From the closed museums, galleries, and art fairs, to the postponed or canceled industry events, there’s no question that the coronavirus has had a devastating impact on artists from all around the world. The NC Artist Relief Fund is one organization that aims to lessen the financial burden that many artists bear in this time of chaos.

Enloe sophomore Ellen Zeng started a fundraiser to donate to this local organization. She established the North Carolina chapter of United Under Arts, an international, student-led organization that’s dedicated to helping people through community art projects, shortly after quarantine began and set up the fundraiser soon after.

“There aren’t many art organizations that bring together students from different schools,” Zeng says. “United Under Arts gave us the opportunity to change that.”

So far, the NC UUA chapter has donated $1,016 to the NC Artist Relief Fund, surpassing their $1,000 goal, by selling artwork and participating in events such as VAE Raleigh’s Toilet Paper Art Auction. 

“Even if you’re not an artist yourself, you can still contribute by donating or commissioning art. If you want to get even more involved, we have community improvement efforts not related to art that you can participate in, such as tutoring for underprivileged students,” Zeng says. You can buy art through the organization’s Instagram, and DM them if you are interested in joining.

“Being in charge of this chapter has made me see how huge the local art community is. UUA gives us a way to all connect with one other through the thing we love.”

In the future, Zeng hopes to work on more collaborative projects, such as ones that bring together different art fields or schools. For now, be sure to watch their rendition of We Are The World, a musical collaboration dedicated to healthcare workers, on their Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube channel.