Artists in the Time of Coronavirus

Many artists pursue their career through a combination of freelance jobs, independent contractor assignments and gig work. They are especially hard-hit by the shutdown of the arts as they have lost essential income from commissions and jobs they worked hard to line up. Federal and state emergency relief now includes assistance for freelance workers, independent contractors, and gig workers. Learn how you can survive these challenging times and access the federal and state relief recently passed.

Discussion topics will include:

sources include the current moratorium on evictions
options with mortgages and other loans
the special unemployment compensation emergency paid leave programs
issues related to health insurance

While the focus on this webinar will be on the relief available for artists who are not regularly employed, we will also take questions on other employment-related questions that you may have.

Zoom access will be provided upon registration. For security purposes, please do not share any Zoom links. Thank you!

About the Presenters:

Larry Castner – Moderator
Larry currently serves as the Manager of Skilled Volunteer Services for the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. In this role, Larry manages both the Business Volunteers for the Arts and the Volunteer Lawyer for the Arts programs, helping artists and arts groups to find help from skill-based volunteers to solve their business and legal issues. He has a track record of executing complex projects through mobilizing cross-functional teams, clarifying issues, and advocating solutions.

Larry got involved in the nonprofit sector following his retirement from Alcoa after almost 30 years. He began his career at Alcoa in the Legal Department where he provided legal advice to several business units and served as lead attorney on many acquisition, divestiture and joint venture projects. He was posted overseas to Alcoa of Australia as its General Counsel. After returning to the U.S. and locating in Sewickley, Larry ultimately moved into the Business Development Group at Alcoa for his final five years, including time spent as the head of Alcoa’s Business Development Group in Beijing.

In addition to his work with the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, Larry is an active volunteer in the nonprofit sector, including volunteering with the Executive Service Corps and with the BoardsWork! Programs at the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management where he leverages his legal, business development and strategic planning expertise from his for-profit career to help nonprofits. Larry recently finished 9 years of service on the Board of Directors of the Sewickley Public Library, including serving as the Board President from 2015 through 2018. Larry is an active volunteer at his church in Sewickley and with the Montour Trail. Larry is a volunteer trip leader with Venture Outdoors and a member of their Trip Leader Council.

Larry has a BA from Dickinson College and his JD from the Dickinson School of Law.

Larry Silverman – Panelist
Larry Silverman is a volunteer with the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts and has his own private law practice representing individuals, small businesses and nonprofits. With a focus on clients in the sports, arts and entertainment industry. His practice areas include contracts and other transactions, employment law counseling. IP counseling and digital, marketing and advertising law issues. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law where he teaches “The Law of Professional Sports” and co-teaches a course entitled, “Law, Entertainment and Social Enterprises”.

From February 2002 to November 2011, he was Senior Vice President General Counsel for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In that capacity, he had responsibility for all legal matters for the Pirates as well as for Pirates Charities, the Club’s charitable foundation. Prior to joining the Pirates, Larry was a Shareholder at Dickie, McCamey, Chilcote where he handled commercial litigation matters and chaired the Firm’s Appellate Practice Group.