City of West Palm Beach helping local artists amid pandemic

The City of West Palm Beach is launching a new initiative to support Palm Beach County artists struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

BEACH IS LAUNCHING A NEWINITIATIVE TO SUPPORT PALMBEACH COUNTY ARTISTSSTRUGGLING AMID THE COVID-19PANDEMIC.

WPTV NEWS CHANNELFIVES SABIRAH RAYFORD SHOWSYOU HOW THE PROGRAM IS SERVINGAS A LIFELINE FOR SOME IN THECREATIVE COMMUNITY.(:11-:18) (EMILIOAPONTESIERRA, ARTIST)(:52-1:02) (ARMANDO FANA,ASSISTANT CITY ADMINISTRATOR)<< EMILIO APONTESIERRALOVE IS ART.“ALL OF THE COLORYOU SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENCEIS COMING FROM THE DIFFERENTPAPER” A FEW MONTHS AGO HEFELT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITHSLIPPING AWAY.“MY CREATIVITYWAS KIND OF DEAD.

MARCH, APRILAND MAY, OH MY GOD” EMILIOSAYS HE STARTED TO SLIP INTO ADEPRESSION WHEN HE COULDNDISPLAY HIS WORK.“EVERYTHINGWAS CLOSED” THEN HE SAW WESTPALM BEACH COMMISSIONERSAPPROVED A NEW INITIATIVEGIVING 15 ARTISTS A STIPENDAND A PUBLIC, CITY LOCATION TOTEMPORARILY DISPLAY THEIRARTWORK.“THERE IT WAS LIKETHIS (SNAP) OH WOW!

LET'S DOSOMETHING.

SO, I GET MOTIVATEDAND THE ANXIETY AND THEDEPRESSION WAS REALLY LOWBECAUSE I SAW THE LIGHT AT THEEND OF THE TUNNEL” EMILIO ISONE OF THE 15 ARTISTS WORKINGON A PIECE WHICH HIGHLIGHTSHIS PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE ONTHE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.(ARMANDO FANA, ASSISTANT CITYADMINISTRATOR)“BEING ABLE TOREENGAGE THAT PUBLIC SPACEWITH AN INTERESTING PIECE OFART IS GOING TO BE I THINK,SOMETHING THAT WILL REENERGIZETHE PUBLIC SPACES IN MANYCASES” EACH ARTIST SELECTEDFOR THE PROGRAM WILL RECEIVEUP TO 6 THOUSAND DOLLARS FROMTHE CITYTHEIR WORK AND MATERIALS.(ARMANDO FANA, ASSISTANT CITYADMINISTRATOR)“THIS IS JUSTAN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TOONCE AGAIN BE ABLE WORK,SHOWCASE THEIR ART ANDHOPEFULLY IT GROWS.

THIS ISJUST A STEPPING STONE FOR ALOT OF THEM TO BE ABLE TO OPENUP DOORS IN OTHER PLACES”REPORTING IN WEST PALM BEACH,SABIRAH RAYFORD, WPTV NEWSCHANNEL5.