Music streaming service Spotify launched the Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief project in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region on Wednesday, in partnership with the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC).
In a press statement, Spotify said the project aims to raise funds for music artists who have been deeply impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The fund raising project will take place with the support of AFAC’s Artist Support Grant programme.
The Spotify COVID-19 Music Relief is a global project, which recommends verified organisations that offer financial relief to those in the music community most in need around the world.
Spotify will make a donation to AFAC’s Artist Support Grant programme to assist their fundraising efforts aimed at helping artists during these unprecedented times. Through the project’s page, Spotify will match donations, dollar-for-dollar up to a collective total Spotify contribution of $10m across partner organisations.
“Supporting the music artist community across the MENA region has always been at the heart of what we do at Spotify, and it is more important than ever to continue supporting and building this community to ultimately help those most in need,” said Claudius Boller, Spotify’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa.
“The majority of artists across the Arab region are already working in challenging contexts. The coronavirus crisis has mainly magnified long-standing inequalities and lack of social safety nets, and it is essential now more than ever to balance immediate actions and responses with strategic visions and goals,” said AFAC Executive Director Rima Mismar, “By offering vital grant support in a very difficult and volatile time, we hope to ease the burden of loss of livelihoods and opportunities for artists.”
