NYC Nightlife United: Emergency COVID-19 Relief Fund Launched To Assist Suffering Cultural Industry

NYC Nightlife United is a charitable fund that aims to provide much needed relief to New York’s hardest hit businesses / cultural venues and those who work within the industry.

The music community has shown an outstanding amount of solidarity in this time, as we work together to do whatever we possibly can to confront the biggest threat the industry has – quite frankly – ever faced. 

While the impact the pandemic is having on our community is incredibly heartbreaking, seeing so many people come together to raise money in support of musicians around the world, while also seeing so many ferociously fighting to keep live music venues from going under: the support from campaigns and individuals has been unprecedented. Unfortunately in many countries however, the focus on protecting artists and cultural spaces has been minimal and there is a huge call on governments to act.

Regardless, it’s extremely important we continue the fight.

In a further development of solidarity to fight for the survival of the live music industry, a new charitable fund entitled NYC Nightlife United has been set up. Created by Adhoc Presents and Friends and Lovers – in collaboration with performing arts non-profit The Solo Foundation, who focus on raising awareness on social issues through art.

Through sponsorships and donations, the fund aims to provide relief to New York cultural spaces and institutions, artists, employees of nightlife venues – including owners, managers, security and so on. The funds raised by the foundation will be focused on providing grants specifically to independent artists and small businesses.

New York – which has been one of the hardest hit cities within the United States regarding the pandemic – is famously known as a bustling hub for nightlife, and is evidently the industry is suffering severely due to it.

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NYC Nightlife United is an emergency fund providing immediate relief to shuttered cultural spaces affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. NYC is the cultural lifeline of the world and the COVID-19 pandemic has quickly devastated the fabric of the nightlife community. Hit hard are all the members of its ecosystem, affecting every aspect—safe spaces, musicians, comedians, sound techs, bar staff and DJs who depend on bars, nightclubs, and in-person events to make money. For more information, please visit nycnightlifeunited.com #linkinbio #nycnightlifeunited

A post shared by NYC Nightlife United (@nycnightlifeunited) on May 18, 2020 at 11:02am PDT

Smalls businesses will be eligible for grants of $20,000, while artists who are able to provide proof of loss of livelihood due to cancelled events will be eligible for receiving grants of up to $5,000.

Applications for relief funds will open on June and July 5th respectively for businesses and artists.

Be sure to head to NYC Nightlife United’s official website for more information and more detailed explanations of their applications, and donate to the fund here.