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Apply for Aid 

 

Timeline

The application opens TUESDAY MARCH 30, 2021 at 12:00 PM PST and closes WEDNESDAY, June 30, 2021 at 11:59 PM PST. This deadline is firm. To respect applicants who submitted by the deadline, late applications will not be accepted.

Applicants will be notified of decisions by TUESDAY, July 13, 2021 and funds will be issued by TUESDAY, July 20, 2021, via check.

Key Dates

March 30, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. (PT) – Application Period Opens

June 30, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. (PT) – Application Period Closes

July 1, 2021 through July 7, 2021 – Application Review

July 13, 2021 – Notifications Made

July 20, 2021 – Checks issued and sent via mail

Due to the high volume of applications, we are not able to assist with submissions after the deadline. In order to avoid any difficulties, please submit your application in advance of the last day.

Financial Criteria

The UPLIFT: A COVID APA Creative Relief Fund is an unrestricted cash grant for WORKING INDEPENDENT artists (see below for eligible disciplines) in PUGET SOUND AREA (see below for definition) experiencing financial distress. Applicants can use the three examples below to help categorize their financial situation. Priority considerations will be for communities & disciplines that are impacted disproportionately due to COVID-19, including: BIPOC, LGBTQ2SIA+, gender non-conforming, non-binary, femme, women, immunocompromised, d/Deaf and/or disabled. 

  • [ Severe Financial Distress ] – I have limited to no savings; I am unable to cover basic needs such as food and rent; I am financially responsible for family members.

  • [ Financial Distress ] – I will have to dip into limited savings; I may not be able to pay all my bills.

  • [ Financial Strain ] – The loss of income impacts my ability to continue my current lifestyle; I am unable to purchase items necessary for my business/creative pursuits.

NOTE: Those who are currently financially stable (able to pay rent, buy food, etc.) are respectfully encouraged to refrain from applying at this time.

Eligibility

  • Recipient must be of Asian or Pacific American descent

  • Applicant must be an individual artist grounded in the arts as defined below* who has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic either from being laid off, furloughed, or their contract, freelance, or commissions work reduced

    • [ Eligible disciplines ]:

      • Craft (ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, metals, textiles, etc.)

      • Dance (dancers, choreographers; aerial, ballet, hip-hop, jazz, tap, etc.)

      • Design (fashion, graphic, industrial, object, all forms of architecture, etc.)

      • Film (animation, documentary, episodic, experimental, narrative, etc.)

      • Media (work at the intersection of technology, aesthetics, storytelling, and digital cultures, etc.)

      • Music (composers, musicians; classical, contemporary, experimental, folk, instrumental, jazz, pop, world, etc.)

      • Theater & Performance (directing, experimental, live action, playwriting, puppetry, tactical and site performance, etc.)

      • Traditional Arts (work related to the continuity and evolution of a tradition and/or cultural heritage such as cultural dance, cultural music, oral expression, and traditional crafts, etc.)

      • Visual Art (installation, painting, performance art, photography, sculpture, sound art, video, etc.)

      • Poetry Performance, Spoken Word, Slam

      • Culinary Artist (historical & educational approach)

      • Wellness Practitioner (cultural, ancestral, traditional, holistic care)

  • Applicant must be able to demonstrate an active artistic practice

  • Applicant must be a current resident of the PUGET SOUND AREA

    • Recipients from APA communities that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, according to King County’s Data Dashboard, will be prioritized

  • Must be 18 years old by April 5, 2021

Not Eligible To Apply

  • Applicant whose practices are NOT grounded IN THE MEDIUMS AS DESCRIBED ABOVE

  • Applicants applying under an artist team, non-profit, fiscal sponsorship, community group, ensemble, collective, business, or an organization

  • Curators, arts workers, community organizers, and producers are not considered working artists. This fund supports generative individual artists: those who are the originators of works of art.

  • Applicant who has an additional steady, sustainable income not impacted by COVID-19 pandemic

  • Applicant seeking project-based grants

  • Currently enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree program at the time of the deadline and when funds are distributed

  • Current Wing Luke Museum staff members, Board of Trustees, Artist Relief Fund organization team, Featured Creatives, or their immediate families

Application Materials

  • Applicants will need to provide the following information:

    • Statement as an Artist (max 500 words)

    • Statement of Need (max 300 words)

    • Artist Résumé or CV (max 3 pages; optional)

    • Artist website, social media account, or press coverage as available (max 3 links; optional)

    • Contact info:

      • Name

      • Email

      • Phone

      • Mailing Address

      • Birthdate

  • To be eligible, applicants must be able to answer “Yes” to the statements listed below:

  • I am 18 years of age or older;

  • I am experiencing financial emergencies due to the COVID-19 pandemic;

  • I am a self-identified individual working creative residing in PUGET SOUND AREA

  • I am an active creative/arts-based cultural organizer able to demonstrate a sustained commitment to my practice, career, and a public audience;

  • I can provide a W9 and Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)**;

  • ** This information will not be asked for until after the grant has been awarded.

Need Help?

If applicants have any issues or questions, our Project Lead, Alexis Silva can be reached at asilva@wingluke.org and will be happy to assist you.

Important Grant Details & Review Process

  • Due to limited funding and high demand, only a small percentage of those who apply will receive a grant

  • Selection process will be done via lottery with priority consideration: Because of the anticipated volume of applications and limited funds— a committee will review applications based on dire financial need (food, housing, health insecurities) and prioritize artists populations that have been underserved— people of color and/or folk and traditional artists. The committee’s recommended applicant list will enter a lottery for final selection.

  • Unrestricted grant will be offered in the amount of $500.00

  • A committee will review applications based on dire financial need (food, housing, or health insecurities). Priority will be given to eligible artists who have traditionally been underserved by the grantmaking community including people of color and folk and traditional artists.

  • How much COVID has directly affected your medium/industry, etc.

  • Awardees will receive an email notification and must complete a W9. Payments will be issued as a check written to the name and address on the W9 form.

Privacy & Security

As an applicant, your data will be viewed by members of the Wing Luke Museum APA Artist Relief Fund team. Individual applicant data (including name) will not be shared, duplicated, or distributed publicly. Aggregated applicant data from all applications collected may be shared in summary reports to funders and/or the public, but will not disclose any personal information.

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 Frequently Asked Questions

GRANTEES

Before I apply, am I guaranteed to receive funds?

  • Unfortunately, due to limited funds and an anticipated significant volume of applications, not every applicant will be funded. Applications will be reviewed and chosen by a specific need criterion. See Financial Criteria for more information.

What is your definition of Eligible Disciplines?

  • Applicant must be an individual artist grounded in the arts as defined below* who has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic either from being laid off, furloughed, or their contract, freelance, or commissions work reduced

    • [ Eligible disciplines ]:

      • Craft (ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, metals, textiles, etc.)

      • Dance (dancers, choreographers; aerial, ballet, hip-hop, jazz, tap, etc.)

      • Design (fashion, graphic, industrial, object, all forms of architecture, etc.)

      • Film (animation, documentary, episodic, experimental, narrative, etc.)

      • Media (work at the intersection of technology, aesthetics, storytelling, and digital cultures, etc.)

      • Music (composers, musicians; classical, contemporary, experimental, folk, instrumental, jazz, pop, world, etc.)

      • Theater & Performance (directing, experimental, live action, playwriting, puppetry, tactical and site performance, etc.)

      • Traditional Arts (work related to the continuity and evolution of a tradition and/or cultural heritage such as cultural dance, cultural music, oral expression, and traditional crafts, etc.)

      • Visual Art (installation, painting, performance art, photography, sculpture, sound art, video, etc.)

      • Poetry Performance, Spoken Word, Slam

      • Culinary Artist (historical & educational approach)

      • Wellness Practitioner (cultural, ancestral, traditional, holistic care)

Why is the funding exclusive to PUGET SOUND AREA?

  • Currently, the Wing Luke Museum does not have to overall capacity to assist those outside of the Puget Sound area. We want to ensure that we are reaching our immediate creative community that has been impacted by COVID-19.

Why is the funding exclusive to Asian Pacific Americans?

  • The Wing Luke Museum represents Asian Pacific Americans and it is part of our mission to use the stories of APA’s to inspire racial and social equity. We want to assist those people in the APA community that we represent at our institution.

I am not of Asian Pacific American heritage, am I still eligible to apply? 

  • We ask that anyone who is not of Asian Pacific American heritage to refrain from applying to this relief fund. You may find other resources through Artist Trust.

When will applications be reviewed and selected?

  • Applications will be reviewed after the June 30, 2021 deadline. You will be notified of your application status the week of July 8, 2021.

  • If eligible, your application will be put into a lottery style pot which will then be selected at random.

Will grant recipient names be publicized?

  • No, all awardees’ names will be kept confidential and will not be publicized by Wing Luke Museum.

Will there be another round of applications or distribution of more funds?

  • No, this will be a one-time relief payment for those who are chosen.

How did you define ”dire financial emergencies“?

  • Due to the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, we defined ”dire financial emergencies“ as the lack or imminent endangerment of essentials such as housing, medicine, childcare, and food. Applicants needed to demonstrate a pressing and critical need for emergency support in order to receive funding. Application and survey data showed that practicing artists from diverse backgrounds and regions are experiencing tremendous economic hardship.

What is a working artist?

  • A working artist is one whose primary source of income is from their art or art-related activities / gigs. Artists who receive funding must fall into these four disciplinary categories: film/media, literary, performing, and visual. Curators, arts workers, community organizers, producers, and nail technicians are not considered working artists. This fund supports generative individual artists, those who are the originators of works of art.

I applied and was not selected for funding, why?

  • We appreciate you taking the time to apply. Unfortunately, due to limited funds and the volume of applications, not every applicant was able to be funded. For other relief fund resources visit Artist Trust.

How were applications selected for funding?

  • Due to the volume of applications and our commitment to funding equity among artists of different disciplines and backgrounds, applications will be reviewed by a need basis. From July 1, 2021 through July 7, 2021, qualifying applications are selected via a lottery process.

Why did you collect demographic data from applicants? Who has access to this data?

  • We are committed to equity and inclusion and view data as an essential tool to be accountable to this commitment. This information was collected for tracking and reporting purposes and did not affect eligibility or selection. Individual applicant data (including name) will not be shared, duplicated, or distributed publicly. Additionally, aggregated applicant data will be collected, summarized, and shared in reports to funders and/or the public, without disclosing any personal information.

DONORS

How long are you accepting donations?

  • We will be accepting donations from April 5, 2021 – June 30, 2021

How many artists are you going to give to? 

  • We are currently not able to give an exact number of artists who will be receiving relief. The more our donors give, the more artists we can impact!

What amount will each artist receive? 

  • We will provide $500 to each artist who is chosen to receive the funds.

Are you paying the Featured Creatives? 

  • All of our Featured Creatives will be paid for their work unless they have donated their works to the relief fund.

Where is my money going?

  • The fund raised will help pay the Featured Creatives, along with providing relief for creatives who apply for assistance.

How will you announce how much was raised? 

  • We will be utilizing Instagram, E-Blast, and E-Newsletter as our main announcement platforms. Subscribe to our newsletter by visiting our website.