“An Afternoon with Berkeley Symphony” premiered on Sunday, May 24 at 3PM PDT as part of a special online event presented by and in support of the Berkeley Relief Fund: an emergency relief fund that benefits small businesses, nonprofit arts organizations, and residential tenants in Berkeley that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tuning in from his home in Baltimore, Maestro Joseph Young will present an afternoon of musical highlights including solo performances, interviews with Berkeley Symphony musicians, and never-before-seen footage from his debut performance as Music Director of Berkeley Symphony.
The recording of the event can be viewed via the Berkeley Relief Fund and accessed by clicking the button below.
Under Mayor Jesse Arreguín’s leadership on March 17, 2020 the Berkeley City Council approved up to $3 million in emergency relief grants for small businesses, nonprofit arts organizations and worker rent support, that will hopefully be matched by the community at large.
In anticipating this historic measure, the Mayor’s office reached out to civic leaders to help set up this community-based relief fund. The committee includes representatives from The Mayor’s office, Berkeley Community Media, Berkeleyside, Berkeley Chamber, Berkeley Merchants United, Visit Berkeley, Downtown Berkeley Association, Telegraph Business Improvement District, Freight and Salvage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, The David Brower Center, Berkeley Public Schools Fund, Berkeley Property Owners Association, UC Berkeley, and many others.
The committee is working only on the fundraising part of the BRF program. The City of Berkeley will administer grant guidelines and requirements, and application and grant making process.
The East Bay Community Foundation has generously stepped forward to be the fiscal agent for the City in collecting donations and forwarding them to the City, where they will be maintained in a partitioned dedicated fund, to only be used for grants to small businesses and arts nonprofits, and worker’s rent support.
Click here to learn more and make a tax-deductible donation.