The Artists Fund at Festival of Arts, in Laguna Beach California, serves past and present Festival exhibitors.by providing hardship grants for artists in need, and also merit-based, career enrichment grants. It is a fact that many of our most beloved artists donβt earn enough to afford health care or to put aside funds to carry them through a personal or natural disaster. The Festival of Arts comm
unity faced this reality in 1999 when one of its own confronted debilitating medical treatments. In response, Festival artists, led by Anne England, came together to raise and contribute critically needed financial assistance. This shared experience inspired a number of exhibitors to establish an ongoing fund for artists who encounter such hardship. Their plan was to annually collect artwork donated by Festival exhibitors, sell it and create a fund to be accessed as emergencies arise. Since that time, the Artists Fund has assisted numerous artists who were victims of medical necessity, natural disaster or other debilitating circumstances. To help lessen current burdens of artists in need and take proactive steps to minimize exposure to unexpected future hardship the executive board recently voted to expand services to include counseling, mentoring, scholarships, and a personal assistance program. The Artists Fund Enrichment program provides aid to past and present FOA exhibition Artists whose primary income is generated from artwork and who live within the geographically defined areas for FOA participants. The Artists Fund will provide fees for the following types of art development: Classes, Conferences, Exhibitions, Supplies, Equipment, and Mentorship with professionals to expand artistic expertise.