We’re super excited to talk about the first batch of Creators Fund grant recipients. They’re gonna do some great things for the world, and we’re excited to help them out a little bit.
We had 358 creators apply for this first batch, and picked eight to give a total of $9,550. You can apply to the Creators Fund here and follow us on Twitter for future updates.
Without further ado, they are…
I’m a girl from the very tip of Africa (Cape Town, South Africa), creating content that educates thousands of adults from all around the world as they learn to play the harp as adults. So many people have dreamed their whole lives of playing the harp (see more about why below), but without a harp teacher nearby, they would remain isolated, in the dark, and lacking the resources they need to pursue their dream of sharing music that makes a difference in the world. Enter the internet and my YouTube channel! They are able to access the content they need and to receive the support, encouragement and learning they need to play the harp.
My name is Tim Cigelske and I’m a writer. With Gumroad chipping in, I’m able to hire a copy editor for my book, The Creative Journey. I’m really excited about taking my next steps in the writing process!
My name is Christina Weese and I am doing a year-long art documentary on Instagram. With Gumroad chipping in, I’m going to the local Women’s Entrepreneurs annual conference. The topic this year is social media. I’m really excited about having funding to take two more people to the conference; I’m looking for local Indigenous/First Nations women artists who could benefit from more exposure. We have some amazing artists around here whose work deserves to be more widely known.
My name is Leo Schwartz and I’m a journalist. With Gumroad chipping in, I’ll be able to travel to Mexico City and report on the revolutionary presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
My name is Tsvetelina Valkanova, I’m going to do small stylized library of Substance Designer textures. With the awesome help and contribution of Gumroad, all of it will be totally free to download and use for anyone! Stay tuned! :)
My name is Justin Martin and I make pose reference that helps artists grasp the human form. With Gumroad chipping-in, we can develop teaching materials for art educators, with the intent to provide them to teachers at cost. We believe in “radical sharing” and all our poses are currently free to use.
I’m the editor-in-chief behind ArabLit (www.arablit.org) and ArabLit Quarterly. With Gumroad chipping in, we’re able to include even more award-winning authors and translators in our second issue. The design for the forthcoming issue is currently being finalized by Hassân Almohtasib and we’re excited to have it there for #GumroadDay.
My team and I create the Goodnewspaper — a print newspaper that celebrates the people, ideas, and movements shaping the world for the better. We have subscribers in all 50 states as well as more than a dozen countries and reach more than 11,000 people with each issue. Inside of each issue, we have a beautifully designed centerfold poster with a quote from someone who does good in the world. We commission guest artists for each issue, but because we’re still a really small publication, we aren’t always able to pay top dollar for each commission. We’d like to ensure that we’re highlighting the beautiful work of people from marginalized communities — and most of all, paying them well.