Disclaimer: As the threat of COVID-19 spreads across the globe, this blog strives to provide high-quality, freely-available, up-to-date, accurate, and verified information for self-described nomadic freelance creatives around the world. However, both of our writers have been reassigned to the U.S. since the end of 2018 due to increasing instability in East Asia as a result of international political tensions. Therefore, the majority of our resources are U.S.-centered, unless we can gather information from other countries. Please help us by participating in the conversation via the comment section of this post. We’d love to know what’s going on in your city and which resources are available for you.
Last updated April 17, 2020
Millions of people around the world have lost their incomes due to the coronavirus pandemic. With governments incredibly slow to act, more people will be scrambling for easy-to-obtain, temporary or gig work simply because that’s what’s available right now. Though freelance creative professionals are no stranger to potential employers low-balling us, it’s pretty much inevitable that they’ll increasingly take advantage of mass desperation by offering insultingly low wages for skilled freelance work. For example, the other day I was offered $10 to write three product description articles in the medical cannabis niche. We all know they’re making a lot more than that off of a single purchase. Basically, they’d have used my content to make continuous profits while denying me a chance at my fair share in lieu of adequate compensation. A less experienced or more desperate writer might have fallen for it, unfortunately. These are the times we live in.
No matter what stage you’re at in your creative career, I hope this list will prove valuable to you as a traveler and/or freelancer. Stay tuned for periodic updates.
Essential Industries
During a pandemic, central governments will attempt to avert the crisis by temporarily suspending all business activities that are deemed non-essential. On March 19, 2020 the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a memorandum to specify the scope of essential services. This includes:
- Staffing operation centers
- Utility services such as waste management, water, gas, and electricity
- Essential Construction
- Grocery stores
- Medical/Healthcare
- Telecommunications (including call centers)
- Agriculture
- Transportation & Logistics (Limited public transportation available in many regions)
- Defense & Law Enforcement
- Public Works
Non-essential workers have been asked to work from home, but not everyone can. People who were chefs, entertainers, and bartenders for example, now have to quickly figure out what else they can do to pay their bills. While this is worrying for a variety of reasons, with the right strategy, resources, and community support, you can protect and grow your freelance career even in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
Additional Support for Gig Workers & Skilled Freelancers
With millions of Americans relying on the gig economy to pay their bills, protections for freelancers have never been greater.
General Unemployment Resources
Coronavirus 2020 Unemployment Benefits
FEMA Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Relief Funds for Entrepreneurs
SheaMoisture’s $1M Fund for WOC
Relief Funds for Professional Working Creatives
Disabled Creator and Activist Pandemic Relief Fund
Coronavirus 2020 Artist Relief Funds (Google Spreadsheet)
Freelance Co-op COVID-19 Emergency Fund
Writers
Social Media: Reddit
r/hireawriter
r/writing
r/writers
r/freelancewriters
r/writingprompts
r/writingcirclejerk (if you need a laugh)
Social Media: Twitter
#WritingCommunity
Visual Artists
Anonymous Was a Woman (Woman-Identifying Artists Only)
Musicians
Online Conversations for Professionals
If you have any resources to share, especially international ones, please list them in the comments. My team and I will keep adding whatever we find to this list. Good luck out there!
World Class Adventurer 
Don’t think of yourself! !
No one knows that the virus, starting from a small one, has grown to take lives around the world in just three months, but when will this virus disappear? When will the situation in this world calm down? I guess everyone is sending every day worried about the fear they cannot see. Also, some people may not be thinking anything.
I want one person to think in this post. This virus kills people. As you may know in the news, some of the coronavirus deaths are 12, 16, and 21 years old, even those who lived well without any illness, even young people with immunity are completely cured Without killing life. Don’t think of each other. I am neither a healthcare professional nor a WHO professional, just afraid of this situation and have no authority. Then you may wonder what you can do.
Then I answer: Preventing small infections also protects yourself and protects others. And others may be your precious family, friends, and lovers.
Today, the book says in the news every day to avoid spreading out at night and avoid clubs, bars, cabaret clubs, parties, etc. to prevent spread. Can you afford that much before the deaths increase? Is business the most important thing right now? For example, what if the profits you lost after shutting down the business for two weeks bought the lives of your family and loved ones?
What is the government waiting for?
Do you lock down if half of the country dies?
I feel even angry, but people who go out because they are bored at home, people who think that corona will not move to themselves, people who do move will think that they will think again at that time People, that idea can end up losing your important person. The person in front of you will die in your careless actions?
Make a video call if you want to go out and meet someone.
And let me just say this.
No matter how much the common people, preventive activities or self-control, how are the talents in the entertainment world doing? Shoot in the studio, have a birthday party in the family, comment on the news as a commentator, and if Ken Shimura dies, if you answer in an interview that you are truly sad, you will die because you are out It’s just as good. Please be aware. Don’t get out of the house. Can low-class and middle-class citizens help if infected?
Can you help me if my life gets harder?
If no one can take responsibility, change your behavior.
Do the best you can to prevent more deaths. . . I think 100 lives can be saved if a little consciousness works together, and I strongly hope.
I have talked about my thoughts for a long time, but please share with those who can sympathize a little.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. I agree. We all need to help each other and work together now.
LikeLike