The online portfolio builder Format has recently announced a $25,000 fund to help photographers impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, offering up to $500 per person in the hopes that this will help independent self-employed photographers stay on their feet.
The coronavirus outbreak has affected almost all forms of business, and photographers are no different. If you're a self-employed photographer then the last couple of months will have likely been particularly worrying for you. With social distancing rules in effect in many countries across the world, photoshoots are unfortunately pretty low on the list of most people's priorities.
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Many governments across the world are offering financial assistance to help those financially affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, but unfortunately not all photographers will qualify.
If you're a self-employed photographer who's found themselves in this situation, then you might want to check out Format's Photographer Fund. While the fund will only pay out up to $500 per individual, some might find that this is the injection of cash they need to keep afloat.
Format says: "These past few weeks have been full of uncertainties, and it has become apparent that the world will continue to be full of challenges and ambiguity for the foreseeable future. Not only is the COVID-19 outbreak taking a toll on many people’s physical and mental health, it is also having an unprecedented impact on the global economy. This economic upheaval is felt strongly in the photography community—especially by freelance and independent photographers.
At Format two of our core values are Care and Impact, alongside our mission to help photographers seamlessly run and grow their business. Now, we have an opportunity to live those values and support photographers who may be facing financial difficulties with the Photographer Fund. If you’re a photographer facing financial difficulties, this fund is for you. We know $25,000 is just a start, but we want to help as many photographers as possible.
The news and impact of COVID-19 is changing daily, but we firmly believe that by supporting our community and caring for each other we can get through this together."
If you're interested in applying for the fund, you can do so at Format's website.
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