New York, NY (Top40 Charts / Trivia Relief) Trivia Relief, a pop-up charity project created in response to COVID-19, announced today the launch of a campaign to raise funds to aid the artistic community, which has been devastated by the shutdowns and other disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The creation of Wim Vanderhoof, a Texan expat living in London, Trivia Relief will provide funds to established cultural institutions and, through them, to individual artists whose wellbeing and livelihood are imperiled by COVID-19. The project's innovative structure amplifies the impact of a single donation across the creative community.
Major beneficiaries include Artist Relief, the Authors League Fund, Jazz Foundation of
America and The Actors Fund. A portion of disbursements is targeted to support cultural organizations in areas especially hard hit by COVID-19 and that play an important role in fostering cultural dialogue. These beneficiaries include Baryshnikov Arts Center, Dance/NYC,
Music Maker Relief Foundation,
Poets House and Words Without Borders.
The centerpiece of the Trivia Relief campaign is a book, Philomath: Challenging Trivia for Challenging Times, written by Vanderhoof. A celebration of American - and world - culture, Philomath offers more than 3,000 trivia questions spanning the gamut from Aristotle to
Robin Williams, with in-depth coverage of subjects including literature, visual and performing arts, music, history, geography and the sciences. Providing an entertaining blend of intellectual exploration and brain training, Philomath is the perfect antidote to social isolation and lockdowns. Vanderhoof describes the book as "the literary love child of Ken Jennings and
Maria Popova."
Philomath is available for free download on the Trivia Relief website, and readers are encouraged to share it with friends. If they enjoy the book, recipients are asked to make a voluntary donation to the project or direct to beneficiary organizations. Contributions are fully tax-deductible and all proceeds go to established non-profit organizations.
Trivia Relief's grassroots outreach campaign will enable beneficiaries to access a vastly-expanded universe of potential donors. Lee Briccetti of
Poets House commented, "The extraordinary goodwill of those who believe in the importance of the arts, spurred on by creative fundraising endeavors like Trivia Relief, is what keeps artists and arts organizations afloat in these times. We are pleased to be part of this project that invites people from all walks of life to give what they can - joining together to help build a vital lifeline to the arts community."
About Trivia Relief: Trivia Relief is a pop-up charity conceived in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. Its aims are to provide entertainment and diversion in a troubling time, while celebrating and supporting the many creative institutions and individuals currently facing hardship. Trivia Relief is a fiscally sponsored project of Social Good Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. To learn more and support the cause, visit www.triviarelief.org.
