Iowa, North Carolina and New Jersey: Arts Venue Reopening Campaigns
State arts agencies (SAAs) are continuing to respond to the changing dynamics of the pandemic, which severely disrupted audience attendance patterns for live and in-person arts events. To address this issue, some SAAs are undertaking promotional campaigns to encourage the public to visit cultural venues and participate in the arts. Iowa, North Carolina and New […]
Florida: African American Cultural and Historical Grant
In partnership with the Division of Historical Resources, the Florida Division of Arts and Culture has launched the African-American Cultural and Historical Grants program. Legislatively created by Senate Bill 2500, the program has up to $30 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds available for capital project grants. The grants will support projects that construct […]
Michigan and Ohio: Reconnecting Arts and Communities
The isolating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have underscored the importance of the arts as a vehicle for restoring human connections, building social capital and helping communities heal after difficult experiences. State arts agencies are encouraging this kind of public engagement by supporting projects that embed the arts in civic practice to contribute to the […]
Maryland: New Funding Model for General Operating Support
The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) has adopted a new funding model for its Grants for Organizations program that will prioritize funding for smaller arts and culture organizations. The new model was developed after MSAC held public listening sessions, gathered input through a public editor process and researched best practices currently employed by other agencies. […]
Oregon, West Virginia: Artist Relief Funds
In March 2021, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) received $135 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 to support jobs in the arts sector, keep the doors open to arts organizations nationwide, and assist the field in its response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty percent […]
New Jersey, Maryland, Puerto Rico, Vermont: Virtual Art Exhibitions
Multiple state arts agencies (SAAs) are offering virtual arts exhibitions to increase visibility for artists and expand public access to their works. While some SAAs have conducted virtual exhibitions in the past, this approach took on new significance during the COVID-19 pandemic, when physical access to exhibition venues was restricted. SAAs are finding virtual exhibitions […]
Colorado: Community Revitalization Grant
In June 2021, the state of Colorado enacted S.B. 21-252, creating the Colorado Community Revitalization program to fund creative projects that would spur economic development in mixed-use commercial centers. Colorado Creative Industries (CCI), in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Division of Local Government, is in charge of administering the grant program and […]
South Carolina: Learning Initiative Partnership
COVID-19 continues to have an adverse impact on students, families, educators, and school communities across the nation. Recent studies suggest that suspension of face-to-face instruction in schools during the pandemic led to learning loss, with the effects on students of color and kids from low income families being especially pronounced. Educators and health experts also […]
Idaho: Mexican Music Project
Musician Damian Rodriguez features in this mini-documentary film as part of the Mexican Music Project with Idaho Commission on the Arts. Video courtesy Idaho Commission on the Arts The Idaho Commission on the Arts (ICA) is dedicated to creating meaningful, authentic relationships with traditional arts communities across Idaho. As part of this drive, the […]
Massachusetts: Recovery Recommendations
In January 2021, the state of Massachusetts enacted legislation establishing the Massachusetts COVID-19 Cultural Impact Commission—a special legislative commission charged with developing strategies for the recovery, growth and vitality of the creative sector in the commonwealth. Cochaired by state Sen. Ed Kennedy and state Rep. Carole Fiola, the commission included representation from the Mass Cultural […]