Unemployment Insurance for Artists Explained

The new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefit for self-employed individuals

The PUA program will provide payments for weeks of unemployment beginning on or after January 27^th and ending on or before December 31^st, 2020 for a maximum of 39 weeks.  The benefit amount will be equal to the weekly benefit amount as calculated under state law based on recent earnings, the same way regular UI benefits are calculated.

Under Minnesota law, the benefits paid to regular UI recipients are based on the amount of earnings (gross wages) paid to a worker from all covered employers during a recent 52-week period of time.  This is called your base period.  It is defined as follows:

Self-employed individuals will be asked to provide proof of income documents, such as 2019 1099s and 2019 income tax return documents, to establish their earnings record for this same period of time (the first four of the most recently completed five quarters).

The Minnesota UI Program has compiled a step-by-step guide to the application process for self-employed individuals.  It is available at:

https://www.uimn.org/assets/application-step-by-step-instructions-selfemployed_tcm1068-425640.pdf

You will note that the process asks for employment and pay information for a 15-month time period (October 2018 through the date of application).  Applicants that meet the minimum earnings requirement ($3,000) during this base period to establish an account will also be able to receive the additional $600 per week payment.

Once you have completed the application for benefits, you will need to wait for MN UI program staff to finish the implementation process for this new benefit.  Applicants will receive additional instructions through their online account about their PUA benefit payments.  You can also look for updates at:

https://www.uimn.org/applicants/needtoknow/news-updates/covid-19.jsp

COMMUNITY CARE (as compiled by the Department of Transformation)

• • Take your artistic practice online. Check out a few examples like: Lunchtime doodle dates

  • Organize a digital poetry reading or digital house concert with area poets and / or musicians. Make sure to set up a digital tip jar or other way to donate / support your local artists! 

  • Think about simple, creative ways you can support parents during school closure, like these examples: reading kids books on twitter or offering simple kids’ art projects online. 

  • Use your awesome design skills to start a hyper-local online resource, like this example from Palouse, WA: Palouse Hotline

Resources

• • How to Plan a Virtual Event on Vimeo

  • How to Host a Watch Party on Facebook

Class Changes

• All Ceramic classes are being postponed.

• Darren Houser Print Making class March 18 is postponed until further notice.

• BAM-The March 24 class is canceled. The March 31^st class is rescheduled TBD. Participants can pick up art supplies to accommodate online classes.

• David Becker Workshop March 26,27, 28 is rescheduled for May 7,8 and 9.
• Homeschool classes are rescheduled 

 Event Changes

• April 18 Family Day is canceled 

• Earth Day Market April 25- postponed until further notice
• The Duluth Fiber and Handcrafter’s Guild Rummage Sale on April 4 is canceled. A future date has not been determined.

 Studio Updates

• Open Studio March 17 and 24 is canceled. We will keep you updated about open studio access for March 31 

• Open Paint is canceled March 26 and April 2

• The DAI photo darkroom, fiber studio, print studio and photography studio are closed for the next two weeks, opening March 30. No study groups or open studio are available at the DAI Depot location or the Lincoln Park Building. Check your email and our website for updates.

• The ceramic studio is closed until April 10.  
• The Lincoln Park Building is CLOSED until April 10.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

For the time being, the DAI will only accept credit card payments for classes and rent payments. If you need assistance please contact Genevieve at ghircock@duluthartinstitute.org.

To keep you engaged, check out our newest gallery installations at the DAI Depot via Instagram and Facebook. 

The Saint Louis County Depot is closed until further notice.

The LINCOLN PARK BUILDING is closed until April 10

Please check your email and here for updates.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR ARTISTS

This page is an evolving list of resources for information, exchange, and support in this time. Accuracy at any given point cannot be guaranteed as this is a fast-moving and evolving situation: https://springboardforthearts.org/coronavirus/

http://aracouncil.org/for-artists-grants-for-individuals/

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS- may need to be a business-this is fluid

https://www.uimn.org/applicants/needtoknow/news-updates/covid-19.jsp 

GRANTS & LOANS FOR ARTISTS (as compiled by the Department of Transformation)

https://artistreliefproject.org/request_funding/?fbclid=IwAR0i0oTceB7lwFAYDPz-HlJ5Ha8ocWt8d4GcRUMkxB1g7BLVDDgYov73qG8

CERF+ Emergency Relief Fund 

Rauschenberg Emergency Grant

Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant

Authors League Fund

PEN American Writers’ Emergency Fund

NYFA Emergency Grants List

Actors Fund Entertainment Assistance Program

The Blues Foundation HART Fund

Musicians Foundation

Gottlieb Emergency Grant Program

Disaster Resilience for Northern California Grantmakers

Otto Bremer Emergency Fund

Minnesota Disaster Recovery Fund

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (as compiled by the Department of Transformation)

Hyperallergic Daily Report of How Coronavirus Is Affecting the Art World

Preparing Your Organization for Coronavirus Outbreak Webinar

Coronavirus Preparedness for Theatres

coronavirus: Wisdom from a Social Justice Lens - podcast and resource list by Healing Justice 

Caring Across Distance: Some Things to Consider Before Movement Gatherings During COVID-19 by Maryse Mitchell-Brody (viawww.healingjustice.org)

Social Justice at a Time of Social Distancing by Kenneth Bailey and Lori Lobenstine

Compassionate Curation in the TIme of Coronavirus by Divya Victor

Treating Yellow Peril: Resources to Address Coronavirus Racism by Jason Oliver Chang

Wash Your Hands poem by Dori Midnight

Flattening the Curve: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update and Thorough Guidance Compiled byJulie McMurry, MPH

Demands From Grassroots Organizers Regarding COVID-19 Compiled by Kelly Hayes

Decolonizing Community Care in Response to COVID-19 by Jade Begay, NDN Collective

ONLINE ART VIEWING EXPERIENCES

The Armory Show: https://www.artsy.net/the-armory-show-2020?utm_medium=email&utm_source=19748654-03-18-20&utm_campaign=covid19

Art central 2020: https://www.artsy.net/art-central-2020?utm_medium=email&utm_source=19748654-03-18-20&utm_campaign=covid19

Art Basel Online Viewing Rooms: https://www.artbasel.com/viewing-rooms?utm_medium=email&utm_source=19748654-03-18-20&utm_campaign=covid19

The Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-metropolitan-museum-of-art

The Bauhaus Dessau Foundation: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/stiftung-bauhaus-dessau

The Musee d'Orsay: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/musee-dorsay-paris

The Guggenheim: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/solomon-r-guggenheim-museum

The Palace of Versailles: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/palace-of-versailles

The Uffizi Gallery: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/uffizi-gallery

The La Galleria Nazionale: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/La-Galleria-Nazionale

The Van Gogh Museum: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/van-gogh-museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum: https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-j-paul-getty-museum

Sincerely,

Christina Woods

DAI Executive Director