East Austin’s Chula League, which supports the arts and art education in the city’s neighborhood has committed to distributing a total of $15,000 in artist relief funds, art kits for school children at home, and a free sack lunch initiative.
The $7,500 Chula League Artist Relief Fund, a new initiative, will provide local artists with $150 each to help recover lost revenue from shows canceled due to COVID-19 closings. The Chula League has operated the Cherrywood Art Fair at Maplewood for more than 15 years, with the last art fair taking place in December 2019. Priority will be given to previous Cherrywood Art Fair artists and Little Artist Big Artist mentorship program artists.
In addition, Chula League will allot $2,500 for student art kits for students from East Austin elementary schools who have been kept at home as a result of school closings. Maplewood Elementary, Allison Elementary, Blackshear Elementary, Barbara Jordan Elementary, Govalle Elementary and Oak Springs Elementary will all benefit from the program.
Chula League is drawing on a mix of proceeds from Cherrywood Art Fair and fundraising events from last year.
States John Mathew Bernal, chair of Chula League board of directors: “Many of our artists, little and big, have been affected by the pandemic in ways that we’ve not experienced before. Our grassroots Board of Directors felt it was our duty to provide resources so our community can continue to create and stay safe.”
The nonprofit will also match Crema Bakery & Cafe’s hunger relief initiative, up to $5,000, providing free sack lunches with no questions asked, feeding up to 1,500 Austinites.
The application process began May 5 and will continue through May 12, 5 P.M. To apply, please go here.
