The Arts Council for Long Beach’s COVID-19 Relief Fund has been replenished with $75,000 from the City of Long Beach for local artists and arts organizations impacted by the pandemic, the ACLB announced.

The additional amount is part of $1.5 million in State CARES Act funds allotted to Long Beach for arts organizations and will be distributed as grants of $1,000 on a rolling basis to working artists and arts organizations who apply and have “experienced a significant loss of income due to COVID-19,” until the funds are exhausted.

“We are partnered in our commitment to assisting those most impacted by the current crisis and giving back to those that make our city a creative hub,” the ACLB said in a statement.

When the ACLB first created the relief fund in May, organizers wanted to give priority to artists who had added themselves to the nonprofit’s online artist registry as of March 2020. But, with this additional funding from the city and after having given artists five months to apply, applications are now open to artists who add themselves to the registry by Nov. 1.

The fund was previously for artists who suffered a loss of income due to the pandemic, but the grant is now also available to local arts organizations headquartered in Long Beach that have produced, presented or exhibited arts or cultural programming, or arts education, over the last two years, according to ACLB Director of Programs Lisa DeSmidt.

Changes to the original grant requirements include recipients keeping receipts and accounting of the funds used, and that artists must live, work or have a business license or business address in Long Beach.

“Additionally applicants will be asked about how they work with underrepresented communities in Long Beach and priority will be given to organizations and artists who demonstrate the greatest need and serve/engage with underrepresented communities,” DeSmidt wrote in an email.

The ACLB’s relief fund, created with support from the Long Beach Community Foundation, Edison International, Supervisor Janice Hahn, Long Beach Post and Dark Arts Emporium, has distributed $50,000 in grants to 50 local artists impacted by the pandemic.

For the full list of application requirements and more information visit artslb.org/covid19-grant/; for application assistance, email Marketing and Grants Associate Judy Estrada at [email protected].