To encourage self-isolation and reward creativity, last month we hosted a Shelter in Place Art Jam! In total there were 205 entries. @IvanAlmighty, @PhantomArcade, @Spazkid, @JohnnyUtah and myself have now selected our favorites and decided the winners:
1st - 5th: $50 Each
The Luis Award:
Luis is being awarded his own category with a Starr Restaurant Gift Card. The Starr Restaurant group in Philadelphia is having a buy one get one free deal for gift cards so I’ve bought one and will give Luis the bonus card. When the restaurants reopen we’ll grab dinner and drinks, or just a lot of drinks. If you have favorite restaurants in your area, check to see if they are selling gift cards during the downtime!
Runners-up:
Thank you everyone who participated in the jam! It was a lot of fun seeing how each of you interpreted your home / workspace.
Speaking of home workspaces...
Covid-19 Relief Information
@pftq sent me some info that may be useful for self employed artists who have been impacted by the coronavirus shutdown.
The Covid-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan is a $10k forgivable loan, meaning under certain conditions you don’t need to pay it back:
- Paid sick leave to employees unable to work due to the direct effect of COVID-19.
- Maintain payroll
- Increased costs due to supply chain disruption
- Rent or mortgage payments
- Repaying obligations that cannot be met due to revenue loss
The Paycheck Protection Program is a potentially larger forgivable loan, for up to two months of your average monthly payroll costs from the last year plus an additional 25% of that amount. You will owe money when your loan is due if you use the loan amount for anything other than payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent, and utilities payments over the 8 weeks after getting the loan.
Definition of payroll costs include:
- Salary, wages, commission (not to exceed $100,000)
- Cash tips or equivalent
- Vacation, parental, family, medical or sick leave
- Severance or separation pay and any retirement benefit
- Group health care benefit pay including insurance premiums
- State and local tax on the compensation of employees
More information for self employed individuals can be found here.
I also included some less mainstream food delivery options in yesterday’s post, if you’re having a hard time getting groceries delivered.
Smiling Friends
This week Adult Swim ran a pilot for @psychicpebbles and @MichaelCusack’s show, Smiling Friends! @RomeoJR and myself had voice cameos and @Oney did some music and animation.
Animation production was by Yotta, an animation studio started by @jakeganz and @TomaMoto that includes lots of animators from NG, like assistant director @jaxxy, @PaperbagAnimator and @Gregzilla. Background artists included @zeedox and @BLITZWUFF. @IvanAlmighty and @RWappin did assist animation, too!
Don't hesitate to PM me if you've been left out on that list and want to get plugged in.
People are already making lots of Smiling Friends fan art, it would be exhilarating to see it get picked up as a series!
