Folkloric dancing at Tucson Meet Yourself. Photo by Steven MecklerCOVID-19 has revealed deep vulnerabilities within many of those we serve. To provide direct support to these artists and culture/heritage practitioners, we’ve launched the Traditional Artist & Culture Bearer Emergency Relief Fund with seed money from the Arizona Commission on the Arts (10K) and individual donors, including over $5000 from community members on Arizona Gives Day and are continuing the campaign to help artists in need.
We are primarily funding traditional artists and culture bearers between 40 and 65+ years of age, who are living in remote or historically marginalized neighborhoods in Arizona. Via phone surveys we’ve conducted, we have heard such stories as:
“We are currently two months behind on our mortgage … We also don’t have internet access at home, I have to take the girls to a friends house to be able to do school work, even before the pandemic internet access seemed like a luxury in our household, now our daughters aren’t able to be connected to the outside world because we don’t have internet access, it’s devastating.”
“I need immediate assistance with money for my utility bills, for wood, also need basic necessitates like grocery items and paper products (tissue, toilet paper)”
“No income, limited access to resources. No access to gloves, face masks other disinfectant items.”