Air and The New York Community Trust present NYCdraws an awareness campaign for the NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund

Campaign features a free NYC-themed digital art club and how-to drawing videos by illustrators across the globe

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Apr 16, 2020, 09:00 ET

NEW YORK, April 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Brooklyn-based Air, a digital workspace collaboration tool for visual assets, and The New York Community Trust (The Trust), a public grantmaking foundation, announce the NYCdraws initiative to raise awareness for the The Trust NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund.

Air, in collaboration with the The Trust and beloved New York illustrators such as New Yorker Cartoonist, Liza Donnelly, and local artists like John Donohue and Jen Lewis are launching a digital art club called NYCdraws. The interactive website (NYCdraws.com) offers free virtual drawing lessons by illustrators worldwide and NYC-themed illustrations to download, print, and color.

Supporters are encouraged to give to the COVID-19 Fund directly on the The Trust website and post their NY-themed colored creations on Instagram with the #NYCdraws hashtag.

Local brand partners have also chipped in, with Pattern Brands, Candid, and Rockets of Awesome, sharing drawings on their social media accounts and distribution channels to draw attention to the critical relief efforts of The Trust.

The COVID-19 Fund donations will be used for essential healthcare, food delivery, education, and to foster a thriving NY art community post-pandemic.

Partner Illustrators worldwide are invited to submit drawings of iconic New York City symbols and short how-to-draw videos to be uploaded to the NYCdraws website. The digital coloring book submissions will coalesce in an illustrated journey of NYC.

"Our hearts are with those affected by this virus. As New Yorkers we may be in quarantine today, but we will forever be connected by our creativity and the city that we love," expressed Shane Hegde, Air CEO and Co-Founder. "Air is honored to use its software platform to draw awareness to the work of The New York Community Trust. We hope this exercise provides our community with a fun, creative activity as many sheltering-in-place amidst the pandemic."

"Arts and culture animates New York City, shapes its character, sparks its economic engine, and draws tourists. Our NYC Covid-19 Response & Impact Fund will help arts groups survive the difficult weeks ahead and reimagine how they connect with audiences," says Kerry McCarthy, Vice President of Philanthropic Initiatives at The New York Community Trust.

Since 1924, The Trust, thanks to its donors' enduring generosity, has been fortunate to support nonprofit organizations that make NYC a safe and vital place to work and live. Much like the 9/11 Fund The Trust created in partnership with The United Way, which generated a half a billion dollars to help victims, their families, and the community affected by the attacks, the COVID-19 Fund will provide immense help for the NYC community in recovering and revitalizing from the pandemic.

Illustrator submission guidelines:

Drawing to be of an iconic New York symbol in black and white or minimal colors with line work preferred. Can submit existing work or create new art for NYCdraws. Dimensions: 8.5 x 11 inches.
A brief "how-to" video under 7 minutes long. Can be a simple tutorial on how to draw anything and doesn't need to recreate submitted illustration.
Include your first and last name and how to credit your art: website link, Instagram handle, etc.
Please submit illustration and video to [email protected]
Share drawing on Instagram with the hashtag #NYCdraws and a link to NYCdraws.com to encourage contributions to the NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund.

To learn more about The New York Community Trust's efforts or to make an immediate donation to the NYC COVID-19 Response and Impact Fund, visit nycommunitytrust.org/covid19.

About Air
Air is a workplace collaboration tool for images and videos that immediately replaces cloud storage for brand-forward businesses. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in New York City, Air currently works with 100+ brands across the globe. Sign up for Air at https://air.inc/, of follow the team on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/air.hq/, Twitter https://twitter.com/airHQ, and Facebook https://facebook.com/airhq.

About The New York Community Trust
The New York Community Trust connects past, present, and future generous New Yorkers with vital nonprofits working to make a healthy, equitable, and thriving community for all. We are a public grantmaking foundation dedicated to improving the lives of residents of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island. For more information, visit us at nycommunitytrust.org.

Media Contact:
Kathy Osborne
[email protected]

SOURCE Air