Hello/Hola, here’s the latest news…

NOTE: Items marked with a * will be added to the Resource Center. If you see interesting or helpful items or have a resource to share, please email us at services@artsusa.org. We are updating the Resource Center daily, Monday through Friday.

AFTA NEWS/UPDATES

EXTENDED! Office Hours with Nina. Based on popular demand and the upcoming infusion of $310 billion additional dollars to the PPP SBA program, Nina is extending her daily office hours to May 15th! She will be available to help you navigate the complex web of funding opportunities, federal regulations, and deadlines related to the federal aid package in the CARES Act.

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.

April 27-May 1: National Arts Action Summit

With Congress scheduled to return in May for further COVID-19 relief legislation and the annual federal budget, advocating for the arts is more important now than ever. Along with over 85 National Partners, we're excited to present over a dozen plenary and issue-specific breakout session webinars live from April 27 – May 1, 2020. You can register for the entire Digital Summit, or for individual sessions based on your preference. Designed to bring advocates the latest updates in federal arts policy, compelling up-to-the-minute data, and successful advocacy techniques, the National Arts Action Digital Summit is the best way to prepare yourself to make key asks of your federal elected officials and to learn how to be the best arts advocate you can be—all from the comfort and safety of your home.

May 4, 2:00p EDT: “Americans for the Arts CARES Act Update” hosted by Americans for the Arts and the Arts Action Fund.

This webinar will cover the local success stories and best practices on securing CARES Act funding, findings from the three active surveys that we're currently conducting on the impact of COVID-19 on the arts and a customized walk-through of the incredibly comprehensive and soon-to-go-live updated web pages of the Americans for the Arts Coronavirus Resource and Response Center 2.0.

May 7, 4:00p EDT: “Membership Coffee Hour for Emerging Leaders” is open to any Americans for the Arts member who identifies as an emerging leader. Join us and share your work from home successes, challenges, and tips! Connect with your fellow Americans for the Arts emerging leaders during a casual coffee hour! Registration for coffee hour is limited with a cap of 20 participants per coffee hour to help foster more personal connections.
Due to COVID-19, millions of Americans are isolated in their homes, and will remain so for a significant period. “COVID-19 and Social Distancing Study: Exploring the Impacts of Arts and Other Activities on Mental Health” is a new study designed to strengthen our understanding of the mental health impacts of sheltering in place, social distancing, and isolation—and to determine if there are activities that buffer against those ill effects (such as the arts). The study is a partnership between University College London, University of Florida, and Americans for the Arts.

FIELD PROGRAMMING

April 29, 2:00p EDT: “Artists in the Time of Coronavirus” hosted by the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.

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.

April 30, 12p EDT: “Stories of Resilience: A Conversation with Brené Brown” hosted by Salesforce.

How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders and embed the value of courage in your company culture? Learn more in a live conversation with #1 New York Times bestselling author Brené Brown and Salesforce SVP of SMB Marketing Marie Rosecrans. Whether you’re running a small business or leading a large team, here’s your opportunity to explore resiliency strategies.

April 30, 7:00p EDT: “USDAC Network Listening Session” hosted by The Action Network, Sponsored by USDAC.

Join us in community on this call, where you will connect to and learn from other artists and cultural workers looking to support their communities in meaningful ways. What’s nourishing you? What’s challenging you? How can the USDAC be a partner in deepening solidarity and mutuality in a time of such intense loss, change, and distance?

May 14, 2:00p EDT: “Transforming Your Event into a Virtual Experience” hosted by Catchafire.

How do you bring your donors and constituents together when in-person events are not a possibility? You cancelled your event due to public safety concerns, but you can’t cancel your need to fundraise. Join us to learn the best ways to successfully transform your event into a virtual gathering supporting your organization. Learn how to leverage alternative event types that reflect your mission and vision, without breaking the bank. We’ll give you the tools you need to make this shift and take advantage of the opportunities virtual events have to offer your organization.

May 28, 2:00p EDT: “Building a Case for Support | Key Trends & Fundraising FYIs” hosted by Catchafire.

Join us to learn how to develop your case for support and leverage your volunteers to ensure your organization doesn’t lose focus or funding in a noisy year. Donors have a limited amount of funds and attention to give in a year - but what do you do at a time where the world feels smaller than ever, and you’re worried about your message being drowned out by the noise of everything else going on? You need to establish a solid case for support to set your organization apart. By reframing how you communicate your mission and the importance of your work, your organization’s narrative can be heard through all the noise - whether it’s COVID-19 breaking news, election campaigns, environmental emergencies, or competing causes.

FIELD NEWS/COMMUNICATIONS

Fast Company, Apr 27: “Concerts will never be the same after COVID-19. Here’s what you could wear to bring them back”
Hyperallergic, Apr 13: “COVID-19 Pandemic Sheds New Light on Access to the Arts”
MuseumNext, Apr 14: “19 Steps: Planning for Extended Covid-19 Close Down”
The Star, Apr 27: “Stratford Festival suspends 2020 season indefinitely due to COVID-19”
Museum Education Roundtable launches #DearMuseums, week 1 is reflections on the topic of “Uncertainty”
Art Museum Teaching, Apr 27: “HOW CAN MUSEUMS & SCHOOLS CONTINUE THEIR RELATIONSHIP DURING & AFTER COVID-19?”
Variety, Apr 27: “YouTube to Host Free Virtual Film Festival With 20 Partners Including Cannes, Tribeca, Sundance”

GENERAL NEWS

The Washington Post, Apr 27: “CDC confirms six coronavirus symptoms showing up in patients over and over”
NYTimes, Apr 26: “China says Wuhan has no more hospitalized coronavirus patients.”
NextCity, Apr 27: “Authenticity and “Post-Chocolate” Cool in a Rapidly Gentrifying Washington, D.C.”
Fast Company, Apr 27: “How cities are reshaping streets to prepare for life after lockdown”
The Washington Post, Apr 27: “Those who’ve lost work or pay from the virus still broadly support stay-at-home measures”
NPR, Apr 27: “Tennessee Restaurants Reopen As State Sees Biggest 1-Day Jump In COVID-19 Cases”
NYTimes, Apr 27: “‘It Was Just Too Much’: How Remote Learning Is Breaking Parents”
NYTimes, Apr 27: “New Jersey Governor Offers Timeline to Begin Reopening Within Weeks”

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

Harvard Business Review, Apr 2: “The Restorative Power of Ritual”
LATimes, Apr 23: “This 81-year-old was L.A.’s most devoted museum-goer until COVID-19 shuttered cultural institutions”
Finding Your Good, Apr 23: “Here’s Why You Should Still Dress Up, Even Though You’re Stuck at Home”

____________________

Ruby Lopez Harper

Senior Director of Local Arts Advancement

Americans for the Arts

1000 Vermont Ave NW 6^th Floor

Washington, DC 20005-4940

202.371.2830 x2079

202.789.2830 fax

www.AmericansForTheArts.org

Follow me: Twitter

Pronouns: she/her/hers