UPAF is in week four of its 2020 Campaign, which was supposed to publicly close on June 15. We have extended it to August 31 due to our inability to host Workplace Giving Campaigns at this time; although we are offering "Virtual Campaigns" using digital assets. While we are pacing $600K ahead of last year ($5.6M), we anticipate the gap closing due to delayed campaigns. We are delivering virtual experiences to our donors.

Leadership donors and major companies have really stepped up in support of our Member Groups. Telefunding efforts have been effective because people want to help. We continue to solicit; however, only at the individual level. We are holding off on approaching small-to-mid-size companies until there is clarity on when the Safer at Home mandate will cease.

Our signature event, UPAF Ride for the Arts (and it is the 40th Anniversary), is scheduled for May 31; however, we are in the process of setting a new date. We've already pushed back our golf outing one month to August 31.

Since we are currently in Campaign mode, our message is focused on how our Member Groups need us now more than ever. That being said, it is not an emergency appeal to raise dollars for distributing now. Our groups want us to focus on raising dollars for next season.

We offered to pay allocation advances; one group accepted that offer.

I truly believe the importance of umbrella organizations will significantly increase. The economies of scale, dedicated mission and "one clear voice" we bring are essential, particularly at this time.

From: uaf@americansforthearts.simplelists.com <uaf@americansforthearts.simplelists.com> on behalf of Maury Sparrow <msparrow@lexarts.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2020 1:31 PM
To: uaf@americansforthearts.simplelists.com <uaf@americansforthearts.simplelists.com>
Subject: [Americans for the Arts] The COVID-19 Virus and the Arts

Hello all,

Strange times we find ourselves in. I hope each of you are safe and healthy, even as the arts are suffering tremendously.

I’d like to open a discussion here about how each of your organizations are addressing the pandemic.

Our annual Fund for the Arts campaign began with high hopes and tremendous excitement on Tuesday, March 10 and by Monday, March 16 we were all working remotely, and the campaign was at a stand-still.
We were planning a joint press conference with our Mayor, VisitLEX (our CVB), Breeders’ Cup and Equitana USA about 2020 being ‘the year of the horse’ in Lexington and rolling out a major public art project for the fall, Horse Mania.
We are now considering if and how we might engage an Emergency Relief Fund for the arts in Central Kentucky. (We’ll be on the AFTA webinar tomorrow at 3pm.)

I’m curious to know how your organization is faring and the steps you’re taking to address this very unstable time for the arts.

If you are currently in the midst of an annual campaign, are you considering postponing or extending?
Are you considering an Emergency Relief Fund?
Have you made adjustments to your grants deadlines, eligibility, etc?
Do you, or did you, have major fundraisers that have been canceled or postponed?

We’ll get through this stronger together; it’s only intermission. If anyone is interested in a virtual meeting, I’d be interested, too. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Warm regards,

Maury

Maury Sparrow

Communications Director

Helping art come to life • msparrow@lexarts.org • OFFICE 859.255.2951 • CELL 859.351.3502

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