Eligibility
You may apply for [Gary Knisely and Varian] Foundation funding if you are an individual Theater Professional.
- Individual Theater Professionals include theater artists who work on stage, such as performers and musicians, as well as those who work on productions such as directors, designers, stage managers, choreographers, stagehands, writers, and professionals who work on production elements, such as sets, props, lighting, effects, sound, make-up, and costumes.
AND you meet all five of the following requirements:
- You are 18 years of age or older.
- You are a legal resident of Berkshire County in Massachusetts. We define “legal resident” as someone who meets the definition of a “full-year resident” in the Massachusetts tax code. Visit the Mass Department of Revenue website to learn more.
- You have reported taxable income related to earnings working as an individual theater professional.
- The income you reported earning as an individual theater professional in your most recent tax return represented more than 25% of your total income from all sources.
- You can demonstrate at least $1,000 of lost income directly related to [the 2019 coronavirus, or COVID-19] that is not eligible to be recouped through Massachusetts State unemployment benefits from:
- canceled jobs/gigs, performances, productions, shows, or theater residencies
- closures or suspended operations of theater or venues.
Receiving federal [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act unemployment benefits, for contract employees and gig workers, does not affect eligibility for this funding.
Theater Professionals who meet the requirements above but did not receive funding from Mass Cultural Council’s COVID-19 Relief Fund for Individuals are encouraged to submit a new application to this fund.
Recipients of the Mass Cultural Council FY20 COVID-19 Relief Fund for Individuals are NOT eligible for the funding.
| Date published: | June 16, 2022 |
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