**How The Internet Is Supporting Creators During COVID-19**
Spotify, Pandora, YouTube Music & Others Pledge Millions To Support Music Industry. Amazon Music, Facebook, SiriusXM and Pandora, Spotify, TIDAL, and YouTube Music announced contributions to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund to provide financial support for musicians and music industry workers in need. Spotify pledged up to $10 million in donations and is in the process of developing a fundraising feature for artists to fundraise directly from fans during this challenging time.
SoundCloud + Twitch Help Independent Artists Monetize Livestreams. As many independent musicians switch to livestreaming in order to earn income while live performances are disrupted by Covid-19, SoundCloud partnered with Twitch to allow its artists access to Twitch’s monetization tools. By “fast-tracking” their Twitch status, independent artists will now be able to start making money on the platform within days. SoundCloud is also providing guidance for new Twitch users on software needs and even how to interact with fans to help them start earning revenues as quickly as possible.
Facebook As A Resource For Creators, Small Businesses. More than 32,000 users have joined a Facebook group to support independent music. Musicians can post links to merchandise, livestreams, music lessons and more, while fans can use the group as a one-stop shop to support their favorite artists. Facebook is also offering $100 million in cash grants and credits to help small businesses who are dealing with the challenges of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Netflix Announces $100M Relief For Film & TV Industry. As productions shut down, Netflix set up a $100 million relief fund to help unemployed creators, including electricians, carpenters, drivers and more. “This community has supported Netflix through the good times, and we want to help them through these hard times…,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos.
Art Basel Moves Online. The famed art fair that was scheduled to take place in Hong Kong this spring created online viewing rooms so that 230 dealers could still offer nearly 2,000 pieces for sale. The New York Times noted that there is some “added value” to online viewing, such as “historical context through accompanying scholarly essays; the ability to reach collectors who can’t easily travel to galleries or art fairs; and leaving much less of a carbon footprint by eliminating shipping and flights to fairs.” The art on display virtually is worth approximately $270 million.
Patreon Sets Up Grant Program. Creator crowd-funding platform Patreon established a grant program for artists impacted by the pandemic. A board of creators will select recipients. Patreon already donated $10,000 to the fund and is accepting additional contributions.