Congress approved three stimulus checks since the start of the pandemic last year. These stimulus checks were for all who met certain income criteria. New York, however, came out with coronavirus stimulus checks for artists as well.
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New York came up with three programs to support thousands of artists this year. The applicants got $5,000 to $9,000 each, depending on the program they applied for. However, the deadline to apply for each of these programs is now over.
These programs were very necessary as New York reportedly lost about two-thirds of its arts and recreational jobs. More than 56,000 artists live in the city.
The first program allocated $25 million in a recovery initiative called "City Artist Corp." This program got the funds from the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York Foundation for the Arts.
Under the program, 3,000 NYC-based artists and writers got a one-time payment of $5,000. The payment went to authors and artists with at least one public event scheduled between July 10 and Oct. 31. This program came with three deadlines, including June 22, July 30 and Aug. 10.
Another program that New York came up with was the City Canvas. This program was an initiative from the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and ArtBridge (nonprofit). Similar to the first program, this program also offered support to authors and artists. Under the program, 60 artists were commissioned to temporarily put their murals or artwork on construction fencing and sidewalk sheds in the city.
The deadline to apply for this program was June 28, and the applicants who were selected got $6,000 each. A point to note is that the authorities gave no timeline for the City Canvas events.
Other Programs From New York
The third program that New York came up with was the Summer Rising program, and it was led by the NYC Department of Education. Under the program, the authorities recruited over 400 artists and instructors for a six-week event.
The artists had to work with students of all ages in over 200 city schools, carry out art activities, as well as share their experiences with the students. About $9,000 was reportedly given directly to the schools listed in the program. The artists were asked to work directly with the school.
Along with artists, New York also set aside $65 million for the struggling taxicab industry. The traditional taxi drivers are facing stiff competition from ride sharing companies, such as Lyft and Uber, and mostly include immigrants and people of color.
Further, the authorities have a plan to spend over $125 million to support the homeless population. The authorities also are providing support to small businesses, including hard-hit restaurants.
