Making Mask - Saving Communities

When the covid-19 pandemic began, people rushed to stores and began to buy toilet paper, hand sanitizer, cleansing wipes, and personal protective equipment (PPE) in bulk, fearing a complete shutdown. At the beginning of the pandemic, PPE was not widely available to the public, so the World Health Organization, also known as WHO, stated that only people who are sick should wear masks. The WHO said for two reasons. First, surgical masks are not shown to benefit the wearer, but instead protect those around the wearer. With limited knowledge of how the virus spread, it did not make sense for healthy people to wear masks. Additionally, gloves and surgical masks were among the products flying off the shelves. This left little to no equipment for healthcare workers, who needed them the most. Nonetheless, people continued to purchase absurd amounts of these products, causing a PPE crisis in the United States.  

By April 2020, it had become clear that not every person with the novel coronavirus had symptoms. Since there is no way of knowing who is sick, the World Health Organization took back their previous statement, and decided that everyone should wear a mask. When a full shutdown and social distancing are not possible, masks can protect others from contracting the virus. However, when this announcement was first made PPE was still hard to come by. Who stepped in to save the day? Artists!!

When the World Health Organization decided that everyone should wear a mask, cloth masks were not being produced that way they are today. In order to try and meet the demands of the public, many artists got creative, and began to make an abundance of masks for the public. While some people immediately got to work sewing, others created videos showing people how to make masks out of common items such as bandanas. Without the help of local artists across the country, it would have taken a lot longer to have widespread mask usage. 
 

Why Artists Need Us?

Many independent artists have been very successful on their own, but it isn't as easy as it may seem. Most artists need a small push at some point in their careers, especially in the beginning, as starting a small business is no easy feat. Obtaining a bank loan is often very difficult,
as banks can be hesitant to invest in businesses they do not deem profitable. However, artists need a jumpstart just like anybody else.

While it might appear that artists are in high demand with the pandemic, the reality is that many of the people making masks are actually donating their time and materials. In fact, the Covid-19 pandemic has created many difficulties for artists. In late March, the United States shut down. The only businesses open were those deemed 'essential'. Unfortunately, artists are not considered 'essential'. To make matters worse, since many artists are their own employers, obtaining unemployment assistance was even more difficult. While chain stores such as Hobby Lobby were able to recover from the shut down, small businesses and independent artists were hit hard. 

Nonprofit Organizations for Independent Artists

Our mission is to build recognition and support for the extraordinary and dynamic value of the arts and to lead, serve, and advance the diverse networks of organizations and individuals who cultivate the arts in America.