U.S. Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost introduced a new bill titled the CREATE Art Act, which aims to provide federal grants to musicians, artists and other creatives.
Announced today at a press conference and mini-concert in Washington DC, the CREATE Art Act, whose full title is The CREATE (Cultivating Resources for Emerging Artists to Thrive and Excel) Art Act, hopes to create four new federal grants for artists, which They will provide between $2,000 and $100,000 for artistic activities, projects, live performances, living expenses, and more.
Specifically, a “Progress Grant” will provide $2,000 to support one year of artist activities, while a “Development Fund” can provide up to $10,000 to cover living expenses during the research and cultivation stages. For larger projects, there will be a “Project Grant,” which will provide up to $100,000 over the course of two years. There will also be a “Live Performance Scholarship,” which will award up to $35,000 for live performances.
The grants will be available to “any emerging artist in any field of art… if they have a regular creative practice, provide relevant and accessible art” and have earned less than $50,000 in the last five years (or $400,000 in the last 20 years) of art.
The CREATE Art Act has been endorsed by several arts advocacy groups, including the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), the Department of Professional Employees, AFL-CIO, the National Association of Independent Venues, United Musicians and Allied Workers, and the Academy of recording. The bill is modeled after similar efforts by other nations, such as the FACTOR Program in Canada.
In a statement, A2IM President Dr. Richard James Burgess said: “We thank Representatives Frost, Casar, Ocasio-Cortez and Kildee for their continued efforts to support creatives and artists through the creation of the Act. CREATE Art…By reducing financial barriers and fostering equitable opportunities, this legislation not only supports the arts community but also enriches our cultural landscape.”
The CREATE Art Act is one of several recently introduced bills aimed at making life easier for working musicians, such as the Living Wage for Musicians Act, which was introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib last month.
For more from Rep. Frost, check out the uplifting playlist he created for us last year.
Central Florida and communities across the country wouldn't be what they are today without creatives, but still, artists face many obstacles to following their dreams.
Today, I introduced the CREATE Art Act to help usher in a new era of support and equity among countless creatives… pic.twitter.com/oJcs81j4SN
— Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (@RepMaxwellFrost) April 10, 2024
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