SFEMS will receive a $24,000 Arts Organization Continuity Grant from the City of Berkeley to help the organization weather the cancellation of the Berkeley Festival & Exhibition (BFX) and its in-person summer workshops.
“We are grateful to the City of Berkeley for its recognition of BFX and the summer workshops as a vital part of the cultural fabric of the city,” said SFEMS Executive Director Derek Tam. “This will help as immensely both in our day-to-day operations, as well as our efforts to pay outstanding bills and honoraria to our wonderful artists and faculty.”
SFEMS President Joyce Johnson Hamilton added, “We appreciate that through the granting of these funds, the City of Berkeley is acknowledging the valuable contribution SFEMS makes to the cultural life of our community, and wishes to sustain our efforts as a portal for all early music activities in the Bay Area.”
These funds are part of $1.7 million that the City of Berkeley will distribute to 352 businesses and 47 arts organizations as part of its pandemic relief efforts. In mid-March, the Berkeley City Council had voted unanimously to donate $3 million to the Berkeley Relief Fund, consisting of $1 million each to small business, arts organizations, and tenants.
