Registration is now open for the 2020 Annual Convention and Public Art & Civic Design Conference! This newly virtual convening, happening June 23-25 from the comfort of your home, is the chance for arts leaders across the country to gather virtually and better understand the current health crisis, how we are responding to it, and how the arts field can move toward recovery.
Last week, a letter signed by 140 chambers of commerce from 39 states across the country was delivered to Congressional leadership in support of federal relief for the nonprofit arts and cultural community. This letter was generated by a small group of chambers and distributed by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) and Americans for the Arts.
Americans for the Arts is partnering on a new international study to measure the mental health impact of COVID-19 and social distancing on the American public and is seeking volunteers to participate via online surveys. Everyone age 18 and older is welcome to be part of the study, and participation is fast and simple!
Americans for the Arts has released the 2019 Profile of Local Arts Agencies, an annual survey of a core set of local arts agency (LAA) indicators that is supplemented with rotating modules, enabling a more in-depth exploration into specific aspects of LAA work. The findings in this year’s study are based on 633 survey responses that were collected May through August of 2019.
Americans for the Arts presents a brand-new experience for arts advocates to engage virtually at the first ever National Arts Action Digital Summit with three plenary and ten issue-specific webinars live April 27 to May 1, 2020.
The 2021 Annual Convention is our opportunity to gather and reimagine our creative field and communities. Registration is now open to attend the virtual conference happening June 8-11, 2021.
On April 8, 2020, Americans for the Arts hosted a webinar titled “How the CARES Act Supports the Arts Sector” to discuss the recent COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress at the end of March. Americans for the Arts Government Affairs staff and valued guest speakers discussed the various pieces of the legislation that pertained to the arts sector.
Nationally, financial losses to the nonprofit arts sector are estimated to be $4.5 billion as of April 6 (up from $3.2 billion on March 20). Americans for the Arts estimates that nonprofit arts organizations already have experienced an estimated 197 million lost event admissions due to cancelled or postponed events.
The application deadline for the 2020 Fellowship cohort has been extended until July 5, 2020, and the full-time job eligibility requirement for the program has been waived in order to expand access to those whose employment has been affected by the economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $2 trillion emergency stimulus package that Congress passed this week includes $300 million in economic relief to support nonprofit cultural organizations, museums, libraries, public broadcasting, and state and local arts and humanities agencies, as well as substantial additional economic relief opportunities for independent contractors like "gig economy" workers such as actors, musicians, and artists and nonprofit organizations and small businesses, including those working in the creative economy.
Late last night, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed (96-0) the third phase of the coronavirus (COVID-19) response relief package. This vital piece of legislation includes direct support for both nonprofit cultural organizations and state and local arts and humanities agencies, as well as economic relief provisions for independent contractors, "gig economy" workers and artists, entrepreneurs, and small businesses working in the creative economy.
How do you sum up a week like the one the country has just been through? We at Americans for the Arts hope you and yours are keeping safe and healthy during the coronavirus outbreak. We are working hard to ensure that the arts and culture sector can weather this storm, together, and with appropriate and necessary financial relief from the federal government. Read on for tools you can use in this critical time for the arts.
Americans for the Arts has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 National Arts Action Summit, which was to take place March 30-31 in Washington, D.C., and to postpone the related Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts & Public Policy. The cancellation of the Summit comes out of an abundance of caution and to align with COVID-19 health recommendations and warnings issued by the Washington, D.C., government against mass gatherings in the city until March 31.
This week: Like much of the country, we're keeping an eye on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), monitoring responses and preparations, and have gathered information to assist the field. We also announced applications for this year's Arts & Culture Leaders of Color Fellowship, and released a new resource examining cultural equity in the public art field.
Americans for the Arts announces applications for the second year of the Arts & Culture Leaders of Color Fellowship for emerging and mid-career arts, culture, and heritage leaders of color across arts disciplines in Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and the Twin Cities. Apply by April 3, 2020.
This week, we look ahead at education policy trends for 2020—and how the arts intersect with them all! Plus, explore with us the role of State Arts Agencies and our State Arts Action Network in increased cultural funding at the state level. Catch up on all the week's news and analysis in the Weekly Web Roundup.
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) recently published their FY 2020 State Arts Agency Revenues Report. By any measure, the report paints a very positive picture for state funding of the arts, with year-to-year appropriations increasing by more than 37% to a grand total of almost $495 million in total legislative appropriations. Because the economy is doing well, it stands to reason that SAA appropriations would be higher. While it is true that a strong economy makes increases more likely, a strong economy alone cannot explain this year’s massive increase. There in an interesting equation at work: If your state has a State Arts Agency that is engaged in thoughtful programming, a strong statewide arts advocacy organization, and advocates who are proactively engaged with your state’s existing political leadership, more funding/pro-arts policy are possible!
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Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch released a statement following the release of the Trump administration’s proposed fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget, which would eliminate funding for the arts.
Americans for the Arts is pleased to offer a number of full ride and partial reimbursement scholarships to members interested in attending the 2020 Annual Convention and Public Art & Civic Design Conference in Washington, D.C. Deadline to apply is February 24, 2020.
The Americans for the Arts Annual Convention is getting BIGGER in 2020—and so is our Public Art programming! The popular Public Art & Civic Design Preconference is transforming into a 2.5-day conference alongside this year’s Annual Convention June 26-28 in Washington, D.C.
The Arts and Business Partnership Awards recognize businesses of all sizes and individual leaders for exceptional involvement with the arts that enriches the workplace, enhances education, and transform communities. Nominations for this year's awards close January 31, 2020.
High school art students are invited to participate in the eleventh year of Vans Custom Culture, a program that provides high school artists and students a platform to embrace and showcase their creative abilities and the chance to win a grand prize of $75,000 for their school’s art program.
Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch released a statement in response to Tuesday’s vote of the U.S. House of Representatives on the FY 2020 spending bills, including five pro-arts appropriation items.
The International Sculpture Center (ISC), is seeking panel proposals for the 30th International Sculpture Conference in Detroit, MI this September 30-October 3, 2020. This conference will feature the annual ISC littleSCULPTURE show, ARTSlams and breakout sessions, engaging panel discussions, evening parties, hands-on workshops, a keynote address, open studios and gallery hops, optional art and culture trips, public art tours and visits to nearby sculpture sites, and more.
Panel topics include:
Americans for the Arts today announced its October celebration of National Arts and Humanities Month, a coast-to-coast collective celebration of culture in America. During the month-long celebration, Americans for the Arts encourages people to explore new facets of the arts and humanities in their lives.
For the past 23 years, Sphinx has helped increase the number of Black and Latinx classical musicians in U.S. orchestras from 1.5 percent in 1996, to 5 percent in 2019. The Detroit based organization supports musicians of all levels through education and access, artist development, performing artist programs, and arts leadership.
Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch offered a statement in response to today's Senate’s approval of Mary Anne Carter to chair the National Endowment for the Arts for a four-year term.
So far, 2019 has been a banner year in the world of federal arts advocacy. Throughout the spring, we saw promising bipartisan benchmarks for support of an increased budget for the NEA in FY 2020. However, our work advocating for pro-arts policies doesn’t stop with funding for the NEA. Americans for the Arts, along with national coalition partners, has pursued more federal legislative priorities this year than ever before. From tax policy to transit, healthcare to education, we’re working to ensure expanded arts access and opportunity throughout the country. You can get more information and send a message to your congressional delegation about any of these bills through our Action Center.
The U.S. Congress will take its traditional month-long recess in August. Members of Congress will be in their home states and districts holding town halls, making visits to local organizations and businesses, and taking meetings in their local offices. Wondering how to continue your arts advocacy momentum during the long recess? Participate in the August Arts Advocacy Challenge to stay involved and make an impact.
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Americans for the Arts' new documentary, CAMMO: Healing Through Song, profiles participating members of the Center for American Military Music Opportunities (CAMMO); shows how the arts can strengthen the well-being of service members, veterans, and their families; and features members of Voices of Service, one of many community-based music programs that CAMMO offers.
At the Americans for the Arts’ Annual Convention this past June, quite a few members voiced concern about the upcoming U.S. Census. In many communities, there is worry that an inaccurate count could negatively impact towns, cities, regions, and even states, and disproportionately affect people who are already marginalized. This blog is meant to give information on the Census, its impact, and what arts and culture agencies across the United States are doing to ensure a comprehensive and equitable count. The U.S. Census is a consequential tool for distributing time, attention, and money in all sorts of ways—including ways that are deeply impactful on the arts. It is also an increasingly politicized tool, and as we round the corner into the 2020 U.S. Census, it is important to understand what the U.S. Census is, what it influences, what the implication of certain proposed changes could be both generally and for the arts, and how arts and culture agencies and organizations are mobilizing to ensure a fair, full, and unthreatening U.S. Census count.
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