RECORDING ACADEMY® AND MUSICARES® ESTABLISH COVID-19 RELIEF FUND IN RESPONSE TO UNPRECEDENTED MUSIC INDUSTRY EVENT CANCELLATIONS
RECORDING ACADEMY® AND MUSICARES® HAVE CONTRIBUTED INITIAL DONATIONS TOTALING $2 MILLION
The Recording Academy® and its affiliated charitable foundation MusiCares® have established the COVID-19 Relief Fund to help people in the music industry affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak and subsequent cancellation of multiple music events. From hotel and bar gigs to major music festivals, COVID-19 is deeply impacting live music events, and the creative community behind it all.
Administered through MusiCares, the COVID-19 Fund will be used to directly support those in the music community with the greatest need. To establish the fund, both the Recording Academy and MusiCares have contributed an initial donation of $1 million each, totaling $2 million. Additionally, all Recording Academy Chapters have committed to fundraising in their local communities. Further updates and announcements will be made in the coming days.
Harvey Mason jr., Chair and Interim CEO of the Recording Academy, says:
“Event cancellations are at unprecedented levels and the situation therefore requires an unprecedented response. Many people in the industry are now in crisis, not knowing what the future holds or having to deal with dire commercial realities. We are asking the entire industry to stand with us to support the musicians, artists and professionals who are the bedrock and the future of our music community.”
“It’s in times like these that many of us turn to music. Music can help us cope, and has the power to bring us together during a time when many of us might feel isolated. We encourage people everywhere to embrace the music industry which needs our help in these uncertain times.”
Steve Boom, MusiCares Chair, adds:
“The music industry is built on the work of musicians, artists, and music professionals. It is in times like these, that the industry needs to come together to support those who are struggling, particularly those who rely on touring incomes to survive. We know this fund will need to be significant. We will not be able to do it alone, and that’s why we are asking the entire music community including labels, streaming services, and anyone who is able to join us in this important effort. We’re all in when the good times roll, and it’s important that we’re all in when times are tough, too.”
If you wish to support our efforts to assist music people in need, visit: https://www.grammy.com/
If you are a member of the music industry in need of assistance, visit: musicares.org.
ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music’s history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards® — music’s only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world’s leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.
For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, “like” Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy’s social communities on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
COVID-19 Relief Fund For Music Industry Event Cancellations
ABOUT MUSICARES
A friend and ally of the music community, MusiCares was established by the Recording Academy to safeguard the health and well-being of all music people. A four-star charity and safety net in times of need, MusiCares offers confidential preventive, recovery, and emergency programs to address financial, medical, and personal health issues. Through the generosity of our donors and volunteer professionals, our dedicated team works across the country to ensure the music community has the resources and support it needs.
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Coronavirus Relief Fund
Netflix Creates $100 Million Coronavirus Relief Fund
Netflix has created a $100 million relief fund to help members of the creative community who have been left unemployed and without a way to earn an income during the coronavirus crisis. The streaming giant said the bulk of the funds will go toward supporting laid-off crew members.
“The COVID-19 crisis is devastating for many industries, including the creative community. Almost all television and film production has now ceased globally — leaving hundreds of thousands of crew and cast without jobs,” Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement. “These include electricians, carpenters and drivers, many of whom are paid hourly wages and work on a project-to-project basis. This community has supported Netflix through the good times, and we want to help them through these hard times, especially while governments are still figuring out what economic support they will provide.”
Additionally, $15 million of the Netflix fund will go to third parties and non-profits that offer emergency relief to out-of-work crew and cast in countries where there’s a large production base. Of that, Netflix said it will donate $1 million each to the SAG-AFTRA COVID-19 Disaster Fund, the Motion Picture & Television Fund, and the Actors Fund Emergency Assistance in the U.S., as well as $1 million between the AFC and Fondation des Artistes. Sarandos said the company is also working with industry organizations to bolster relief efforts in Europe, Latin America and Asia, where many of its movies and shows are shot.
Netflix will also look at projects it was on production on when filming was suspended to determine if various crew members and workers need assistance.
“What’s happening is unprecedented,” Sarandos said. “We are only as strong as the people we work with and Netflix is fortunate to be able to help those hardest hit in our industry through this challenging time.
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TikTok donates $10m to World Health Organization to fight COVID-19
ByteDance-owned video sharing platform TikTok is donating $10 million to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Solidarity Response Fund.
Supporting our global health workers
COVID-19 Relief Fund For Music Industry Event Cancellations
There are no words to express the debt we all owe those who are putting their personal safety at risk, who are voluntarily separating themselves from their own families, who are working around the clock and under incredibly challenging circumstances to save lives.
This is another step in our drive to support the global health field and the pandemic’s impact on local communities.We continue to donate critical supplies to countries and communities in need, including helping procure masks for health care workers and enabling the distribution of food support for students, teachers, and families affected by school closures. We’re matching employee donations to a range of local and global initiatives, including WHO, Red Cross, and a number of direct relief programs.As a company we continue to seek out ways to get involved and lend a hand.“We can only stop this virus with a coordinated, global response, where everyone – from every sector – is doing their part.TikTok’s extraordinarily generous contribution to the World Health Organization’s global effort is a perfect example of that. Now is the time for all individuals and companies to come together and fight this virus – because the case for cooperation simply couldn’t be clearer.”– Elizabeth Cousens, President & CEO of the UN FoundationCognizant of the power of TikTok’s global reach, we’re also focused on using our platform to support the World Health Organization’s efforts to keep the global community informed and healthy:
- We’ve hosted a number of livestreams with WHO experts, with users in over 70 countries tuning in for trusted information and live Q&A
- We’ve partnered with WHO to create an informational page on TikTok that offers tips on staying safe and preventing the spread of the virus, and dispels myths around COVID-19
- We have labels on coronavirus-related videos which point users to trusted information, with resources directly in the app as well as in the dedicated COVID-19 section of our Safety Center
As this fight continues, we will continue to identify ways to help health care workers and our local communities. We encourage anyone financially able to join us in donating to the Solidarity Response Fund in this crucial time.
In the meantime, one thing every single person can do to help our health care heroes is to reduce our own risk of infection. Please, listen to and abide by the guidance being offered by your local government. If you’ve been advised to shelter in place, or to avoid crowds, do so. Maintain hygiene as rigorously as you possibly can. And take care of one another so that our health care workers can focus on taking care of those who need help the most.
By Alex Zhu, President, TikTok
