EdTA Advocacy Update
April 28, 2020
The Advocacy Update is where you can find current national and state news concerning arts advocacy and arts education.
STATE NEWS
Do you have state or province theatre or arts education news you want to share? Send it to Leah at lball@schooltheate.org
Alaska: Alaska Humanities Forum to distribute emergency funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support Alaska’s cultural organizations (Anchorage Press)
Arkansas: New grant paves way for relief for arts organizations (Pine Bluff Commercial)
California: AB 5 forced arts groups to evolve. For some, COVID-19 made the change ‘catastrophic’ (Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles councilman plans to create emergency grants for artists (The Art Newspaper)
Connecticut: Connecticut Arts, Humanities Organizations Eligible to Receive Grants (HamletHub)
Georgia: Nonprofit Arts Organizations In Atlanta Will Collectively Lose More Than $10,000,000 (BroadwayWorld Atlanta)
Indiana: Arts organizations can apply for emergency relief funding (The Tribune)
Iowa: Iowa Arts Council taking applications for emergency grants for artists and arts organizations affected by COVID-19 (Little Village)
Kentucky: Ky. to distribute federal funding to arts organizations impacted by COVID-19 (KFVS12)
Maine: Maine Arts Commission gets $426,800 in pandemic relief (Portland Press Herald)
ArtsEngageME to provide emergency relief to Maine artists (centralmaine.com)
Massachusetts: Efforts from arts organizations support artists during the pandemic (The Daily Free Press)
Michigan: Emergency relief funds totaling $502,400 available to Michigan nonprofit arts and cultural organizations (ClickOnDetroit.com)
Minnesota: Minnesota State Arts Board suspends nine grants to reallocate for more immediate needs (TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press)
Nebraska: Nebraska arts, humanities organizations eligible for federal CARES Act dollars, can apply for grants from state councils (Nebraska City News-Press)
New Jersey: Jersey City could remove art-funding ballot question (Hudson Reporter)
New Mexico: New Mexico Arts to distribute $1.5 million in economic relief (Santa Fe New Mexican)
New York: NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund Issues $44 million to 276 Arts and Social Services Nonprofits (ArtfixDaily)
DCLA and Americans for the Arts Team Up to Survey Nonprofits on Financial Impact of COVID-19 (Playbill)
Ohio: Arts groups will get $1.6M from Columbus Foundation to help cope with Covid-19 - Columbus Business First (Columbus Business First)
Oklahoma: Coronavirus in Oklahoma: Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Humanities to invest $800,000 in state's cultural sectors (The Oklahoman)
Oregon: Gov. Kate Brown announces 2020 Governor's Arts Awards (KTVZ)
Pennsylvania: Cultural Trust Remains Optimistic During Intermission (Pittsburgh Current)
Rhode Island: New initiatives aim to support Rhode Island arts community (ABC6)
R.I. arts groups to get federal assistance amid coronavirus outbreak (Providence Journal)
South Carolina: Agency offers emergency relief grants to help S.C. arts organizations, musicians (WLTX19)
SC Arts Commission looks to fortify an uncertain future for the state’s creative class (Free Times)
Vermont: $800,000 from CARES Act to come on line for arts groups (VTDigger)
Vermont Arts Council and the Vermont Community Foundation partner on statewide COVID-19 arts recovery fund (VTDigger)
Vermont Arts Council: The arts are struggling, but hardly giving up (Times Argus)
Virginia: Virginia Commission for the Arts offering emergency funding for organizations impacted by coronavirus (Virginian-Pilot)
Washington: ArtsWA Provides Nonprofit Art Organizations Grant Opportunity (Newsradio 560 KPQ)
At Current Rate Only 12% Of Artists Get Emergency Funds (BroadwayWorld Seattle)
Wyoming: Support Grants Available for Wyoming Arts Organizations (SweetwaterNOW)
NATIONAL NEWS
National Endowment for the Arts Awards CARES Act Funding to States - Within 18 days of the president signing the CARES Act, the National Endowment for the Arts has distributed almost $30 million in funding nationwide. (The National Endowment for the Arts)
New TCG Study Estimates $500 Million+ in Not for Profit Theatre Revenue Lost By June - Theatre Communications Group released the findings of its Coronavirus Preparedness and Impact Report based on a snapshot survey completed by one hundred sixty-eight theatres in March. (BroadwayWorld)
55,000 Applied for Artist Relief Emergency Grants in Barely 2 Weeks - Artist Relief, an emergency fund for American creatives hit hardest by the financial and structural fallout of the Coronavirus, reports that over 55,000 people have applied for grants. (Observer)
WORTH READING
After America reopens, a healthy roadmap for theater - American Repertory Theater’s Diane Paulus and Chan School’s Joseph G. Allen collaborate on a dynamic, evolving plan to ensure public safety and the life of performing art. (The Harvard Gazette)
Broadway Star Laura Benanti Recently Tossed A Social Media Lifeline To Musical Theater Students Hit By The Shutdown - Lauren Benanti shares about SunshineSongs, about what motivated her to reach out, and the response she’s gotten from students and more than a few Broadway stars. (Deadline)
The Importance of Theater in Turbulent Times - Lindsey Buller Maliekel, Director of Education/Public Engagement at the New Victory Theater, shares her thoughts on the role of theater for young people during turbulent times. (The New Victory Theater)
Updates for Regional Theatre Companies' Seasons and the Digital Content They're Creating Instead - Playbill’s regularly updated list on postponements, cancellations, and scheduling updates for regional theatres, as well as alternative programming they are offering. (Playbill)
It’s the Arts. Troubling News Yet Still Room for Optimism - Randy Cohen, Vice President of Research at Americans for the Arts, shares his views that when the crises ends, “The arts should be looked to as an essential tool in both economic recovery and reconnecting our communities.” (Americans for the Arts)