COVID-19

Over 110 Chambers of Commerce Deliver Letter to Congress Supporting $18 Billion in Recovery Support for Creative Economy

A chart showing the 59% economic contraction in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector between December 2019 and June 2020, and the 19% return from July to December 2020.
Friday, April 30, 2021

Building on two previous letters of support for relief and recovery efforts to help the arts, culture, and the creative sector, a coalition of 113 chambers of commerce in 46 states delivered a letter to U.S. House and Senate leadership asking that $18 billion be allocated within the forthcoming infrastructure recovery bills specifically to support creative economic recovery. Signatories come from chambers in communities of all sizes and geographies and collectively serve over 33 million Americans.

First Phase of American Rescue Plan Funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Announced

A graphic illustration featuring various buildings, sculptures, and groups of people against a red background.
Thursday, April 29, 2021
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The National Endowment for the Arts has announced more than $52 million in funding for state and jurisdictional arts agencies and regional arts organizations, the first recommended awards of the American Rescue Plan (ARP). These funds are designed to support the arts sector as it recovers from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Weekly Web Roundup: April 2, 2021

A data graphic that reads: 12,000 arts organizations don’t know if they’ll survive the pandemic. Support Creative Workers Now! #ArtsAdvocacy
Friday, April 2, 2021

This week: updating the economic power of the arts; advocacy reading and opportunities, including next week’s National Arts Action Summit and 10 reasons to support the arts in 2021; exploring the impact of COVID-19 on intentionally marginalized creative workers; how to bring a creative workforce recovery program to your community; and introducing the 2021 Diversity in Arts Leadership interns. 

Nation’s Arts & Culture Industry was Thriving Pre-Pandemic, New Research Show

It's a photo of a large crowd at a concert, with rainbow colors lighting up the stage.
Thursday, April 1, 2021
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The arts are a larger segment of the economy than most people realize. According to the latest Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account (ACPSA) report released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the nation’s arts and culture sector—nonprofit, commercial, education—was a $919.7 billion industry that supported 5.2 million jobs in 2019.

Resources to Combat Anti-Asian Racism

A photo of a sign in a window that reads "Racism is a pandemic"
Wednesday, March 17, 2021

In the wake of the shooting in Atlanta that has left eight individuals dead, six of whom were Asian, we are re-sharing an excerpt from a recent issue of our Cultural Equity Weekly News Digest focusing on resources specific to combatting anti-Asian racism. 

Weekly Web Roundup: March 12, 2021

A dancer dressed in white waves a large red cloth in the air in front of a concrete wall adorned with spray painted graffiti written in Japanese characters.
Friday, March 12, 2021

This week: what the newly-signed American Rescue Plan means for the arts and culture sector, a hopeful dance project bearing witness to nuclear disaster, the contributions craft can bring to a community, and research on the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women—especially in the arts field.

Former Oakland County Commissioner Shelley Taub Receives 2020 Public Leadership in the Arts Award for County Arts Leadership

Shelley Taub
Thursday, March 11, 2021
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Americans for the Arts and the National Association of Counties (NACo) have awarded former Oakland County Commissioner Shelley Taub of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, the Public Leadership in the Arts Award for County Arts Leadership. The award was given today at NACo’s virtual Arts and Culture Commission event, and honors an elected county official who has significantly advanced the arts in the community they serve. 

Americans for the Arts and Americans for the Arts Action Fund React to Passage of American Rescue Plan

Americans for the Arts logo
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
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Brigadier General Nolen Bivens (ret.), Interim President and CEO of Americans for the Arts, and Nina Ozlu Tunceli, Executive Director of the Americans for the Arts Action Fund (Arts Action Fund), released a statement in response to the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Shifts for Arts Marketers in 2021

Over the past year, arts marketing as a discipline has weathered as many changes as the industry we support. From the work that we do, to the roles that we occupy within organizations, and the ways that we relate to one another—everything is in the process of evolution right now.

Weekly Web Roundup: Feb. 12, 2021

It’s the National Arts Action Summit logo (which resembles the letter A and the Capitol dome) surrounded by speech bubbles representing messages from arts advocates: “Recovery Through Art!” “Protect Creative Workers!” and “Arts Education For All!”
Friday, February 12, 2021

This week, three stories on ARTSblog showcase where the field has been over the past year—challenges and successes alike—and reflects on what can and needs to be prioritized as we move forward and begin to recover as a nation. Arts advocates can be part of asking for and setting those priorities at the National Arts Action Summit, happening virtually April 5-9, 2021. 

Weekly Web Roundup: Feb. 5, 2021

Sean Baker, a high school student, sits in front of two computer screens conducting a video interview with Randy Cohen of Americans for the Arts.
Friday, February 5, 2021

In case you missed it this week: applications are open for the 2021 Jorge and Darlene Pérez Prize in Public Art & Civic Design, new research reaffirms the power of the arts in promoting mental health and wellness, and a student filmmaker's story of creating a documentary on the plight of artists and creative workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Weekly Web Roundup: Jan. 29, 2021

Friday, January 29, 2021

This week: Get to know our Interim President & CEO, read why the creativity that drove Inauguration Day must also drive our national post-pandemic recovery, explore the question of copyright on art created by artificial intelligence, and celebrate three artists working to transform America's communities through the arts. 

Weekly Web Roundup: Jan. 22, 2021

Friday, January 22, 2021

This week we announced registration and scholarships for the National Arts Action Summit, opened nominations for the annual Arts and Business Partnership Awards, looked back at a webinar chock full of guidance on applying for NEA grant funding, and teased a new blog series that will dive deep on data from our COVID-19 research studies and tell stories of the pandemic’s impact on intentionally marginalized artists and creative workers.

Arts & Entertainment in the Pandemic Era

Graphic with guitar, film board, and other instruments emerging from a laptop on the left. On the right reads "Starring Role: Arts and Entertainment in the Pandemic Era - Jan. 11 | 3:00 P.M. ET"
Join us for a free event in partnership with the US Chamber of Commerce, the NEA, and NASAA
Monday, January 4, 2021

Join Americans for the Arts on January 11, 2021 at 3 p.m. ET for “Starring Role: Arts & Entertainment in the Pandemic Era,” a free virtual event to discuss the economic and societal contributions made by the arts and entertainment sectors, the challenges and opportunities they face in the pandemic era, and how a culture of creativity, innovation, and ingenuity is helping us through these unprecedented times.

Airport Art During COVID

Monday, December 14, 2020
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The global airline industry has been hit hard by COVID-19. What is the state of airport art programs during our global pandemic? Are airport art programs staying on course? Are they grounded? Or, are they heading on new trajectories?

Weekly Web Roundup: Dec. 7-11, 2020

Friday, December 11, 2020

Catch up on the National Arts Marketing Project Conference, webinars on arts and business partnerships and the Diversity in Arts Leadership program, blogs that explore racial inequity in the arts and ways to keep the arts going in your community during the pandemic, our latest Member Profile, and a new research opportunity from the Wallace Foundation.

Weekly Web Roundup: Nov. 16-20, 2020

Friday, November 20, 2020

As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday we reflect on the urgent work of 2020, both in our own offices and at programs across the country, as the arts and culture field works to support and solve challenges related to the COVID pandemic, racial equity, and more. Wishing you a safe, happy, and creative season!

How the Work of Americans for the Arts Is Addressing the Urgent Challenges of 2020

Americans for the Arts logo
Monday, November 16, 2020

In 2020, Americans for the Arts continued its commitment to our vision and planned work, while also pivoting and taking on new, urgent work like so many of our 5,000 member organizations. Here are highlights of some key areas of the new and urgent work of Americans for the Arts in 2020 that are in addition to our planned work portfolio.

U.S. Conference of Mayors and Americans for the Arts Release ‘City Song Collection’

City Song Project
Featuring contributions and collaborations from cities across America
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
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Today, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Americans for the Arts announced the release of the ‘City Song Collection,’ featuring nine songs inspired, composed, and performed by local artists from cities all over the country in a demonstration of healing, unity and city pride. The songs and overall collection showcase how cities are coming together through music in 2020, which has been an unprecedented year for communities across America. The effort comes as America celebrates October’s annual National Arts and Humanities Month. The project features both original compositions and covers of songs from Louisville, Chicago, Reno, Austin, Detroit, Charleston, Oklahoma City, Atlanta, and New Orleans.

Make the Case for the Arts

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Given the funding challenges in the arts today, do you have your arguments ready for supporting the arts in your community? Americans for the Arts has important information at the ready on the economic impact of the arts, the social impact of the arts, and the need to put creative workers to work.

Weekly Web Roundup: Oct. 12-16, 2020

Friday, October 16, 2020

Registration opened this week for the National Arts Marketing Project Conference, happening virtually Dec. 7 and 8, 2020. If your organization has a tighter than usual budget, check out several scholarship opportunities available for the conference. Also this week, get to know fellow Americans for the Arts member Kya Conner, who teaches West African drumming and Mental Health Law & Policy, and catch up on our suite of webinars exploring challenges and solutions for arts organizations facing the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Weekly Web Roundup: Oct. 5-9, 2020

Friday, October 9, 2020

This week, we learned about MBA students who get a leg up on leadership skills by engaging with the arts, took a tour through a virtual music festival with strong community and business support, explored new ways to plan for an uncertain future, deepened our interest in promoting the importance of voting, and proudly shared a new set of guiding principles that would bring together design and public health professionals for equitable and positive health outcomes. If you missed anything, now's your chance to catch up!

P&G Continues to Make Music with Cincinnati Music Festival and ArtsWave

15 artists pose in front of a gazeb with stairs, some sitting and some standing.
They say, “The show must go on!” And thanks to some intrepid partnerships in Cincinnati, the show did just that.
Thursday, October 8, 2020

From July 23-25, Cincinnati Music Festival held a Virtual Weekend to bring people together through music. With the support of presenting sponsor P&G, this iconic Cincinnati event engaged audiences both online and in person to highlight the community across the nation and build brand affinity and goodwill for its sponsors along the way. 

Americans for the Arts Supports the Launch of New Equitable Guiding Principles for the Design and Public Health Fields

Thursday, October 8, 2020

The PHEAL Guiding Principles reaffirm the imperative need for public health and design professionals to work together toward empowering and elevating the voices of historically overburdened communities with health inequities in the time of COVID-19. 

Weekly Web Roundup: Sept. 28-Oct. 2, 2020

Friday, October 2, 2020

If you missed it this week: Watch a webinar exploring state-by-state voting rules and what educational activities nonprofits can do to get the vote out, learn more about the economic power of the arts in rural communities, meet fellow #AFTAmember Kathy Hsieh of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, and explore our newly redesigned interactive results dashboard for the Profile of Local Arts Agencies. 

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