MusiCares' COVID-19 relief effort was a charitable initiative aimed at providing financial and other forms of assistance to musicians and music industry professionals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. [1] The initiative was established by MusiCares, a non-profit organization that was founded in 1989 by the Recording Academy, the organization behind the GRAMMY Awards. [1] [2]
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the music industry with the closure of concert venues, the cancellation of tours, and the loss of income for many music professionals. [3] [4] MusiCares launched its COVID-19 Relief effort in March 2020 to provide assistance to those in need. The central program was MusiCares’ COVID-19 Relief Fund which was established with $1 million from MusiCares and a $1 million dollar donation from The Recording Academy. [1] MusiCares received further donations from organizations and individuals within and outside of the music industry in order to distribute $37.5 million, and serve 47,228 clients between March 2020 and July 2022 to complete their COVID-19 Relief effort. [5]
The goal of the MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief effort was to provide financial assistance to musicians and music industry professionals who have lost income due to the pandemic. [6] The initiative also aimed to provide other forms of assistance, such as medical and mental health support, and to raise awareness of the impact of the pandemic on the music industry. [7]
MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief effort has provided a range of assistance to musicians and music industry professionals, including:
MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief effort has been funded through donations from individuals and organizations, as well as through partnerships with corporate sponsors. The organization has received support from a range of musicians and organizations: [9] [10] [11] [12]
Organizations:
MusiCares Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1989 and incorporated in 1993 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Meant for musicians to have a place to turn in times of financial, personal, or medical crisis, its primary purpose is to focus the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues which directly impact the health and welfare of the music community. The foundation's programs include emergency financial assistance, addiction recovery, outreach and leadership activities, and senior housing. MusiCares also offers hearing clinics backstage at several major festivals around the U.S. to help musicians protect their ears. Since 1989, MusiCares has distributed more than $48 million to artists in need.
A Celebration of New Orleans Music to Benefit MusiCares Hurricane Relief 2005 is a benefit album, with tracks "from the vault" by an array of New Orleans artists.
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) is a non-profit organization responsible for promoting Canadian music and artists. It is famous for its Juno Awards, which recognize achievements in the music industry of popular songs and music created by Canadian musicians. It administers the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the MusiCounts music education charity. CARAS's mandate is to promote and celebrate Canadian music and artists.
The Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) is a voluntary humanitarian organization that seeks to promote humanitarian values, as well as provide service and public education in disaster management, as well as healthcare in the community. It is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports performers and behind-the-scenes workers in performing arts and entertainment, helping more than 17,000 people directly each year. Serving professionals in film, theatre, television, music, opera, radio, and dance, the Fund's programs include social services and emergency financial assistance, healthcare and insurance counseling, supportive and affordable housing, and employment and training services. The Fund owns and operates the Lillian Booth Actors Home, a skilled nursing and assisted living facility in Englewood, New Jersey.
The Music Business Association, formerly known as the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), is a not-for-profit trade association based in Nashville, Tennessee that seeks to promote sustained financial growth and bolster inclusion & equity efforts in all areas of the global music business by hosting in-person and virtual events, offering educational materials, and fostering engagement opportunities for its members. Music Biz's membership includes major & independent record labels, streaming services, music retailers, distributors, music tech companies & startups, publishers, lawyers, and all others involved in the sale of music and related merchandise. Representing more than 90 percent of the industry at large, Music Biz provides opportunities for collaboration between professionals from all subsets to invest in the future of the entire music business while also addressing each business segment's individual needs.
The Recording Academy is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is widely known for its Grammy Awards, which recognize achievements in the music industry of songs and music which are popular worldwide. The Recording Academy is a founding partner of the Grammy Museum, a non-profit organization whose stated mission is preserving and educating about music history and significance. The Recording Academy also founded MusiCares, a charity with the stated goal of impacting the health and welfare of the music community. The Recording Academy's advocacy team lobbies for music creators' rights at the local, state, and federal levels.
Neil R. Portnow is an American music industry executive who served as the chairman and CEO of The Recording Academy and MusiCares from 2002 to 2019. Prior to that, Portnow was the vice-president of the West Coast division of Jive Records and Arista Records.
Person of the Year is an annual gala presented by MusiCares, a 501(c)(3) public charity and affiliate of The Recording Academy, to raise funds for MusiCares’ mission and to honor recording artists for their creative achievements and their dedication to philanthropy. Chosen by the MusiCares Foundation, award recipients are honored during "Grammy Week". Person of the year gala consistes of a seated dinner and start-studded tribute concert.
Claudia Alejandra Menkarski, known as Claudia Brant, is an Argentine composer, producer and singer in diverse genres and multiple languages.
BAPS Charities is a religious charitable organization that originates from the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS).
COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund was a global fund for supporting the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. It was launched on 13 March 2020 by the United Nations Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation in support of WHO, and was announced by the Director-General of WHO in Geneva, Switzerland. The fund ceased its active fundraising activities at the end of 2021, with further donations to be directed to the WHO Foundation.
The Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund was created on 27 March 2020, following the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Although it is named for the Prime Minister of India, and uses the State Emblem of India, it is a private fund, used at the discretion of the Prime Minister and the Fund's trustees, and does not form a part of the Government of India's accounts. The Fund was established for the purpose of redressing the COVID-19 pandemic in India, in 2020. While complete documentation for the Fund's establishment has not been made public, the Government of India has stated that the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, is the chairman of the fund, and that trustees include the Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh; the Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, the Minister of Finance, Nirmala Sitharaman, and several corporate leaders and industrialists, including Ratan Tata, and Sudha Murty.
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the international and domestic economies. Thus, many organizations, private individuals, religious institutions and governments have created different charitable drives, concerts and other events to lessen the economic impact felt.
The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) is an American trade association of independent music venues, promoters, and festivals. Based in New York City, it was founded in March 2020 to pursue federal support such as business recovery grants and tax relief in the wake of COVID-19's effect on the live entertainment industry. NIVA manages the website SaveOurStages.com and advocated for federal relief on social media using the hashtag #SaveOurStages. In years since, NIVA has shifted its focus to other areas of live entertainment advocacy and reform, including campaigning for more environmentally sustainable practices among member venues, and "Fix the Tix", a proposed congressional bill targeting the ticket resale market.
Songwriters of Northern America (SONA) is a not-for-profit trade organization for songwriters' rights. It was founded by Michelle Lewis and Kay Hanley in January 2015, in order to advocate for fair remuneration for songwriters in the era of streaming digital music services. The organization allows songwriters to organize to lobby for better licensing rates for music creators with digital streaming companies like Spotify and Pandora. In 2016 the band sued the Justice Department who they claim "overstepped its authority and that its ruling violated the property rights of songwriters by potentially nullifying private contracts between writers who have worked on the same song." SONA also pressed for fair pay for songwriters within other music legislation including crafting, lobbying and working to pass the Music Modernization Act.
Homeless individuals are more likely to contract COVID-19 than those with permanent housing access. This is due to the environments that homeless people live in, which often suffer overcrowding and/or a lack of access to adequate sanitation. Homeless individuals are also more likely to suffer underlying health conditions, which increases the risk of death caused by COVID-19. The closure of public facilities has negatively impacted the homeless population, as reduced access to toilet facilities and support services has affected their hygiene and mental health respectively. Initiatives have been introduced by governments and at local levels in attempts to reduce the impact on the homeless.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted migrants throughout the globe. Low-skilled migrants, refugees, and internally-displaced migrants are at a higher risk of contracting the virus. The pandemic has also aggravated the dangers of already-dangerous migration routes. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, international organizations have recorded a spike in human rights abuses suffered by migrants, especially in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The restrictions on travel, imposed as a measure to contain the virus, have resulted in a rise in "stranded migrants," individuals who want to return to their home countries but cannot.
The Hussain Dawood Pledge (HD-Pledge) is one of the biggest private donations and initiatives to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan. Hussain Dawood, on behalf of Engro, Dawood Hercules and his family pledged on 2 April 2020 a contribution in services, kind, and cash of Pakistani rupee (PKR) 1 billion . The contribution became public a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan announced the coronavirus relief fund to fight the pandemic and urged everyone to donate.
The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation (OWCF) is a United States-based philanthropic foundation dedicated to support education, women, museums, community development, disaster relief, and other charitable endeavors. Established by television host and producer Oprah Winfrey, the Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation has distributed millions of dollars to charities around the world.