Americans for the Arts News - 2020
Read the latest arts news
The COVID-19 pandemic continues its stranglehold on the nation’s arts sector. In addition to losses tracked through four national studies led by Americans for the Arts, new research by the Small Business Administration shows that “Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation” is now the sector of the economy with highest percentage of “temporary closings” (53.3 percent of businesses surveyed).
As the country continues to reckon with the murder of George Floyd, artists are responding and considering how to create lasting change across the sector and in their cities and towns. And as the COVID crisis continues, our newly launched Arts Agency Action Kit provides research and strategies for arts organizations to make the case for preserving their agency.
Americans for the Arts celebrates the life and contributions of Barry Griswell, former CEO of Principal Financial Group and Board Member of Americans for the Arts, who passed away Friday, June 5. Griswell’s vision for nurturing the growth of the arts in the United States was centered on making the arts part of the everyday experience, providing opportunities for young and emerging artists, and embracing cultural diversity to heighten understanding.
The Arts Agency Action Kit is an additional infrastructure of support for arts organizations, providing a comprehensive resource including up-to-date research, key talking points, and advocacy strategies that can be used to make the case for one’s organization and mitigate a situation of financial distress stemming from the COVID-19 crisis.
It's been an exceptionally difficult week. Americans for the Arts believes Black Lives Matter, and shares in the outrage people across the country are feeling. In programming news, this week we launched two professional development opportunities with a particular focus toward individuals who are traditionally underrepresented in the arts field.
Americans for the Arts has developed the Arts Agency scholarship to support the professional development of arts agencies that are facing financial strain due to the COVID-19 crisis. This scholarship will provide one complimentary registration to the virtual convening of the Annual Convention and Public Art & Civic Design Conference. Apply by June 10, 2020.
Americans for the Arts honored Christo and Jeanne-Claude at the 2003 National Arts Awards with the Artistic Excellence Award to commend their artistic contributions to American art and culture. Their epic-scale environmental works often took years or even decades of careful planning, public and political persuasion, permits, and environmental solutions, which the artists considered part of their artistic process.
In the statement, “Arts Education Is Essential,” the signing organizations convey that the arts already have played a pivotal and uplifting role during the health crisis, and that arts education can help all students, including those who are in traditionally underrepresented groups, as students return to school next year.
To the Black community: we see you, we hear you, and we support you.
This week: it's time to register for the 2020 Annual Convention and Public Art & Civic Design Conference! Plus, we're diving into COVID response and recovery from various angles, including PPP loan forgiveness, innovative audience engagement, planning for beneficial artist-municipal partnerships, and more.
