Opera Artist Emergency Relief Fund

The Association for Opera in Canada’s Opera Artist Emergency Relief Fund provides funds to professional opera artists experiencing immediate cash shortages for basic necessities as a result of lost work opportunities due to the spread of the omicron variant and corresponding public health restrictions across the country. We aim to respond swiftly and to help as many professional opera artists who are in dire need as we can based on available funds.

We thank the Azrieli Foundation and the support of numerous individuals for continuing to keep the fund active.

Donations to the fund graciously accepted: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/47229

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply if you meet all the following criteria:

You are a professional opera artist with a recent history of earning professional fees from artistic engagements (Eg a singer, a pit musician, lighting designer, etc) Note the early, mid and established career artists are eligible to apply.
You earn most of your money through professional opera engagements and you have lost that income due to cancellations and the pandemic
You can demonstrate recent professional engagements 2017-2022. Note in your CV any directly affected by the pandemic
You are in immediate need.
You are you a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Note: As the primary beneficiary of the fund are opera artists currently working in the sector, students in general, are not eligible but recognizing extenuating career circumstances, we may consider these applications on a case by case basis.

THIS IS AN EMERGENCY FUND FOR PROFESSIONAL OPERA ARTISTS WHO CANNOT AFFORD BASIC NECESSITIES

It is meant as a temporary stop gap measure for established artists experiencing immediate cash shortages for basic necessities. To serve demand, the maximum available will be $750 per artist.

Begin the application process below:

Click Here

The government has recently opened the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB) providing up to $300 a week to those who qualify. If you are an established professional Canadian artist (or permanent resident) and are experiencing immediate needs for basic necessities, we encourage you to apply to this program. https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/worker-lockdown-benefit.html

We thank the Azrieli Foundation and the support of numerous individuals for continuing to keep the fund active.

Donations to the fund graciously accepted: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/47229

ELIGIBILITY
You are eligible to apply if you meet all the following criteria:
-You are a professional opera artist with a recent history of earning professional fees from artistic engagements (Eg a singer, a pit musician, lighting designer, etc) Note the early, mid and established career artists are eligible to apply.
-You earn most of your money through professional opera engagements and you have lost that income due to cancellations and the pandemic
-you can demonstrate recent professional engagements 2017-2022. Note in your CV any directly affected by the pandemic
-You are in immediate need.
-You are you a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
-As the primary beneficiary of the fund are opera artists currently working in the sector, students in general, are not eligible but recognizing extenuating career circumstances, we may consider these applications on a case by case basis.

THIS IS AN EMERGENCY FUND FOR PROFESSIONAL OPERA ARTISTS WHO CANNOT AFFORD BASIC NECESSITIES

It is meant as a temporary stop gap measure for established artists experiencing immediate cash shortages for basic necessities, and until government support kicks in. To serve demand, the maximum available will be $750 per artist.

Begin the application process below:

Opera Artist Emergency Relief Fund

Eligibility

Membership

Support