Philly Music Fest announces micro-grant program for local artists affected by the Coronavirus quarantine

Philly Music Fest is returning for its fourth year this September, and while it’s still a few months away from unveiling its 2020 lineup, organizer Greg Seltzer took to social media this weekend to exercise the annual event’s charitable arm.

Many people with jobs in music are out of work in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak and subsequent industry shutdown. Isolation rules have left working artists and their behind-the-scenes team without a steady source of income — no tours to make money on the road, no open venues to make money at home, limited job opportunities for those in the gig economy. And in light of that, Philly Music Festival is now offering micro-grants to homebound Philadelphians working in music.

Grants are $250 apiece and the Instagram post asks Philly-area musicians, as well as the staff of local independent venues, to either DM the festival (@phlmusicfest on Instagram) or email him at gregseltzer@gmail.com and tell him “what you were doing before the shutdown, your current struggle/situation and how $250 would assist you immediately.”

Reached via email, Seltzer clarified that the grant program also includes other out-of-work industry personnel who don’t fall into the category of “artist” or “venue staff,” from tour managers to merch designers. Read the full Instagram post below.