Here are resources I have found to be incredibly useful through a variety of resources navigating as a sustainable artist and creative freelancer. Please take and share what’s helpful and leave what’s not.
Note: You may need to do your own research to see what links are the most up to date.
Digital Educational Resources
Artwork Archive: https://www.artworkarchive.com/
American for the Arts: https://www.americansforthearts.org/by-program/services-and-training/training-professional-development/webinars
Assets for Artists: https://www.assetsforartists.org/resources
Creative Capital: https://creative-capital.org/
Creative Mornings: https://creativemornings.com/
The Creative Independent: https://thecreativeindependent.com/
Fractured Atlas: https://www.fracturedatlas.org/
Freelancer Union: https://www.freelancersunion.org/
HowlRound: https://howlround.com/
Sundance Collab: https://collab.sundance.org/
“Know Your Rights” Tools
VLA with Arts & Business Council Greater Boston: https://artsandbusinesscouncil.org/
Free Will: https://www.freewill.com/
MA Bail Fund: https://www.massbailfund.org/
The World’s First Robot Lawyer: https://donotpay.com/
Councils for Creators: https://counselforcreators.com/
Financial Counselors and Coaches: https://www.afcpe.org/covid19/afcpe-response-spread-the-word/
Mutual Aid Networks in Greater Boston
Boston Helps: https://is.gd/8qZM2c
Database of Localized Resources During COVID-19 Outbreak: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1HEdNpLB5p-sieHVK-CtS8_N7SIUhlMpY6q1e8Je0ToY/htmlview?urp=gmail_link
Mutual Aid Hub: https://www.mutualaidhub.org/
FindHelp.org: https://findhelp.org/
International
Build Up: https://howtobuildup.org/
curious pattern newsletter: https://curiouspatterns.substack.com/
Internet Freedom Festival: https://www.internetfreedomfestival.org/
International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies: https://ifacca.org/
Mekong Cultural Hub: https://www.mekongculturalhub.org/
Museum Detox: https://www.museumdetox.org/
On the Move: https://on-the-move.org/
TransCultural Exchange: https://transculturalexchange.org/
Crowdsourcing
PATREON - Build direct relationships with your most engaged fans. You offer them benefits like exclusive content, community, or insight into your creative process in exchange for a monthly subscription.
Ko-Fi + Buy Me A Coffee - Fund Your Passions. The friendly and free way for fans to support your work for the price of a coffee. Get paid directly with 0% fees from Ko-fi.
Ioby - Wherever you are in the United States, when you crowdfund for a project that responds to COVID-19 in your community we'll double your donations dollar-for-dollar up to $8,000. From sewing masks, to immigrant relief funds, to online get-togethers, etc.
YouTube & other live streams using Venmo, Cash App, PayPal
Some $aving Tips
Never pay full price! Use coupons (Rakuten, Dosh, Honey, Groupon, etc.)
Consider negotiating and ask for a discount (students, artists, etc.)
The best way to support local is by buying local! Nothing for Sale Movement (Freecycle, local neighborhood groups, NextDoor)
Free tools: Wave (invoicing) and MailChimp (newsletter up to 500 contacts)
Free Money free management sites (Mint, CreditKarma)
Other educational resource (Brunch & Budget, The Hell Yeah Group, HerMoney podcast, Bad with Money podcast, XY Planning Network)