TO RHODE ISLAND GOVERNOR GINA RAIMONDO,
RHODE ISLAND SENATE,
RHODE ISLAND HOUSE,
AND ALL RHODE ISLAND TOWN AND CITY GOVERNMENTS:

We thank you for your participation in efforts to bring relief to Rhode Island workers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. While all workers are suffering right now, musicians, artists, touring workers, and other gig economy workers have been particularly hurt, because we are historically ineligible for unemployment, paid sick leave, or other benefits.

We applaud the US government on passing a relief package that expands unemployment and other assistance to self-employed and gig economy workers. We now ask that Rhode Island’s state and city governments do all in your power to ensure those federal funds are distributed as quickly and widely as possible. We also ask for additional state-level relief, as the federal package does not go far enough to aiding all workers in this difficult time.

We specifically ask for your support on the following:

1. Ensure that all federal funds coming to Rhode Island to implement extensions of unemployment and other benefits to self-employed people are distributed immediately and without undue burden on applicants. All income--including 1099 income, cash payments, anticipated future income, etc.--should be eligible to declare for benefits. All self-employed, contract, freelance, and other gig workers must be eligible with a minimal bar for qualification.

2. Create and implement an emergency Statewide Artist Relief Fund, providing immediate need-based grants to artists and musicians

3. Ensure that the Rhode Island Small Business Association disaster relief plan includes all gig economy workers in its loan program.

4. Ensure that the relief coming from points 1-3 above include all gig economy, freelance, and contract workers, including undocumented workers. No social security number should be required to apply.

5. Make all application forms available in all needed languages, and have translators available for guidance throughout the process.

6. Declare a rent and mortgage suspension for all Rhode Islanders for the duration of the crisis. If artists cannot work, we cannot pay rent. If venues, museums, and galleries cannot open, they cannot pay rent.

National organizations representing arts workers are currently calling for similar measures, including  IATSE, SAG-AFTRA, and Musicians United for Unemployment Benefits.

Musicians make the majority of their money by performing and touring, especially in the age of streaming services, which have significantly reduced recording income. Coronavirus  has canceled all performances, and so musicians have instantly witnessed all their income vanish. Similarly, visual artists make the majority of their money through exhibitions, sales, teaching, and residencies, all of which have been disrupted by COVID-19. It could be months or longer before life returns to normal in the US, and even longer before we can host concerts, exhibits, and classes. Musicians and artists need immediate relief now, both from the federal package and state relief efforts.
 
Beyond the arts sector, a large and ever-growing segment of the US economy has recently shifted to gig economy work. This includes rideshare drivers, journalists, teachers, delivery drivers, tech workers, and more. Yet these workers are largely ineligible for any relief under our current benefits system. We should have long ago updated our system to serve our changing economy, but the current crisis makes it absolutely essential that we do so right now. We must implement the expansion of benefits rapidly and effectively.

Artists and musicians contribute enormously to the economy and soul of Rhode Island. We ask that you support the five measures listed above, and do all else in your power to ensure that all gig economy and freelance workers are able to survive the COVID crisis with dignity.

Signed by the following Rhode Island musicians, artists, writers, and bands:

Joey La Neve DeFrancesco

Tatiana Spottiswoode

Dailen Williams

Justice Gaines

J. Mamana

Walker Mettling, Providence Comics Consortium

Rachel Miller, Providence, City Council Ward 13

Julia Gualtieri

Micah E. Salkind

Asaad S. Miller

Seth Manchester & Keith Souza, Machines with Magnets Recording Studio

Eli Nixon, Ramshackle Enterprises

Roz Raskin, NOVA ONE

Muggs Fogarty

Olive B. Godlee

Jonah David

Alexis Ingram

Cathy G. Johnson

Downtown Boys

Laura Brown-Lavoie

Xander Marro

Sam McKeever-Holtzman, Baby;Baby: Explores the Reasons Why that Gum is Still on the Sidewalk

Lids Bierenday

Athena Zeros

Thomas Van Buskirk

Melissa Kievman

Tatyana-Marie Carlo

Sierra Zoll

Kara Stokowski

Joe DeGeorge

Penina Gal

J.R. Uretsky

Joshua Marcus

Orlando Hernández

Becci Davis

Octavia Chavez-Richmond

Florence Wallis

Savannah Marie Barkley

Norlan Olivo

Jazzmen Lee-Johnson

Ellen Zahniser

Raynold Jacques Bidon - Bidon Press

Rena Rong

Malachy J. Hopkins

Benjamin Lundberg Torres Sánchez

Josephine Sundari Devanbu

Linda M. Ford

Mario L Read

Richard Goulis

Mimi Chrzanowski

Leandro Castro

La Neve

Katie A. Gui

Chris Hampson

Becca Jenness

Daniel Pond

Tess Brown-Lavoie

Serena G. Lincoln

Sakiko Mori

Amato Zinno; The Z-Boys

Jesse Holstein

Armand Aromin

Benedict Gagliardi

Joan Wyand

Patrick Hutchinson

Savannah DaCruz

Bill Bartholomew

Zan Berry

Avi David

Tom Weyman, Columbus Theater

Alexis Wood, What Cheer? Brigade

Sarina Mitchel

MorganEve Swain; Brown Bird; The Huntress and Holder of Hands

Sebastian Ruth

Catia Ramos

Angelique Dina

Alec K. Redfearn; ...and the Eyesores, D.U.M.E., Shamanic

Laura Gulley

Keith Munslow

Dan Ruppel

Lorraine Guerra

Andrei Baumann

Theodore Mook

William Schaff

Chris Monti

Alejandra Lindstrom Peralta

Peter Lutz

Mr. Orange Live

Contessa Brown (Countess B.)

Robyn Thomas

Matthew Lawrence

Phoebe Neel

Ben Filchak

Jeremy Ferris

Leigh Waldron-Taylor

Kelley Parsons; Funeral Cone

Daniella Ben-Bassat

Sarah Kim

Aubrey Atwater

Atwater-Donnelly

WS Monroe

Adam Chuong

Christopher Lee

Ruth Harvey

Cory Bell

Funeral Cone

Ancient Filth

Dave “Jonesy” Mann

Rachel Blumberg

Death Vessel

Arch Cape

Maggie Papa

Pippi Zornoza

Luke Krafft

Jason Tranchida

Brian Folan

Genevieve Cross

Brady Dunklee

Teddy Trocki-Ryba

Saulo Castillo

Janay Pina

Zachary Gomes

Michelle Bazille

The.Park.Band

Jackie Davis

MJ Robinson

Emily Goldstein

Anthony Savino

Emily Dix Thomas

Carolyn Gennari

Jeremy Radtke

Lucia Carroll

Marcella Green

B. Dolan

Janaya Kizzie

Kay Belardinelli

Antonio Forte

Anzia Anderson

Erik Osheim

Phoebe Shuman-Goodier

Muffy Brandt

Johanna Walczak

What Cheer? Brigade

Neal T Walsh

Mary Lindberg

Malportado Kids

Melanie Fuest

Nicolette Russell

Simcha Davis

S. Tourjee

William Cunningham

Elizabeth Colour Wheel

Alice Jackson

Allie Trionfetti, Thot Audit

Tommy Conte, Thot Audit

Anya Talatinian

Aminata De Groot

Benjamin Potrykus

Fruiting Body

Christians & Lions

Sydonia Axis

Alice Tam

Zachary Hazen

Willa Van Nostrand

Matthew Marsico

The Place-Names

Diana Fox

Charlotte Abotsi

Mindy Stock, Virusse

Chris Anderson

Christopher Sadlers

Evan Raczynski

Lyza Baum

Hannah Zoll

Shey Rivera

David Grubba

Mark Cetilia

Laura Cetilia

Mem1

EmmaLee Holmes-Hicks

Piero Alves Guimaraes

Ash Russell

Aloe Lonely

Wolf’s Milk

Steven L Jobe, Shamanic

Penn Sultan

Museum Legs

Ian O’Neil

Steve Donovan

Gullet

Ian G Cozzens

Bob Asprinio

Jeff Toste

Micaiah Castro

Detroit Rebellion

Jack Hanlon

Nick Sadler

Daughters

Way Out

Frank Gasbarro

Tai Funmilayo Awolaju

CJ Jimenez

Steve Ahlquist

Ashley Frith
Russell Gusetti, Blackstone River Theatre
Emily Furtado
Hilary Jones
Jocelyn Foye
Steve Maciel
Jill Matuk
Flannery Brown
Forever Young
Amy Webb
Nadine Almada
George Dussault
Karon A Hartshorn
Tycho Horan
David ‘Sasquatch’ Podsnap
Ursula George
Marty RIchards
Kelly Eriksen
Sara Archambault
Philip Palombo
Matt Maggiacomo
Mimi Budnick
Bella Robinson Coyote RI
Natalia Rossi
Irene Beauregard
Beatrix Urkowitz
Towanda
Stephen Chevalier
Jori Ketten
Rose Weaver
Susan Clausen
Aaron Jaehnig
Kevin Steinhauser
Kyle Stumpe
Vivian Blush
Becky Bass
Joshua M. Gannon-Salomon
Daniel Schleifer
Sarah Samways
Scott Fowler &Southbound
Liz Isenberg
Pastiche
Karen Eliot
Hilary Treadwell
Gina Lerman
Corinne Wahlberg
Obsidian State Of Mind
Helen Duffy
Danny collum
Kevin Czap
John Donegan
Jenine Bressner
Sam D’Orazio
Emily M. Boucher
Noraa Kaplan
Belinda "B" Phivilay
IONEYE
Lilah Beezies
Kris Hansen (Viking Jesus)
Larry Mauk
Jodi Leo
Dwayne Keys
Joey DiZio
Kristen Angelos
Tyler O'Grady
Jan Schmidt
Holly Wrona
IONEYE
Kyle R. Machado
Gina Mariela Rodriguez
Zigmond Coffey
Johnny Maguire
Janet Moscarello
Laura E Travis
Grace Goodrich
Elizabeth VanHoose
Connie Crawford
Priscilla Carrion
JOANN SEDDON
Anna Cuevas
Dickie Reed
Cathy Clasper-Torch
Jordan Weinberg
Amanda Burgess
Kim Ziegelmayer
Stephen P. Lepre Jr.
Paul Hossfield
Alison DeLapp
Christopher Truszkowski
Jake Kuhn
Lauren Pearlman
The Extraordinary Rendition Band
Nina Ruelle
lilclrxxx
Selena Mars
George Terry
Brett Day Windham
Hernan Jourdan
Keyla M. Hamilton
Torrey Truszkowski
Amy Small