SOURCE: CBS AUSTIN
Austin musicians will begin to see some economic relief, even as music venues remain closed this month. City Council passed five measures aimed at the COVID-19 crisis on Thursday, and one of them includes $1.5 million for the Austin Music Disaster Relief Fund.
Austin artists have been taking the financial hit for more than a month, since SXSW was canceled — and many don’t qualify for standard unemployment payments. City council members created the Austin Music Disaster Relief Fund to help musicians survive the crisis. “I want to ask our staff to work really expeditiously in getting this money to the people who need it, to the individual musicians who are struggling right now to provide for their basic needs,” said District 9 Council Member Kathie Tovo, who was one of the sponsors.