wish to help support this industry, please donate here to help during these difficult times, and to help support the profession for when the curtains rise again.
Last Year's Rent
Last Year's Rent is a new hardship fund for the Arts recently created with the aim to help those in the industry to keep a roof over their head during this time of crisis. With a goal of £10,000, Last Year's Rent asks for as any sum as little as £2, or you would like to donate the price of your theatre ticket to a cancelled performance, they would gladly and gratefully put this amount to good use. Donate here.
Donate directly to theatres
Although London theatres have been given financial help from the Government, many venues are still relying on public help to cover their costs. If you've been to see shows at London's off-West End theatres, lend your support by donating any money you have directly to the theatre. We're sure they'd be eternally grateful. Here's a short list of theatres:
Donate to The Barbican.
Donate to the Bush Theatre.
Donate to the Hampstead Theatre.
Donate to the Lyric Hammersmith.
Donate to the Menier Chocolate Factory.
Donate to Shakespeare's Globe.
Donate to The Old Vic.
Donate to the Young Vic.
North America
Opera San Jose Artists and Musicians Relief Fund
Opera San Jose is a professional company that features the best young professional voices in the country. The organization has educational and community programs, alongside lectures and “Introduction to Opera” talks that coincide with their programming. Its Artists and Musicians Relief Fund will allow for Opera San José to provide support to all who make their productions possible and those who will be deeply affected by COVID-19.
Arts Leaders of Color Emergency Fund
The Arts Administrators of Color Network created this GoFundMe in an effort to bring donations directly to people of color and administrators within the theater industry who have been financially impacted by COVID-19. Donate here.
SAG-AFTRA Foundation
This nonprofit provides support for performing artists during all of the career (and life!) ups and downs that come their way. The COVID-19 Disaster Fund has been set-up to help members who need assistance covering expenses like rent, medical bills, utility bills, and additional essential needs that have been compromised by COVID-19. Donate here.
Boston Center for the Arts
This organization supports Boston’s working visual and performing artists and the Artist Relief Fund provides individual and organizational assistance to those who are a part of this community. When you make a donation to the Artist Relief Fund, you can specify that you want your donation to go towards COVID-19 support efforts. Donate here.
Seattle Artist Relief Fund Amid COVID-19
Writer Ijeoma Oluo has started a GoFundMe to help provide support to artists within the Seattle community. All donations will go directly to creatives who have been impacted by the effect of COVID-19. Donate here.
Artist Relief Tree
This fund was set-up by a group of professional artists across the country in an effort to directly help any creative — and particularly freelancers — who have been impacted by COVID-19. They aim to “provide hope, make a small difference, and show solidarity with colleagues and friends.” Help them out here.
Theatre Bay Area
Across the Bay Area — concert halls, theaters, and rehearsal rooms are closed. This emergency relief fund was created by Theatre Bay Area and is open to any performing arts worker in the region who has unexpectedly lost income because of COVID-19. Donate here.
theatreWashington's Taking Care COVID-19 Relief Fund
theatreWashington’s Taking Care Fund was born in an effort to help any theater professional in D.C. with emergency relief. The organization has committed $100,000 from the fund to COVID-19 assistance. They’re looking for donations to match the amount that’s been given from fellow artists; every dollar will provide direct relief to community members. Give here, or support the cause with your donation-based ticket to the 2020 Helen Hayes Awards on September 25. .
If you know of additional organizations who could use some extra support, love, and money during this time — send us a tweet and we’ll update this article as soon as possible.