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Relief Grants Available for Arts and Cultural Programs from Oklahoma's Federal Coronavirus Funds

Coronavirus relief grants of $2,500 to $100,000 are available for Oklahoma’s creative sector.

The Oklahoma Arts Council received a $3 million allocation from the state’s share of federal coronavirus relief funds to distribute. One-time grans are available for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, museums, historical societies, colleges and universities, local governments, and other entities that present arts programming and have an annual operating budget of at least $10,000.

Oklahoma Arts Council Executive Director Amber Sharples said the immediate goal is keeping organizations solvent so they’re around after the pandemic — and because many have taken on new importance during it.

"I think everyone’s who’s cooped up at home or spending a lot more time in isolation have probably become much more aware of their consumption of arts and cultural programming as a way to keep their mental health more stable, to have a better quality of life," Sharples said.

No match is required, and the one-time grants can be used to cover things like interruption of business, paying COVID-19 coordinators and costs of opening safely to the public.

Sharples hopes the state funding serves as an initial round of relief. She noted the arts were one of the first industries forced to shut down because of the pandemic and will be one of the last to return.

"Once things are safe, it will take a significant time for us to ramp back up as a sector, and these organizations will not see those positives right away. It will take a long-term commitment of our state to ensure our arts and cultural sector can fully rebound," Sharples said.

Organizations must submit eligibility documents by Friday and complete an application by Tuesday. More information is available at arts.ok.gov.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.
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