New grant to help local performers through pandemic

The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona (AFTSA) with support from the Arizona Daily Star is working to raise and distribute $20,000 for theater workers in Southern Arizona that have been affected by the ongoing pandemic.

FOR PERFORMING ARTIST ALL OVEROUR COMMUNITY THE PANDEMICCHANGED THEIR WORLD.

MANY AREOUT OF WORK WITH THEUNCERTAINTY OF JOB SECURITY INTHE FUTURE.

THAT'S WHY ONEGROUP IS TRYING TO HELP THEMNOW.

NAT 16 BOXES.

NAT 16ARTIST.

NAT ALL SINGING TO THESAME TUNE RIGHT INTO THEIRCOMPUTER WEBCAM.

NAT THESE ARESOME OF THE STUDENTS AT THELIVE WORKSHOP THEATRE.

MICHAELMARTINEZ / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOROF LIVE THEATRE WORKSHOP ALLOF THOSE PERFORMING ARTIST WHOARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOWBECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TOMAKE A LIVING DOING WHAT THEYLOVE ARE GOING TO BE THEHARDEST HIT.

WE AREORGANIZATIONS THAT BRINGPEOPLE TOGETHER IN LARGEGROUPS, SO WE ARE GOING TO BETHE LAST PEOPLE TO COME BACKTO IT.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORMICHAEL MARTINEZ SAYS LIKEOTHER BUSINESSES THEYSWITCHED EVERYTHING ONLINEDURING THE PANDEMIC.

BUT FORPERFORMING ARTS STUDENTS ITWAS AN ADJUSTMENT.

MICHAELMARTINEZ / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOROF LIVE THEATRE WORKSHOP WEARE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARDTO GETTING BACK IN PERSON, BUTUNTIL THEN I THINK WE'VE FOUNDSOME REALLY COOL WAYS TOCONNECT TO KIDS AND GIVE THEMAN ARTISTIC OUTLET TO BECONNECTED TO EACH OTHER WHENTHEY FEEL SO ISOLATED.MARTINEZ SAYS THE THEATRECOMMUNITY IN TUCSON IS ABOUTMORE THAN JUST THE PEOPLEPUTTING ON THE SHOW.

THE LOCALECONOMY IS LOSING 16 MILLIONFROM THE INDUSTRY NOT RUNNINGFROM SALARIES AND BUILDINGRENT.

MARTINEZ SAYS IT'SNONPROFITS LIKE THE ARTSFOUNDATION FOR TUCSON ANDSOUTHERN ARIZONA THAT'S HELPEDKEEP THEM GOING.

THEY'RETRYING TO RAISE 20,000 FORTHEATRE ARTS IN SOUTHERNARIZONA WHICH MAKES UP ROUGH1,000 PAID PART AND FULL TIMEPEOPLE.

MICHAEL MARTINEZ /EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LIVETHEATRE WORKSHOP WHEN WE COMEOUT OF THIS, I THINK THATWE'RE GOING TO SEE OF REALLYAMAZING, STRONG ARTSORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WORKINGTOGETHER BETTER THAN EVER TOMAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITY IS ONEOF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.THE THEATRE ARTISTS EMERGENCYFUND IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONSAND DONATIONS UNTIL JULY 22ND.MORE DETAILS ARE ON OURWEBSITE KGUN9.COM.

VVKGUN9 OYS.A WARNING FROM FROM THE BBBFOR THOSE OF YOU WITHMORTGAGES.

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