Given the timeliness and importance of the information it contains, our Spring newsletter (March 2020) for members is being shared publicly.
For an April update on impact and recommendations, please click here.
From the President
Recognizing the huge implications world-wide that are evolving currently, I challenge you to keep in mind – and help our government and community leaders understand – that the creative sector is and will always offer avenues for creatively addressing challenges, healing, understanding, and joy.
We all know the statistics that show the economic impact of the arts, but there are highly valued – and often understated – effects that are powerfully life-changing and community-shaping. Recently, thanks to the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, a fresh and inspiring podcast – Divested, Episode 6: Arts and Culture – gave me a much needed shot in the arm in this regard. The podcast shares stories that will reinforce so many reasons why the arts are so important for all our communities – especially now.
Here’s the link to the podcast, and a link the transcript.
Remember that the Arts Matter in more ways than economically, and tell your stories. Especially as we deal with the crisis of the Coronavirus, let’s remember and remind others that the arts should play an important part of coping during the crisis and dealing with the aftermath.
Sincerely,
Amy Wynn
President, Connecticut Arts Alliance and
Executive Director, American Mural Project
P.S. Our thanks to Jonathan Winn of Thrown Stone Theatre Company in Ridgefield for creating the Arts Matter logo.
Help to Gather Data
For our arts and culture community to qualify for all the resources available to us, it is important to gather data about the social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are national, state, and, in some cases, regional surveys to complete, and although some questions are repetitive, we do ask that you take the time to complete each one as applicable.
UPDATE: Some surveys are time sensitive and links may change. We will update links as we receive them.
National Survey
The Americans for the Arts’ (AFTA) survey is “designed to collect information about the financial and human impacts that the spread of the coronavirus have had on arts and cultural organizations.” There are over 10,000 arts-related businesses in our state, and we’d like to see a strong showing of responses from Connecticut!
The survey should take only 5 minutes. Be sure to complete only one survey for your organization.
State Survey
In Connecticut, the Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD), which the Office of the Arts is a part of, is collecting information from businesses (including nonprofits) to help direct the work of the Governor and the Department. This survey should also take no more than 5 minutes to complete.
Regional Surveys
Finally, the Connecticut Office of the Arts has nine Designated Regional Service Organizations (DRSO) that serve as local field offices. Four of these organizations have developed on-line surveys to gather information on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in their region. If you’re uncertain which region your town is in, please check the listings on the DRSO link in this paragraph.
- If you are an individual artist, please complete the survey for the city or town in which you reside.
- If you represent a nonprofit arts organizations or for-profit creative businesses, please complete the survey based on your business location. Again, please complete only one survey for each organization or business.
- Please note that the regional service organizations for several towns and cities do not have a survey available at this time.
Arts Council of Greater New Haven / TAKE SURVEY
Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County / TAKE SURVEY
Northwest Connecticut Arts Council / TAKE SURVEY (This is a survey for individual artists, musicians, and creative service employees only)
Southeastern Connecticut Cultural Coalition / TAKE SURVEY
Resources and Links
Data and resources available are changing rapidly during this time of crisis, so we’re providing links to governmental and organizational websites that are collecting information of interest to the cultural community.
The State of Connecticut has complied a website of information on COVID-19 and has published a document of Frequently Asked Questions on the State’s Actions Related to COVID-19 . Of particular interest to artists and art organizations may be sections on unemployment (including the Shared Work Program which supplements employees’ pay when their hours are reduced ) and assistance for small businesses and nonprofits. Note that nonprofits are eligible for low-interest Small Business Association loans.
The Connecticut Office of the Arts has also assembled an extensive list of COVID-19 Resources, including links to resource pages from Regional Service Organizations.
The Alliance, a membership organization for Connecticut nonprofits, has published a COVID-19 Response Resource Center collecting links to Federal and State agency resources.
The Connecticut Council for Philanthropy has also collected Coronavirus Resources for Funders and Nonprofits.
Americans for the Arts (AFTA) has a Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource and Response Center. AFTA provides one of the best sites for national information for our creative sector, including up-to-date news and links. Particularly useful is a chart outlining relief program eligibility for nonprofit arts organizations, commercial arts organizations, and individual artists.
The New England Foundation for the Arts has also compiled a webpage of resources and links for artists and cultural organizations.
Finally, COVID-19 & Freelance Artists is one of the most comprehensive websites of resources we’ve found for individual and freelance artists.
If you’ve found other resources you’d like to share, please email links to info@ctartsalliance.org.
We may be socially distant, but we’re culturally connected, and sustaining each other and our arts and culture community is our top priority now.
