A small non-profit arts organization in Austin is switching it up for the #GivingTuesdayNow philanthropic effort.
The Chula League, which supports the arts and art education in East Austin, will distribute a total of $15,000 in artist relief funds, art kits for school children at home, and a free sack lunch initiative
For 15 years, Chula put on the popular holiday time Cherrywood Art Fair at Maplewood . Elementary School. The group staged its last art fair in December 2019. Chula also runs an artist mentoring program pairing professional artists with fifth and sixth graders from East Austin elementary schools.
Now, the new $7,500 Chula League Artist Relief Fund will provide local artists with $150 to help recover lost revenue from shows canceled due to COVID-19.
Priority will be given to those artists who have participated in Cherrywood Art Fair and/or its Little Artist Big Artist mentorship program. Applications can be made online starting 9 a.m. May 5 through 5 p.m. May 12 at chulaleague.org/relief
Chula League will use $2,500 to buy art kits for students from six East Austin elementary schools who are now at home. The schools are Maplewood Elementary, Allison Elementary, Blackshear Elementary, Barbara Jordan Elementary, Govalle Elementary and Oak Springs Elementary.
Finally the nonprofit will match Crema Bakery & Cafe’s hunger relief initiative dollar for dollar, up to $5,000. The bakery is providing free sack lunches with “no questions asked” to those impacted by COVID-19. The $5,000 will feed up to 1,500 Austinites.
Chula League is drawing on a mix of proceeds from Cherrywood Art Fair and fundraising events from last year, said John Mathew Bernal, chair of Chula League board of directors.
“Many of our artists, little and big, have been affected by the pandemic in ways that we’ve not experienced before. Our grassroots Board of Directors felt it was our duty to provide resources so our community can continue to create and stay safe,” he said.
