A coalition of artist rights organizations have created a centralized resource hub to help the music community navigate business and find crucial aid amid the coronavirus crisis.
The list of organizations behind the new site, MusicCovidRelief.com, includes the Artist Rights Alliance (ARA), American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), the Music Artists Coalition (MAC), National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the Recording Academy, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Songwriters of North America (SONA).
The site includes how-to guides, links and downloadable forms to help members of the music community apply for unemployment benefits and small business loans, access relief funds and grants from organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts and more. Importantly, it also helps music workers make sense of how they can benefit from the CARES Act stimulus bill signed into law on March 27.
“The music community is extremely grateful for the benefits available to them through the CARES Act,” the organizations said in a joint statement. “The aid will be most valuable if people can access it in time to meet their needs. This coalition pooled its resources to compile information to assist members of our community, understand who is eligible, and how they access relief. We will continue to update the site as more information becomes available.”
Recording Academy chair and interim president/CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said he recommends that everyone in the music community bookmark the page, and check back for updates.
“We will continue to provide the information creators need and answer any questions during this time,” he said in a statement. “Alongside our partners, we are dedicated to helping bridge the gap and advocating on creators’ behalf as the independent contractor compensation and small business loan programs take shape. For the sake of all music creators, we will work diligently to stay on top of these updates every day.”
[Thanks to COMBO Board member Sheena Morgan for passing this along].