The COVID-19 pandemic has left many artists unemployed due to the cancellations of large gatherings for the last few months as well as the economic downturn. ArtsNow, a Summit County nonprofit that works to connect the arts and the community, is working to change this.

Grace Myers, corporate and community liaison for ArtsNow, says they are launching two virtual series to bring local talent into community members homes. 

“The idea behind this is just to like bring some joy and hope and happiness into people’s homes from our wonderful local artists, giving them an opportunity to show off their skills and to get a little money in their pockets.”

The first series, “Live from the Living Room,” features artists performing or teaching from their homes. The second, “Dreamers & Doers,” is a conversation between community arts leaders. The featured artists are getting paid with support from the Akron Community Foundation and the Knight Foundation. Contributions are also being accepted here.

To apply for a spot on “Live from the Living Room” and for more information, visit ArtsNow’s website. To view the series or see when they are streaming, visit ArtsNow’s Facebook page.