Today, March 21, we celebrate the power and joy of poetry on World Poetry Day. It’s no surprise that we celebrate poetry in early spring. The days are longer, birds are chirping, flowers are blooming. What could be more poetic! Whether you choose the whimsy of Shel Silverstein, the power of Audre Lorde, the musicality of Joy Harjo, or the romance of Percy Bysshe Shelley, treat yourself to a poem today. Maybe even let your imagination go and write one! 

How are you celebrating Music in Our Schools Month^®? Throughout March, the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) is running a fantastic program around Music in Our Schools Month^®. Read about the history of the program, learn how to secure a local proclamation, download images and handouts for publicity, and join NAfME for a big celebration on March 28!  

Art can be more than “just art.” It can help counties handle recovery in a variety of ways, according to Larry Nelson, Waukesha County, Wis. supervisor and chair of the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) Arts and Culture Commission.

The Arts in Juvenile Justice Working Group is a conglomerate of organizations and stakeholders that are passionate about the Juvenile Justice system, as it relates to the integration of creative arts therapies. Working Group member SkyArt in Chicago provides visual art programming to young people ages 5 to 24 and is currently featuring an exhibition focused on artwork from incarcerated youth and explores the impact that incarceration has on the youth population.

In Creative Placemaking: Recommendations from and Impact of Six Advisory Services Panels, Urban Land Institute uses six case studies to demonstrate how creative placemaking can spark a cultural rebirth in real estate projects, revitalize communities, and boost returns on investment for developers.

By taking preparedness actions and creating a disaster plan, cultural heritage and arts organizations can reduce the risk of disaster and minimize their losses. dPlan|ArtsReady is an online emergency preparedness and response tool for arts and cultural organizations—regardless of size, scope, or discipline—to prevent or mitigate disasters, prepare for the most likely emergencies, respond quickly to minimize damage, and recover effectively while continuing to provide services to your community.

GIVE (Growing Inclusivity for Vibrant Engagement), created by New Victory and a consortium of teaching artists and arts administrators, is a free guide that supports Teaching Artists in the creation of liberated learning environments and vibrant arts experiences within inclusion settings.

The Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region recently launched Creative Stays to attract cultural tourists to Colorado Springs and the surrounding community. Perfect for out-of-town visitors and local residents, Creative Stays offers a variety of new ways to explore and enjoy some of the wonderful attractions and amenities that the Pikes Peak region has to offer.

Registration is now open for the Cultural Equity Learning Community 2.0, a two-unit, asynchronous anti-racism course for arts and culture leaders committed to building intersectional racial equity. Two cohorts (Summer and Fall 2022) are currently offered with a sliding scale payment structure. Registration closes on Wednesday, July 13 for the Summer cohort, and on Wednesday, Aug. 31 for the Fall cohort.

Ten art teachers that have made significant contributions in the lives of their students by advancing art education and inspiring self-expression through art will be recognized and receive a year’s supply of art products for their art room. Anyone may nominate an art teacher currently teaching in the United States by July 31, 2022.

In collaboration with The Kresge Foundation, the U.S. Conference of Mayors released a new report, “Promoting Equity through ARPA Implementation,” which documents 20 city case studies and details how mayors are using State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to invest in underserved populations and address the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on low and moderate-income people and communities of color.

#DrawUsTogether is an innovative new global initiative created by Corel designed to flood social media with follow-worthy creations that spread joy and give people a sense of unity. For every piece of unique artwork shared using the #DrawUsTogether hashtag, Corel will donate $1 up to $50,000 to Americans for the Arts.

Can art improve roadway safety? A new report examines the impact of art in the streetscape by comparing historical crash rates and real-time behavior of motorists and pedestrians at 22 “asphalt art” sites before and after the projects were installed, with illuminating results.

Today, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) joined more than 90 federal agencies in releasing an Equity Action Plan in accordance with President Biden’s Executive Order 13985 on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. The order outlines a whole-of-government mandate to advance equity for all Americans through a comprehensive approach to all government practices.

The American Planning Association recently announced the formation of a new Division focusing on the intersection of the arts and planning to provide a unique opportunity for artists and culture bearers to achieve more effective engagement between the two disciplines, as well as a stronger platform to influence the planning profession within the American Planning Association and beyond.

The public comment period aims to better understand how the Art in Architecture program can promote the goals articulated in a January 2021 Executive Order signed by President Biden, “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government,” as well as promoting civic engagement and participation and democratic values, and advancing social ties and economic development at the community level. 

For the first time since the post-Great Recession period, the year-over-year value add of arts and culture production declined in 2020, from $930 billion in 2019 to an estimated $877 billion in 2020. Even with that decline, however, the economic impact of the creative sector is significant: the sector represented 4.2% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2020 and supported 4.6 million wage and salary workers.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides $350 billion to mitigate economic harm from the COVID-19 pandemic. Three of Americans for the Arts’ partner organizations have created online trackers that provide concrete examples of how governments are using ARPA funds to support the arts and culture.

Renowned contemporary artist and Americans for the Arts Artists Committee member Shepard Fairey has designed two natural fiber scarves, ‘Floral Takeover’ (red) and ‘Lotus Diamond’ (blue), with proceeds benefitting Americans for the Arts. Shepard and his wife Amanda collaborated with their friend Julie Gardner of Obscura Designs to produce these natural fiber scarves that can be either hung as art or worn.

Arts Data in the Public Sector: Strategies for Local Arts Agencies summarizes findings from extensive sector research and an in-depth analysis of data practices of 15 local arts agencies across the country. Through best practices and case studies, the guide aims to help city arts leaders use data to show measurable impact, identify priority policy areas, and promote access to the arts across communities.

“First Lady Presents” is a collaboration between The Nevada State Museum and Nevada First Lady Katherine Sisolak that elevates contemporary Nevada artists through a curatorial lens of equity and a dedication towards cultural awareness. In honor of Native American Heritage Month, November’s featured artist is comic book artist Theo Tso from the Las Vegas Paiute Indian Colony.

The Heinz Family Foundation announced their 26th Heinz Awards recipients, including Tanya Aguiñiga, a visual artist recognized for blending contemporary craft, sculpture and performance to address issues of migration, gender and identity. Aguiñiga also was the inaugural recipient in 2018 of the Johnson Fellowship for Artists Transforming Communities from Americans for the Arts.

Los Angeles-based director, writer, and cultural organizer Mark Valdez is this year’s recipient of Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation’s annual Zelda Fichandler Award, which recognizes directors and choreographers who have demonstrated great accomplishment with singular creativity and deep investment in a particular community or region. Valdez also was the recipient of the 2019 Johnson Fellowship for Artists Transforming Communities from Americans for the Arts.

The World Design Organization recognized the cities of San Diego in the United States and Tijuana in Mexico as a result of their commitment to human-centered design and legacy of cross-border collaboration to transform the region’s natural and built environments.

At The Table is a new group of African-American arts leaders responsible for organizing dynamic discussions that showcase and leverage our collective cultural and philanthropic power. The group aims to offer opportunities for connection, a platform for financial growth, infrastructure for community building, and encouragement to engage in wellness.

Certain Party or Parties Unknown (CPPU) is a temporary multi-media public art exhibition focusing on three African American men who fell victim to racial terror lynchings in Montgomery County, Maryland in the 1880s—Mr. John Diggs-Dorsey, Mr. George Peck, and Mr. Sidney Randolph—to further community dialogue about racial justice and increase awareness of local history.

Arts professionals who oversee municipal or public art collections, or local arts agencies that work directly with artists, will find information and ways to engage with conservation and preservation professionals on social media.

Local arts agencies are all about fostering community ties. October, being National Arts and Humanities Month, is a good time to mark the indelible role played by local arts agencies in their towns, cities, and neighborhoods—and how the NEA’s administration of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) will reinforce these local networks.

The National Monument Audit allows for a better understanding of the dynamics and trends that have shaped our monument landscape, to pose questions about common knowledge about monuments, and to debunk falsehoods and misperceptions within public memory.

For the first time since 2016, the White House has released a proclamation declaring October as National Arts & Humanities Month. In the proclamation, President Joe Biden cites the economic, health, educational, and community benefits of the arts and humanities.