To support local creatives, freelancers, and our community, AIGA Saint Louis has compiled a list of helpful resources that provide information on general health, support for freelancers and students, volunteer opportunities, as well as other creative learning resources. We’ll continue to add to this blog as appropriate.
We encourage everyone in our community to stay informed and take the necessary precautions to stay healthy. Please email us if you have a helpful resource, particularly opportunities specific St. Louis or Missouri, so we can add them to this list.
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Make sure to check out AIGA’s community resource hub created to support job seekers, freelance designers, educators, students and recent grads, as well as business owners nationwide.
AIGA: The Eye on Design Guide to Self-isolation for Designers and Creatives
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General Covid-19 Support Services
City of St. Louis Economic Support and Recovery Resources for Businesses
Economic support and recovery resources to help small businesses in the City of St. Louis during and post the COVID-19 emergency.
City of St. Louis Emergency Resources for Individuals and Families
COVID-19 contacts, utility information, and community resources
- Benefits.gov is an online resource to help you find federal benefits you may be eligible for in the United States.
- Get information on filing for unemployment in Missouri here.
- Have questions about the stimulus? Get some of your questions answered here.
- Get the latest on COVID-19 testing reported to DHSS, and information about prevention, symptoms, and treatment and for communities, schools, businesses, travelers and more. You can also access the 24-hour-hotline. Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC has information and ongoing updates from the federal health protection agency on COVID-19.
- The National Association of County and City Health Officials provides a directory of local health departments across Missouri.
- This link provides information on the CDC’s guidance for businesses, workplaces, and employers.
- Think you might have COVID-19? Use this symptom checker list.
- In case you or your loved ones feel in danger, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or or text LOVEIS to 22522.
- Text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime, about any type of crisis.
- Mesothelioma Center’s Guide to Coronavirus for Cancer Patients
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Support for St. Louis Creatives
The Luminary Artist Emergency Grants
The Luminary, in partnership with the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, is offering immediate artist emergency grants totaling $60,000 for artists and arts organizers in the St. Louis region. Building from our Futures Fund regranting initiative, The Luminary is diverting funds for 2020 to support the direct needs of those in our community most impacted by COVID-19. The Grants will offer sixty $1,000 grants over two cycles and will reserve funds from a total grant from the Warhol Foundation of $100,000 for further infrastructure and support. Applicants are not required to use funds for a project: these unrestricted $1,000 grants may be used for shelter, food, seeds, childcare, communal care — whatever makes life possible in these uncertain times.
A Sustaining Arts Practice Fund (ASAP Fund)
Organized by the Sam Fox School and the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, A Sustaining Arts Practice Fund (ASAP Fund) will be distributing fifty $2,000 grants to practicing artists, architects, and designers who face significant financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant recipients must live in the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, Jefferson County, or St. Charles County in Missouri, or in Madison County or St. Clair County in Illinois, and identify with one of the following disciplines:
– Design (fashion, graphic, illustration, industrial arts, object, interactive media, etc.)
– Art (installation, painting, printmaking, performance art, photography, sculpture, sound art, video, social practice, ceramics, textiles, etc.)
– Architecture (architectural design, landscape architectural design, urban design, etc.)
St. Louis COVID-19 Artist Relief Fund
This is an independent GoFundMe fundraiser for all types of St. Louis-area artists, organized by costumer/textile artist Jessica Pautler, actor/musician Jeremy Goldmeier, and writer/director Kyle Kratky.
St. Louis Arts and Music Fund
This is an independent GoFundMe fundraiser for music and arts related industry members, organized by Ben Majchrzak of Native Sound Recording.
Delmar Makers District
The Delmar Makers District has compiled some helpful list of resources for musicians as well as creative, performing, and contemporary artists. You can find the list here.
Midwest Artist Project Services
As always, but especially now during COVID-19, Midwest Artist Project Services is dedicated to offering low-cost or free services and resources to artists of all disciplines, collectives, and emerging nonprofits in the St. Louis region.
Regional Arts Commission Resources List
RAC has provide a list of Covid-19 resources artists and arts organizations.
Mid-America Arts Alliance Resources List
The Mid-America Arts Alliance has compiled great resources for artists, arts and culture organizations, and all of our constituents who are looking to make informed decisions about their health and financial well being.
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Resources For Creative Freelancers
Are You Looking for work?
Here’s a list of the 25+ best sites for finding remote work online in 2020.
Are you Hiring Freelance Designers?
If you’re in a hiring position or are able to commission a freelancer right now, consider hiring an individual listed in this ‘Designers in need of work during the COVID-19 pandemic’ spreadsheet.
Freelance Financial Planning
Freelance Financial Planning is offering free 45-minute virtual financial planning sessions for freelancers.
COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resources List
This list is specifically designed to serve freelance artists, and those interested in supporting the independent artist community. This includes, but is not limited to, actors, designers, producers, technicians, stage managers, musicians, composers, choreographers, visual artists, filmmakers, craft artists, teaching artists, dancers, writers & playwrights, photographers, etc.
CERF+ | The Artists’ Safety Net
CERF+ is providing emergency relief grants for artists infected with the virus who require extensive medical care. You can apply for a relief grant here. You can also find CERF+’s list of standing emergency relief funds for artists of all disciplines.
Adobe & Behance
Adobe Portfolio and Adobe Talent on Behance are free until May 31, 2020. Creative professionals and students can build and host their portfolio sites for free. Companies and recruiters can post job openings at no charge.
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Student Resources
- AIGA Student Resources offers advice and resources for all design students, including “Finding and Starting Your First Design Job,” professional development workshops, internship guides, and much more.
- AIGA Worldstudio Scholarships call for applications is deadline April 15, 2020. These Scholarships are awarded annually and benefit underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students who are studying photography, illustration, and design disciplines in colleges and universities in the United States.
- Students can register for free access to Adobe’s Creative Cloud through May 2020. Here’s more information on how it works.
- Develop your skills with online classes, lectures, and design tutorials (many are free) through Linkedin Learning.
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Volunteer Opportunities
United Nations Open Call To Creatives
The United Nations (UN) and World Health Organisation (WHO) have launched an open competition for creatives to design informative works that accurately communicate public health messages in a bid to “flatten the curve” of the coronavirus pandemic. The ‘Global Call To Creatives’ is an open brief that asks for designers to create visual content explaining what steps people can take to slow the pandemic. From graphics and videos to music and solidarity ideas—these creations will be approved by WHO before being distributed, in order to prevent the spread of misinformation. Here’s a link to the open brief hub.
Design to Combat Covid-19
This is a virtual community of over 1,000 volunteers who want to remotely volunteer their skills. Learn more here.
Local Organizations You Can Support
You can also check local hospitals for volunteer opportunities.
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Virtual Conferences, Classes & Talks
- @LiveTalkFrom
Watch live talks by designers and creatives that are streaming on Instagram via @LiveTalkFrom, a new design handle intending to “fight quarantine, boredom and, most importantly, to instill hope.” - Adobe 99U Conference
Adobe 99U has decided to transform its June 2020 conference in New York into a digital experience that any creative can join free of charge. Learn more here. - Behance / Adove Live
Access live classes every day. Classes cover graphic design, illustration, photoshop, UI/UX and more. Ask them questions in real-time, get inspired, connect with the creative community and watch the replays. Learn more here. - SkillShare For AIGA Members
AIGA members at the Sustaining level will receive 40% off an annual premium subscription to Skillshare. New AIGA members, at any level, receive 2 months free. Sign up today! - Business Edge Workshops
VLAA, Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts, is offering their spring Business Edge workshops free online for individual artists and arts organizations. - Blueprint
Fuel creativity at home with family-friendly classes, projects and more! Every class free until 4/9. Sign up today.
