GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist/composer
Arturo O'Farrill and nonprofit the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance (ALJA) announce they have reached their crowd-funding goal of $100,000 raised through the ALJA Emergency Artist Fund (GoFundMe) and "Giving Tuesday" initiative to help New York/New Jersey-based jazz musicians during the COVID-19 global pandemic. New York City's community of independent musicians have faced extreme economic challenges since March 2020. ALJA's efforts to raise funds through generous donations from the community at large hits a milestone of $100,000 going directly to artists through individual grants and fees for performance and teaching.
The ALJA Emergency Artist Fund provides immediate assistance to musicians and other performing and teaching artists who are the recipients of over 200 individual grants. The on-going work of artists will continue to be funded into 2021 to recognize their tireless work presenting master classes for youth and adults, online classes for NY Public School partners, and in-person classes for the Fat Afro Latin Jazz Cats (with strict public health protocols in partnership with Shape Shifter Lab in Brooklyn, NY). The ALJA Emergency Artist Fund is open to artists in New York and New Jersey, prioritizing the Afro Latin and Latin jazz musical communities. To donate to the ALJA Emergency Artist Fund, please visit: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/alja-emergency-artist-fund and https://afrolatinjazz.org.