This week: Like much of the country, we're keeping an eye on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), monitoring responses and preparations across the field, and have gathered information to assist preparation for you and your loved ones, your organization, and your community. 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.

ARTSblog

Arts and Culture Sector Can Prepare for the Coronavirus in the United States by Ruby Lopez Harper
While gathering and sharing pertinent information about COVID-19, we are also working to understand the long-term effect on arts and culture activities from performance to festivals, touring artists, and school field trips. You can help us and the nonprofit arts field by sharing with us how you are responding in the immediate and in the long-term as we see the future consequences of potentially missed earned revenue, cancelled events, and employees being affected.

Business Spotlight: Arts Business Transforms Spaces and Communities by Toni Sikes
The latest in our our Business Spotlight series highlighting the work of key business partners features Toni Sikes, Co-Founder and CEO of CODAworx, a company that currently has a big focus on art and technology. Read on to learn about this business leader and her connection to the arts!

Why You Need to Be in Washington, D.C. this June! by Clay Lord and Patricia Walsh
In 2020, the convergence of Americans for the Arts’ Annual Convention with the refreshed and expanded Public Art & Civic Design Conference will spark a new level of conversation and thinking. Learn what's new, what's notable, and why you should make plans to join us at this year's summer meetings in the nation's capital.

News Room

Fellowship Opportunity for Midwest Arts Leaders of Color
The Arts & Culture Leaders of Color Fellowship (ACLC) is a one-year professional development experience that combines in-person and virtual leadership development sessions 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 March 27, 2020.

Resource

Cultural Equity in the Public Art Field
This paper aims to inform public art administrators and other practitioners on the many issues and challenges surrounding cultural equity and how those issues intersect with the development of public art programs and projects, including why they happen and how to drive interest and action to address challenges related to public art projects and programs.

Pictured: JD Deardourff mural for Art Tank 2, with permission from CulturalDC.