Hello Arts Education Network members,

In an effort to help our members stay updated on the latest information and revitalize engagement on our listserv, I will be forwarding on various weekly updates from Americans for the Arts. You will be seeing updates related to cultural equity, coronavirus-related news, and general news roundups each week.

You are also welcome to share questions, news, and updates via this listserv as part of your member benefits. Please note that messages may be moderated. Please visit our listserv page if you’d like to subscribe or unsubscribe to this or other Americans for the Arts listservs.

All the best,

Kelly

Kelly Fey Bolender

Arts Education Program Manager

Americans for the Arts

kbolender@artsusa.org

202.371.2830 x2041

From: Jerelle Jenkins <jejenkins@artsusa.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2020 2:37 PM
To: AFTA-Site-All
Subject: October 27, Coronavirus (COVID-19) News Update

Greetings,

Here’s the latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) news…

A reminder that we are circulating this news digest weekly on Tuesday. We are continuing to update the Resource Center on a regular basis. If you see interesting or helpful items or have a resource to share, please email me at jejenkins@artsusa.org.

We invite you to share this news roundup with your networks and colleagues.

AFTA NEWS/UPDATES

• #artcreateshope. Tell us how the arts create hope for you! Share your story on social media of the arts creating hope in your life. Don't forget to tag @americans4arts and include #ArtsCreateHope in your posts. Need a little inspiration? Use our sample language and download images to get your social post started.
• COVID-19’s Impact on The Arts Research Update: October 26, 2020 The coronavirus has had a devastating impact on America’s arts sector. Since the first U.S. case was reported on January 20, 2020 cancellations and closings are taking place at thousands of arts organizations across the country, and two-thirds of the nation’s artists are now unemployed. Americans for the Arts leads the three premier national studies tracking the human and financial impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on the arts.
• To Rebuild and Reimagine the United States Post-Pandemic, We Must Put Creative Workers to Work,” a policy proposal developed with over 100 partners throughout the creative community to Put Creative Workers to Work in the national recovery—activating the creative economy and drawing upon the creative energies of the country’s 5.1 million creative workers to energize Americans, reimagine how communities can thrive, and improve the lives of all. Click here to view the full proposal, and follow the endorsement link at the top to submit your endorsement. You can sign on as either an individual or as an authorized representative for an organization.
• OFFICE HOURS! Extended through the end of this year on Fridays (excluding holidays) from 11:00a to 12:00p EDT. Join Nina Ozlu Tunceli with the Americans for the Arts Action Fund to get answers to your most pressing questions about navigating the CARES Act relief programs. Check the link for any additional dates or occasional blackout dates. 
• CARES Act Table of Federal Arts Funding Opportunities – This helpful table breaks down the CARES Act so you can determine which funding opportunities apply to you, whether you represent a nonprofit organization, a governmental agency, a commercial arts company, a self-employed gig worker, or just a taxpayer. The table is regularly updated and links to helpful FAQs are listed on the last page.
• Book Nina for your next local, state, or national webinar related to CARES Act funding for the arts and/or ArtsVote 2020 legislative and political activities. Free for members.
• Please complete our revised COVID-19 survey for organizations. It still collects the critical up-to-date estimates that we need for our collective advocacy efforts. However, we’ve removed less relevant questions and added short sections on re-opening plans and the impact of the racial equity movement. You can keep up with the survey results by visiting the project dashboard as well as by downloading a handy 1-page summary of all our COVID-19 impact research. Link to Revised Survey: https://surveys.americansforthearts.org/s3/CoronavirusImpactSurvey
• Sample plans for reopening: AFTA is collecting and sharing reopening plans. Some communities are closer than others to restarting businesses and allowing the public back into museums and cultural sites. As we receive examples of plans to reopen (please send them to services@artsusa.org), we will be sharing them on the resource center.

FIELD PROGRAMMING

(We will feature new offerings here – free to low-cost opportunities. Previous listings have been moved down to below the signature)

• Nov. 10, 11:30a ET: Accessibility and Inclusion in the Virtual Space: How Cultural Organizations can Adapt and Connect

Join us on Tuesday, November 10th, 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM for a virtual presentation and discussion on best practices and techniques to increase access and inclusion for audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities will present tips, technical guidance, and resources for inclusive practices. A moderated panel featuring members of the NYC cultural community will explore opportunities, challenges, and lessons learned regarding the critical goal of inclusion in the digital space that we rely upon more and more during this time. Attendees will have an opportunity to pose questions for the panelists.

• On Demand: NACo Federal Policy Summit: COVID-19 Spotlight

During the NACo Virtual Federal Policy Summit, county officials, members of Congress, federal decision makers and thought leaders focused on coronavirus response efforts, and the effect of the pandemic on the wide range of key county services we deliver for our residents. 

FIELD NEWS

• Hyperallergic: Arts Administrators Met with New York Lawmakers About Much-Needed Pandemic Funding
• NBC Washington: Artist’s Exhibit at RFK Stadium to Honor Lives Lost to COVID-19

MUSEUMS/GALLERIES

• American Alliance of Museums: Downsizing Our Museum in the Face of a Pandemic
• Los Angeles Times: Are arts museums still racist? The COVID reset
• American Alliance of Museums: Europe’s Museums Are Open, but the Public Isn’t Coming

THEATRE & DANCE

• The Charlotte Observer: Actor’s Theatre migrates from on stage to online during COVID-19 ‘hibernation’
• Pointe: Richmond Ballet is Back Onstage. Here’s How the Company Is Making it Work
• Newark Advocate: Licking County entertainment industry looks to community to help them survive pandemic
• Hyperallergic: Carrie Mae Weems Takes Over Lincoln Center to Highlight COVID-19 Impact on Communities of Color

RELIEF FUNDS

• The Garden Island: Honolulu offers $10M in culture and arts virus relief grants
• Daily Memphian: Tri-Star Arts to award emergency artist grants

GENERAL NEWS

• TIME: Is There Any Safe Way to Socialize Inside This Winter?
• Inside Hook: The Pandemic-Inspired Reinvention of One of DC’s Most Beloved Bookshops
• IssueLab.Org: Philanthropy and COVID-19 in the first half of 2020

EQUITY/MENTAL HEALTH

• Medical Xpress: Why COVID mental health measures must target disadvantaged areas
• Collegiate Times: Students and counselors adapt to changes in mental health services during COVID-19
• Fast Company: How to build more equitable public space after COVID-19

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

• Candid Learning: Self-care tips for nonprofit leaders during a pandemic
• ARTnews: The Surprising Power of Color to Ease Quarantine Anxiety
• The Optimist Daily: 6 tips to keep your houseplants thriving during the colder months

Thanks for reading. We hope you find this news digest to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at services@artsusa.org. If you were forwarded this and want to sign up for the Local Arts Network listserv to receive it directly, click here.

____________________

Jerelle Jenkins

Local Arts Services Coordinator

Americans for the Arts

FIELD PROGRAMMING

• Oct. 29, 2:00p ET: How to Revive Your Donor Relationships: 12 Tactics in 36 Minutes

In the harsh reality of disruption and uncertainty, this webinar shares practical ways to connect with, inspire confidence, and re-energize your organization’s donors and supporters. Your success depends on more than emotive emails and personal phone calls. This session delivers essential instruction for re-animating the core purposefulness essential to sustaining donor engagement. (Plenty of additional time for Q&A.)

• Nov. 10, 3:30p ET: Before You Close: Strategies for Alternative Pathways Forward

The estimated total impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the arts sector stands at $13.1 billion and growing, with layoffs, furloughs, and canceled performances setting the stage for long-term financial impacts. At the same time, the value of the arts has never been greater as we watch creative organizations respond to very real social challenges, raising community conversations and spirits. This webinar speaks to organizations who are facing financial and operational hardships right now and offers specific solutions to consider, instead of closing their doors completely.