More than $10,500 has been raised for the Theater Artists Emergency Fund, sponsored by the Star and The Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona.
The fund, launched June 18, hopes to raise $20,000 for COVID-19-impacted theater artists on and behind the stage, in the box office and the costume shops. The fundraising effort ends July 22.
Many theater artists have two and three jobs in order to make ends meet, and those jobs are often in the service industry, which has also had to lay off or furlough employees.
More than 1,000 people in Tucson and Southern Arizona have full and part-time jobs in the theater industry. Most of those jobs came to a stand still in mid-March, when the virus forced shows to shut down and restaurants to close.
The Star and AFTSA hope to award grants of $500 to those who have been financially impacted. Make your tax deductible donation at tucson.com/theaterhelp.
