Americans for the Arts

02/17/2021

THE MAKING OF THE PIANO: For August Wilson's Play, "The Piano Lesson"

“What is art if it’s not history, somehow—whether it’s personal history, history about your love life, or your family history, or your documented or undocumented history? What is art if it’s not representation, if it’s not teaching, if it’s not showing someone a piece of your soul?” —Ruben Santiago-Hudson

Watch how art and history intertwined in a special piano created by artist Vinnie Bagwell for a Signature Theatre Company production of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson.” #BlackHistoryMonth

In 2012, Ruben Santiago-Hudson chose artist Vinnie Bagwell to create the bas-relief artwork for the piano, which is the centerpiece for August Wilson's Puliz...

02/16/2021

Creativity drove the inauguration. It should drive the recovery too - Roll Call

“Almost a year into the pandemic, creative workers continue to hurt, creative businesses stay closed, and communities continue to suffer. It doesn’t have to be that way. Put creative workers to work. Let us lead that march. Invest in us.”

Capitol Hill is waking up this morning to a powerful call for restarting the creative economy in Roll Call by our Board member Brian Stokes Mitchell. Thank you, Stokes.

OPINION — The Biden administration and Congress should remember that arts, culture and the creative economy can shape our nation’s coronavirus recovery.

02/15/2021

YBCA 100 - YBCA

Looking for an inspirational lift to start your week? Get to know these everyday heroes—including artists, activists, and community leaders—with an extraordinary commitment to building sustainable, equitable, and regenerative communities. #MotivationMonday

  An annual list that celebrates the everyday heroes—artists, activists, and community leaders—for their extraordinary commitment to building sustainable, equitable, and regenerative communities. These recipients are the provocateurs and innovators who are boldly making a difference in the heal...

02/14/2021

Wishing a happy Valentine’s Day to all our followers! Arts lovers like you are a vital force for spreading creativity and inspiration. ❤️ to all our members, donors, and friends today! #ValentinesDay

Art: “Ground Cover” by lead artist Ann Morton, 2013 Public Art Network Year in Review. Photo by Todd Photographic.

02/12/2021

12 Poems to Read for Black History Month | Academy of American Poets

“Let America be America again.
Let it be the dream it used to be.
Let it be the pioneer on the plain
Seeking a home where he himself is free.

(America never was America to me.)”

Read Langston Hughes’ “Let America Be America Again” and 11 other poems for #BlackHistoryMonth (via The Academy of American Poets)

12 Poems to Read for Black History Month - February is Black History Month, and to celebrate the contributions black poets have made, and continue to...

02/12/2021

Is your Valentine an arts lover? Brighten their day with an ecard featuring a project from our Public Art Network Year in Review! Eco-friendly and guaranteed to arrive on time, ecards are a sweet way to honor a loved one—and your donation in their honor is a unique gift that goes directly to advancing the arts and arts education nationwide.

Schedule one today to arrive on February 14: https://bit.ly/3757v24

02/11/2021

First 100 Days: Artist-created Posters Demanding Action from Biden/Harris

Activism in Philadelphia is getting a creative boost from Mural Arts Philadelphia and 10 local artists who created posters demanding action from the Biden/Harris administration on a range of issues from economic equity and climate justice to COVID relief and a living minimum wage.

So excited to launch First 100 Days today​, a new art project designed to engage the public around policy issues that could be addressed in the new presidential administration! I’ve created/c…

02/10/2021

As monuments come down around the country and other public artworks replace them, we must grapple with what histories or values are being expressed through public art. Join us Thursday, March 4 on #ArtsU for a 3-hour intensive workshop exploring how public art practitioners can work with communities to ensure that public artworks contribute to creating spaces of belonging.

Americans for the Arts members can sign up at a discounted rate! Register now: http://bit.ly/39U38rk

[Photo by James Eades on Unsplash.]

02/09/2021

The Financial Impact of COVID-19 on Intentionally Marginalized Artists and Creative Workers

It’s been almost a year since the coronavirus put the U.S. arts and culture sector in lockdown. We've spent the last year surveying artists and arts organizations across the country, and the results are clear: artists are hurting financially, and those who are intentionally marginalized have been hit harder, likely because of inequities that have long existed prior to the pandemic.

Artists in the United States are hurting, and those who are intentionally marginalized have been hit harder, likely because of inequities that have long existed prior to the pandemic.

02/08/2021

Washingtonian

Did anyone get out and see this history-breaking artwork in DC this weekend?

The exhibit celebrates Kamala Harris' glass ceiling-shattering moments and is on display at the Reflecting Pool through tomorrow.

02/05/2021

Partnerships can make or break the effectiveness of a community development project—and local arts agencies are uniquely positioned to promote the role of the arts in addressing community goals! Join us Thursday, Feb. 25 on #ArtsU for a webinar exploring successful partnerships between a local municipal planning agency, an environmental conservancy group, and the indigenous community native to Mariposa County, CA.

Register now: http://bit.ly/367lUue

02/04/2021

Celebrating Black Artists in the Classroom | Advancement Courses

Elevating Black artists in the classroom isn't just about teaching art; it's a way for teachers to teach history through the arts—and to show how the arts have the power to change the course of history. #BlackHistoryMonth

Black artists belong in your pedagogy. Discover how to celebrate black artists in the classroom and how you can use their work for teaching history.

02/03/2021

Strengthening Mental Health through The Arts (Including Mine!)

As community leaders seek to maintain the wellness and mental health of their residents amidst a global pandemic, new research shows the arts are an effective resource in reducing depression and anxiety and increasing life satisfaction.

The arts are a proven contributor in keeping us mentally healthy, helping us heal when we are not well, and reducing healthcare costs.

02/02/2021

Why Bryan Stevenson Believes Art Can Help Us Confront the Traumas of Racism

“The public narrative a nation creates about what is important is reflected in memorials and monuments. Who is honored, remembered, and memorialized tells a story about a society that can’t be reflected in other ways.”

As the founder of the nonprofit, the Equal Justice Initiative, Stevenson sees art as a fundamental cornerstone in building racial equity.

02/01/2021

Apply for the 2021 Jorge and Darlene Pérez Prize in Public Art & Civic Design

Applications are now open for the 2021 Jorge and Darlene Pérez Prize in Public Art & Civic Design! Arts administrators with a track record of advancing community, civic, and social good through public art can apply to receive a grant package upwards of $50,000 plus professional development opportunities. Join a free virtual information session on Feb. 3 to learn more about the Prize and the application process! Application deadline is March 15, 2021.

The prize will recognize an arts administrator with a track record of exemplary work in producing with intention to advance community, civic, or social good by implementing art-based processes and/or projects.

01/29/2021

Have a great project that you’re looking for funding to support? Missed out on our first webinar on National Endowment for the Arts grant programs? We're doing it again! Join us Tuesday, Feb. 2 on #ArtsU to learn about the application process, pitch your idea, and get guidance directly from NEA staff.

Register now: https://bit.ly/3qKfZTK

01/28/2021

“Recognizing local corporate leaders on a national stage helps to reinforce their understanding of why the arts matter, and why giving to the arts matters. These awards make our entire community proud.” —Alecia Kintner, CEO, ArtsWave

Arts orgs: Have your business partners continued to support your organization during these uncertain times? Show your gratitude and recognize their remarkable commitment to the arts with a nomination for our national Arts + Business Partnership Awards by Feb. 12, 2021.

Learn more and nominate a company here: https://bit.ly/2LOKskO

01/27/2021

We're THRILLED to recognize Rosten Woo, Laurie Woolery, and Eddy Kwon as the 2021 Johnson Fellows for Artists Transforming Communities! This year's Fellows were the top finalists nominated for the 2018 (public art), 2019 (theater), and 2020 (music) Johnson Fellowship. Each artist impressed with their transformative work in communities, and each is recognized with a $20,000 award. Visit AmericansForTheArts.org/JohnsonFellow to learn more about the Fellowship and the work of these three extraordinary artists!

Rosten Woo (he/him) is a designer, writer, and educator living in Los Angeles. He produces civic-scale artworks that emerge from long-term collaborations between grassroots organizations, cultural and community nonprofits, and local governments. Since 2010, Rosten has worked significantly in Los Angeles producing temporary and permanent installations and projects that help people orient themselves to places, understand complex systems and complicated histories, and illuminate present-day issues.

Laurie Woolery (she/her) is a director, playwright, and citizen artist who works in theaters across the country, and is the Director of Public Works at The Public Theater, a program that seeks to engage the people of New York by making them creators and not just spectators. In her long trajectory of community-engaged theater, Laurie has developed new work with diverse communities ranging from incarcerated women to residents of a Kansas town devastated by a tornado. She creates site-specific work that has ranged from a working sawmill in Eureka, CA to the banks of the Los Angeles River.

Eddy Kwon (they/them) is an interdisciplinary artist, educator, and fundraiser based in Brooklyn and formerly in Cincinnati. Until 2020, Eddy served as Artistic Director of Price Hill Will, a nonprofit comprehensive community development corporation serving the diverse neighborhood of Price Hill, Cincinnati. Their programs at the intersection of creative youth development, community engagement, and equitable neighborhood development present an impactful model for how community development organizations can use the arts as a means and end for advancing equity.

01/26/2021

Creativity Drove the Inauguration—It Should Drive the Recovery, Too

Even as the arts are called to center stage in moments like last week's Inauguration celebration, we cannot ignore that creative workers are in desperate need of support right now:

- 15% do not have access to clean water.
- 1 in 10 has experienced homelessness.
- Over 50% have experienced food insecurity.
- Over 40% have been unable to get needed medical help.

63% of creative workers were unemployed as of the end of 2020 and earned, on average, less than half of what they anticipated earning last year. And the impact is disproportionate: Artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) have higher rates of unemployment than white artists (69% vs. 60%) and lost a larger percentage of their 2020 income (61% vs. 56%).

Now is the time to invest in the creative economy and the 5.1 million creative workers who make it up. It is an $878 billion industry that the country cannot recover without.

There can be no national recovery, no American Rescue, without the creative economy, and the 5.1 million creative workers who make it up.

01/25/2021

Request a Scholarship to the 2021 National Arts Action Summit

Registration is NOW OPEN for the National Arts Action Summit, happening virtually April 5-9! Join us and national partners for a week of #ArtsAdvocacy training and learn how to make the case for the arts to your elected officials. New this year: Scholarships are available for leaders of color, leaders with disabilities, and/or individuals at rural-based organizations. Request a scholarship by Friday, Feb. 26.

Join Americans for the Arts, organizational partners, and hundreds of advocates April 5-9, 2021 for the National Arts Action Summit. For the first time, Americans for the Arts is pleased to offer a number of scholarship opportunities!

01/22/2021

Trump’s NEA chief steps down ahead of schedule as Biden team comes in

The leadership shown these past few years by National Endowment for the Arts Chair Mary Anne Carter, during a time when we saw annual calls from the White House to terminate the organization, has been vitally important. Join us in thanking her for her work to #SAVEtheNEA!

Mary Anne Carter submits her resignation after four years at the arts agency.

01/21/2021

Take a deep dive into the impacts of #COVID19 on arts & culture in a white paper produced by National Endowment for the Arts, FEMA, and Argonne National Laboratory. The report explores some of the adaptations and resources that are helping arts organizations and artists to survive financially during the pandemic.

Read it here (PDF download): https://bit.ly/3sh1gRE

01/20/2021

WATCH: Amanda Gorman reads inauguration poem, 'The Hill We Climb'

In case you missed it: the arts on full and powerful display at #Inauguration2021 courtesy of the incredible National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman.

Amanda Gorman, a 22-year-old poet, read an original work at President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.After Biden was sworn in as the nation’s 46th presi...

01/20/2021

The Arts Are in Crisis. Here’s How Biden Can Help.

"As President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. prepares to take office, and begins to flesh out his proposals to help the nation recover, he and his cabinet have the chance — the responsibility — to offer a new settlement for American culture. The country he will now lead, as the pandemic wanes and as the economy recovers, is going to require major social catharsis — and he needs to ensure that the arts are still there to provide it."

The pandemic has decimated the livelihoods of those who work in the arts. How can the new administration intervene and make sure it doesn’t happen again? A critic offers an ambitious plan.

01/19/2021

Trump Tried to End Federal Arts Funding. Instead, It Grew.

"When Donald Trump became the first president to make a formal proposal to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts, the future looked grim to the many artists and cultural organizations that have long worried about conservative efforts to close the federal arts-funding agency. But the nightmare they feared never came to pass. The agency survived, its budget even grew a bit, not because President Trump ever wavered in his view of it as a waste of federal dollars, but because a bipartisan Congress voted to keep it alive."

Each year, President Trump’s proposed federal budget eliminated funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. But the agency survived, largely by relying on bipartisan support in Congress.

01/18/2021

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

Today, the nation honors Martin Luther King Jr. with a national Day of Service. Learn more & find volunteer opportunities at www.mlkday.gov. #MLKDay #DayOfService

Pictured: MLK Memorial by sculptor Lei Yixin. Photo by Sonder Quest on Unsplash.

01/15/2021

Mayor Warren pledges funding for 'bold new era of public art'

Rochester, NY, is working to create “a bold new era of public art” in the city by establishing a new fund that would pay for arts projects that “inspire us to work together to achieve equity,” including public sculptures, performance art, murals, and the written word.

In her State of the City literature, Mayor Lovely Warren outlined the creation of an "arts equity fund" and a city arts commission.

01/14/2021

International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development, 2021 | UNCTAD

Cultural and creative industries provide nearly 30 million jobs worldwide and employ more people aged 15−29 than any other sector. We’re excited to see the United Nations recognize 2021 as the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.

In 2019 at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, 2021 was declared the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. Indonesia was the main sponsor of the proposal, which was presented by a global grouping of countries, including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Mongo...

01/13/2021

Last week, the Small Business Administration announced the reopening of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and new rules guiding the loans. The rules are complex, and we're here to help! Join us and our Arts Action Fund for a FREE two-part webinar series breaking down these and other COVID-19 Economic Relief Opportunities this Friday and next Friday on #ArtsU.

Register here: https://bit.ly/2XvJdt2