Over 700 Artists Urge Congress for COVID-19 Relief Assistance

Moor Mother, Algiers, Downtown Boys, Guy Picciotto, and more than 700 other musicians have signed an open letter urging the United States Congress to act on increased relief measures for artists affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re also urging other artists to voice their support by calling a hotline to contact members of Congress at (813) 213-3989. The hotline’s walk-through menus are narrated by Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis. See the full list of signees and their petition here.

The Union of Musicians and Allied Workers, a coalition assembled earlier this year, organized the effort. In a statement about the coronavirus action, co-organizer Josephine Shetty (Kohinoorgasm) pointed to the long-term closure of music venues as a primary concern for artists who rely on touring for their income. “Our instability is exacerbated by that uncertainty along with the continual inadequacy of each relief package. The lag in benefits for some and lack of benefits for others is a matter of survival,” she said.

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