Resources for the Literary Community
The COVID-19 public health crisis has shaken the global community. We’re heartbroken by the impact that the crisis is having on Seattle’s literary community.
On April 14, 2020, Seattle City of Literature co-founder and current Board President Rebecca Brinbury sent a letter to Governor Inslee asking him to consider classifying bookstores as essential businesses during this crisis. Read the letter below. If you want to add your support, sign Seattle City of Literature’s petition.
We’re also inviting everyone in the literary community: readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, etc. to share how COVID-19 has impacted them. Take the survey now.
Below you’ll find some resources and links for the community during this difficult time. We’re featuring resources that focus on helping the literary community, but many of the sites have links for artists of all types. Listings with an asterisk (*) are based in Washington state.
Resources
For the literary community:
American Society of Journalists & Authors Writers Emergency Assistance Fund
Authors League Fund
Carnegie Fund for Authors
Dramatists Guild Foundation
The PEN Writers Fund
Queer Writers of Color Relief Fund
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
Sustainable Arts Foundation
General:
4Culture: Includes aggregate resource lists, funding opportunities and webinar listings. *
Americans for the Arts: Includes aggregate resource lists, funding opportunities, webinar listings, and articles.
Arts Administrators of Color Network : A relief fund to support BIPOC artists and administrators.
ArtsFund: Relief fund *
Artist Trust: Includes resource lists and funding opportunities *
Artwork Archives: Includes a list of emergency grants for artists.
Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC)
Freelancers Union
King County Creative's COVID-19 Handbook for Creative Industries *
One Reel “Art Saves Me” Grant *
Seattle Artist Relief Fund Amid COVID-19 *
Seattle’s Office of Arts & Culture Art Beat Blog: Includes a number of resources, including this spreadsheet of resources for individuals and organizations that includes funding opportunities, and more general resources re: rent relief, healthcare, etc. *
Spokane Arts: Relief fund for individual artists in the Spokane, WA area. *
Springboard for the Arts: Include several resources and relief funds.
Make Your Voice Heard
This crisis is having an unprecedented, direct impact on the arts sector. Please take a minute to complete these surveys to help measure that impact so it can be accurately quantified.
Americans for the Arts
LitNet
Economic Impact Survey for Greater Seattle Region
Seattle Independent Artist Sustainability Effort's Independent Artists COVID-19 Impact Documentation
Seattle City of Literature
Resources for Readers
Want to support your literary community? There are lots of ways! Check out some of the suggestions at the links below.
Humanities Washington: Includes a list of Washington State bookstores who are still taking orders and shipping books *
McSweeney’s: Includes ways you can support independent bookstores
Save Indie Bookstores: Author James Patterson has donated $500,00 to start a fund to save independent bookstores. You can donate too!