Michael Fabiano and John Viscardi’s ArtSmart has created a Mentor Relief Fund to help the mentors at ArtSmart.

In a statement the organization stated “Due to recent school district closures in response to COVID-19, ArtSmart’s policy must be to follow their lead; if they close, we close. Unfortunately we are unable compensate our mentors during such extreme events, when lessons cannot be taught. We do not say this lightheartedly. ArtSmart was founded on the premise that working artists must be paid. We strongly believe that artists deserve a living wage, which is why ArtSmart has paid over $1,000,000 dollars to our artists since our founding four years ago.”

As a result the organization launched the #GigEconomyAwareness fundraising initiative. The money raised from the campaign will go to a separate emergency fund outside of our operating budget. With the #ArtSmartMentorReliefFund, it will supplement this lost compensation to its mentors because unfortunately #GigsAreNotCovered during extreme times such as these.

As part of this initiative, ArtSmart will also be “sharing important information on the gig economy to educate the general public on how artists’ livelihoods are particularly vulnerable under such duress.”