January 13, 2021

Two important, FREE webinars have been announced for this week, to address components of the latest federal COVID 19 stimulus package of most interest to non-profit arts organizations. In addition, Arts Action Fund and Americans for the Arts will address outcomes of the Omnibus Appropriations Bill and National Defense Authorization Act. Register right away! 

The Small Business Administration, which has released its guidelines for a new round of Payroll Protection Plan loans, is presenting its own free webinar this Thursday, January 14 at 3 PM to provide a preliminary overview of the Shuttered Venue Operators Grants to help those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Register as soon as possible through their EventBrite link.

Arts Action Fund and Americans for the Arts will be presenting the first in a two-part free webinar series on the full range of federal economic aid opportunities in the $900 billion COVID-19 package, $1.4 trillion Omnibus Appropriations bill, and National Defense Authorization Act that were all enacted in late December.

The first webinar will be on Friday, January 15 @ 2 PM ET and will focus on the new Payroll Protection Program rules for a first and second draw/increase in loans and forgiveness, EIDL loans and advances, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, and general appropriations updates.

Register for this webinar at ArtsU.

CERF+ has announced a third round of relief to help materials-based artists in need.
 
The third cycle of COVID-19 Relief Grants will provide one-time $1,000 grants to artists working in craft disciplines who continue to face dire food, housing, and medical insecurities caused by the pandemic. Priority will be given to eligible artists who have traditionally been underserved by the grantmaking community, including Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and materials-based folk and traditional artists.
 
The third cycle for applications opens Wednesday, January 13, at 9 AM (ET) and closes on Wednesday, February 3, at 5 PM (ET).

Are you looking for funding to support a community development or creative placemaking initiative? If so, be sure to check out the Federal Resources for Creative Community Development webinar taking place on Tuesday, February 9, at 4 PM (ET). This free seminar will offer a curated list of federal grant programs relevant to equitable community development and the arts, along with application tips and dialogue with placemaking practitioners who have successfully tapped into public funds. Visit http://bit.ly/2LdRvDc for complete session details and registration information. This session is brought to you by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations and Metris Arts Consulting.

January 26
4 -6 PM Pre conference and Opening Reception

January 27 
9 AM - 10 AM Opening Plenary and Keynote
10 AM - 1 PM Breakout Sessions

January 28
9 AM - 12 Noon Breakout Sessions
12 - 1 PM Closing Plenary and Keynote
1 - 1:30 PM Virginians for the Arts Annual Board Meeting (Open to Public) 

Speakers and session topics will include:

Deficit Is Not a Dirty Word
Cyrus Pace, Executive Director of The Jefferson Center (Roanoke)

Arts Education and Its Role in Racial Equity Among Artists and Administrators
Quanice Floyd, Executive Director, Arts Education in Maryland Schools and Founder and Executive Director, Arts Administrators of Color Network; Lecolion Washington, Executive Director, Community Music Center (Boston) 

Strategic Leadership in Times of Crisis
Cyrus Pace, Executive Director of The Jefferson Center (Roanoke); Ryan Ripperton, Executive Director & Chief Inspiration Officer (SPARC - School of the Performing Arts for the Richmond Community); Karen Philion, President & CEO, Virginia Symphony Orchestra

Breaking the Sound Barrier
Afa S. Dworkin, President & Artistic Director, The Sphinx Organization

The Rise of Creative Youth Development - Frameworks, Trends, and Models
Matt D’arrigo, Director, Creative Youth Development, Clare Rose Foundation (San Diego) will present a two-part session on Creative Youth Development (CYD), the national framework and Models; followed by a panel discussion featuring some of the state’s most effective programs including Nicole Jones, Deputy Director, Art 180 (Richmond); Evelyn Francis, Program Manager, SPARC (School of the Performing Arts for the Richmond Community); and Deirdre Love, Founder and Executive Director of Teens With a Purpose (TWIP)

Douglas Jackson, Arts and Culture Coordinator, City of Roanoke; Macklyn Mosely, Community Services Assistant, Roanoke Public Libraries on innovative responses by local government, using the arts to address the pandemic and Black Lives Matter 

Presentation of Annual Art Stars Awards by Dominion Energy Foundation

AND ANNOUNCING CLOSING KEYNOTE: 
Building Resilience in an Age of Uncertainty for Artists and Arts Organizations

More sessions and session speakers will be announced in the days ahead. Register today!
The newest contribution to the National Endowment for the Arts’ collection of COVID-19 research and resources is The Art of Reopening: A Guide to Current Practices Among Arts Organizations During COVID-19.
 
For this report, Arts Endowment research staff surveyed national arts service organizations and conducted interviews about reopening practices of organizations that have resumed in-person programming in 2020. The 42-page report presents promising tactics—such as being transparent when the unexpected happens and developing stronger ties with one’s local community—as well as nine case studies.
 
In addition to The Art of Reopening, the Arts Endowment contributed to FEMA’s Recovery Support Function Leadership Group with COVID-19's Impacts on Arts and Culture that offers resources to arts organizations and artists.
 
Both of these publications are highlighted along with other statistics and stories in the monthly blog post from the Arts Endowment’s Director of Research & Analysis Sunil Iyengar.
Finally, the current issue of the Arts Endowment’s magazine, Arts in the Time of COVID offers more stories and insights. Each of the organizations featured in the magazine illustrates the importance of adaptation, resilience, and staying true to the values that drive each to overcome and survive.

To see the Arts Endowment’s COVID-19 resources, click here.
We Want To Hear From You

As we continue to activate awareness of the ongoing impacts of the pandemic to arts organizations and artists across the state, we want to hear from you. Most specifically, for now, we ask organizational leaders to complete this Impact Survey. It may take 10 - 15 minutes, but will provide invaluable information to both the Virginia Commission for the Arts and Virginians for the Arts to ensure the impacts to the arts remain in view. We aim to have a similar instrument for artists in the coming weeks, but continue to hear from folks directly, and we are sharing the stories. 
Virginia Commission for the Arts | arts.virginia.gov