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.