Arts Link – Spring 2022 by Americans for the Arts

I N T H I S I S S U E : How Art Disrupts the Culture of Violence on Public Transit | Meet Artist Riva Lehrer COVID-19 Impact on Artists | 2022 Annual Convention Digital Content | New Haven’s Cultural Equity Plan

Americans for the Arts

THE SOURCE FOR ARTS PROFESSIONALS IN THE KNOW

LINK

arts

SPRING 2022

LINK

arts Arts Link Mission

Published three times a year for our Professional Members, Arts Link provides insight and expertise on the latest trends, resources, tools, and ideas in the field of local arts agencies and arts professionals. Written by Americans for the Arts staff and guest contributors, Arts Link brings together arts advocacy news, member spotlights, and highlights of artists and arts organizations from across the country so that our members can continue to create a world where everyone has access to the arts and their transformative power. Arts Link Managing Editor Linda Lombardi llombardi@artsusa.org Arts Link Editorial Committee Michael Chodos* Heather Flanagan Ruby Lopez Harper Jerelle Jenkins* Pam Korza Clay Lord* Laura Martin* Narric Rome* Marissa Shadburn* Jessica Stern* Inga Vitols Patricia Walsh Ann Marie Watson * denotes content contributor this issue Arts Link Design Studio e2 Cover Not One More Girl campaign participants, photo by Lara Kaur. Inside Cover Enchanted Promenade by TILT, Lead Artist Francois Fouilhe, photo courtesy Discovery Green Conservancy. Copyright 2022, Americans for the Arts.

Calendar MAY 18–20, 2022 Annual Convention

JUNE 7, 2022 Member Briefing

SPRING 2022

Contents FEATURES

06 How Art Disrupts the Culture of Violence on Public Transit Community-driven initiative, Not One More Girl, takes on sexual harassment and gender-based violence on public transit.

14 So Far Past the Brink How systemic failures sent creative workers into free fall during COVID-19—and how to avoid it happening again. DEPARTMENTS

04 Working for You Americans for the Arts News

National Arts Action Summit, Annual Convention Digital Content, Plus Sessions and Speakers

12 Member Center You Belong Here

Member Spotlight Mehmet Dede, New Haven’s Cultural Equity Plan, Membership Briefing Recap

20 Leadership in Practice Inspiring Leadership Through Example

Miami Arts Center Builds Community, Celebrating Black Genius, Artist Riva Lehrer

22 The Toolbox Information to Help You Succeed

Chamber of Commerce Partnership Series, On-Demand Arts Marketing Resources, Federal Funding Resource Guides, 11th Street Bridge Park Webinar

02 From the President Message from President and CEO Nolen V. Bivens

03 Editor’s Note Preview of stories this issue, trivia, highlights from the bookstore, and web features

SPRING 2022 | ARTS LINK | 1

From the President

n 2022, we are all working hard on many fronts simultaneously. We continue to see many promising signs of recovery, while there are still great challenges facing artists, arts organizations, and our nation.

ALL THE GOOD WORK you are doing is

The Arts Are a National Asset: Arts

Success Depends on Equitable and

encouraging—as is the work of my

Everywhere and for Everyone Everything

Collaborative Partnerships Creating the

colleagues at Americans for the Arts.

Americans for the Arts does starts with

environment for broad public support

In addition to planning for convenings,

the premise that the arts make our

for the arts, and the policy and funding

starting work on our economic research,

communities healthier and stronger,

support that follows, requires that every

and sharing stories from the field, we

that there can and should be something

possible partner plays their most powerful

continue moving forward on our Stra-

for everyone, and that the arts are every-

part, and that each partner recognizes other

tegic Realignment Process. Using an

where. The arts should be thought of as a

partners’ ability to contribute.

Appreciative Inquiry approach, we are

national asset; supported, cultivated, and

building on the strengths, possibilities,

nurtured as such. It must be a priority for

and successes to bring about positive

all of us to build that understanding in

change. You can read more here about

ways that lead to action.

how to join us in this effort.

Build Trust and Resiliency Trust, healing,

and change are all needed moving forward, each will help the other grow, and this can aid us in creating a staff and culture

Community Is Where the Arts Make a

that is supportive and resilient. It is also cru-

In the last issue of Arts Link, I wrote

Difference People can tell their own story

cial that we address the cultural and racial

about hope and how artists and arts

about how the arts changed a street

justice lessons re-learned during 2020 in

communities provide optimism and

or neighborhood. We want to find even

the culture, policy, and practice within our

possibility. That theme continues today

better ways to spotlight and communicate

organization, supporting the aspiration

as new leaders throughout the sector

the broadening and ever-increasing

of continuous momentum on resiliency

come on board, congressional arts

contribution and value of the arts as a

and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

champions increased the number of pro-

solution for addressing the nation’s most

arts bills in congress, the administration

challenging concerns.

proposed a $23.5 million increase to the National Endowment for the Arts budget, and we continue to spotlight hopeful stories about arts and artists supporting economic recovery and working toward healthy, equitable communities.

for the Arts must be relevant for this

Focus on Our Place in a Network of

moment and into the future. We want

Networks In the pandemic and the

people to turn to us for meaningful

reckoning with longtime racial injustices,

responses, whether it is a crisis or not.

we learned that it wasn’t enough to

For this to happen, we must understand

advocate for the nonprofit arts sector.

challenges before they unfold.

Our organization’s place in a “network of

Since joining Americans for the Arts,

networks” gave us the ability to connect

I’ve had many conversations with

with different partners across sectors

colleagues, members, partners,

and these connections have been crucial

and friends. I want to share some

in pandemic-related advocacy. No single

observations in the form of six themes

organization is at the center in this kind

necessary for supporting the hope that

of successful structure; instead, the arts

arts create, far into the future.

are at the center of our network.

2 | ARTS LINK | SPRING 2022

Stay Relevant, Be Prepared Americans

I look forward to working together to further the important impact of the arts on recovery, resiliency, and hope. Sincerely,

The Source for Arts Professionals in the Know

Editor’s Note Online

SPRING IS HERE, flowers are in bloom,

and the longer days invite us outside to explore neighborhoods and communities. WELCOME two additions to

There’s a lightness in people’s steps and smiles

the Americans for the Arts

come quicker and easier. Though COVID-19 con-

staff! Adrianne R. Troilo joined

tinues to ebb and flow, more than two years of

as Vice President of People and

living with the pandemic has shown us that we

Culture in December 2021, and

can go on, that we are strong. And the arts and

Daniel Fitzmaurice joined as

culture sector continues to be a beacon of hope.

Chief of Staff in April 2022. Read

Spring also makes my mind turn to thoughts of

the full story on our website.

Trivia

renewal and change. A friend once told me that everything in life is a season—the good times and the hard—we just never know how long the season will last. But the seasons constantly

OVER A CENTURY ago, on

May 26, 1913, Actors’ Equity Association, was founded by

112 actors at the Pabst Grand Circle Hotel. Today, Equity

Photos courtesy Americans for the Arts.

change, and so do we. As we come out of our homes and back into shared spaces, we have an opportunity to see the world with fresh eyes and bring about change to our ways of working together, to how we create and share art, and

represents more than 51,000

how we support our communities.

professional singers, actors,

In our first Arts Link issue of 2022, we share

dancers, and stage managers

some highlights from the National Arts Action

throughout the United States.

Summit and Annual Convention, celebrate the work of members from across the country, and resources for the field. Our two feature

BOOKSTORE

stories dive into social issues and how the arts intersect with advocacy. In How Art Disrupts the Culture of Violence on Public Transit, guest

authors Haleema Bharoocha, Anyka Howard, and Sango Tajima share the work of their comCommon Threads Theater Project Council of Greater Council for the Arts of Greater Lima Common Threads Theater Project Council for the Arts The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center Arte es Vida Arte es Vida The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center Arte es Vida

ART, DIALOGUE, ACTION, ACTIVISM, CASE

munity-driven initiative, Not One More Girl, and

Agents and Assets Los Angeles Poverty Department Agents and Assets Understanding Neighbors Out North Contem Out North Contemporary Art House Understanding Neighbors

STUDIES FROM ANIMATING DEMOCRACY

the use of art to confront sexual harassment

Los Angeles Poverty Department ... ... ... C A S E S T U D I E S F R O M A N I M A T I N G D E M O C R A C Y

AAction ctivism

, ,

AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS

Four different efforts provide insights into dialogue

and gender-based violence on public transit.

integrated within cultural activity, dialogue to

In So Far Past the Brink, Clay Lord and guest

explore different perspectives within a commonly

author Isaac Fitzsimons share findings from an

held goal or position, and dialogue as a necessary

April 2022 report that explores the impact of

precursor to decision-making or action.

the pandemic on creative workers.

Buy your copy today.

PERFORMING ARTS MANAGEMENT BY TOBIE STEIN & JESSICA BATHURST With every type of performing

arts organization included, this book is a mustread for every student or manager of performing

I hope you enjoy this issue of Arts Link and that this spring brings you positive change. Please email and let me know what you thought of the stories inside or take the survey mentioned on the back cover. I’d love to hear from you!

arts. This comprehensive volume has everything you need to know including information on ticket sales, labor relations, touring productions, facility

Linda Lombardi, Managing Editor llombardi@artsusa.org

management, and much more. Buy your copy today. Photo by Jendayi Asha Creative.

AmericansForTheArts.org

SPRING 2022 | ARTS LINK | 3

AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS NEWS

WORKING FOR YOU to register for the National Arts Action Summit. Removing these financial barriers for this virtual convening meant that advocates from anywhere in the country could attend if they had a device through which to participate. This year, we also focused the National Arts Action Summit on the annual appropriations process and the

NATIONAL ARTS ACTION SUMMIT 2022 Advocacy Launch

The past two years have seen

currently pending creative workforce

tremendous changes and hardships

legislation. By reducing the issues

for the world, our country, and for the

presented at the Summit, policy

arts. This year’s convening yielded

leaders and attendees alike were able

the most expansive attendance of the

to develop a more compelling and

Summit yet—more communities, more

straightforward advocacy strategy

disciplines, and more backgrounds were

that maintains the focus on increasing

represented than ever before. With more

resources to underrepresented and

participants, our collective voice grows

marginalized communities in the

and is heard by members of Congress

creative sector.

and their staff.

Working together on policy priorities

This past year, Americans for the Arts

allows us to educate and amplify the

THE 2022 National Arts Action

has spent time and energy to reflect and

impact these essential federal funds

Summit (NAAS) was held virtually

change the way it contributes leadership

and policy changes can have for arts

on March 28–30. This multi-day event

in the arts and culture field. For 2022,

and culture organizations and the

brings together arts advocates from

with input from our Task Force for Racial

creative workforce.

across the country to discuss federal arts

and Cultural Equity, we continued to

advocacy and learn the best advocacy

innovate this long-standing event in

strategies to affect national change.

several ways to make it more accessible

Now in its 35th consecutive year, the National Arts Action Summit is the only national event designed to bring together a broad cross-section of America’s cultural and civic organizations to underscore the importance of

and impactful. One of the areas the Task Force highlighted for potential action was to focus on “democratization of the policy and advocacy agenda”—a recommendation that guided our changes to the NAAS event.

Even if you couldn’t join the 2022 Summit, you can still join our grassroots advocacy coalition in building a united coalition of advocates representing our field before the administration and U.S. Congress. By presenting a thoughtful, unified message to members of Congress, advocates can ensure their voice is heard when

developing strong public policies and

This year, for the first time, there was

Congress considers how to fund arts

appropriating increased public funding

no individual registration fee. There was

and culture and strengthen support

for the arts and culture.

also no partnership fee for organizations

for the creative workforce.

4 | ARTS LINK | SPRING 2022

The Source for Arts Professionals in the Know

2022 Annual Convention Sessions and Speakers ONLY AT CONVENTION will you find a D.C.

youth poet-emeritus, top arts researchers, experts in trauma-informed creative practice, one of the nation’s top scholars on creative placemaking, and a music video starring luminescent, colorful coral!

2022 Annual Convention Access Digital Content Available in June

The Annual Convention will welcome over 70 speakers, artists, and teachers, and keynote and panel sessions will be available for digital, on-demand access starting around June 15, 2022, by registering at the Convention website. Among the 70 leaders whose expertise will be

DIGITAL CONTENT FROM THE 2022 Americans for the Arts’ Annual Conven-

tion will become available in June, and you won’t want to miss it! The

available via the digital, on-demand recordings: n

Donna Walker-Kuhne, Communications Expert

Jill Sonke, Arts and Healing Leader

for digital access on ArtsU. Registration closed May 2 for the live event but you

Juanita Hardy, Creative Placemaking Expert

can still enjoy Convention from the comfort of your computer screen!

Kyna Elliott, Trauma-Informed

to march together, and carrying forward cultural change. The keynotes and

Lisa Yancey, Cultural Strategist

sessions available on ArtsU will celebrate the transformative, collective strength

Marjan Naderi, D.C. Youth Poet Laureate

of creative workers and cultural organizations across the United States,

Sunil Iyengar, Research Expert

including wisdom from culture bearers and leaders from across the country.

Zannie Voss, Data Storyteller

All the sessions will be available on-demand for one flat access fee—you’ll be

Keynote and breakout sessions that will be

able to view them for three months from when the digital platform launches.

posted for on-demand digital access include:

Available sessions include:

Advocacy for What Matters (to You)

in-person conference will take place May 18–20, 2022, and to make sure it is accessible to as many people as possible, much of the content will be available

Arts Practitioner

The 2022 Convention is all about emerging from the past two years, converging

Culturebearers Transforming Communities

“Mad Dog” Thomas and classical Cambodian dancer Charya Burt—the

NEA Grants: Overview of Opportunities

2022 Johnson Fellows—in dialogue and collaborative performance. Plus, the

Principles and Purpose of Trauma-Informed

+ Four full keynotes, including juke/footwork dance artist Christopher

2022 Pérez Prize in Public Art & Civic Design recipient will be announced at Convention and will participate in a dialogue with Juanita Hardy, former senior

Arts & Organizations n

visiting fellow for creative placemaking at the Urban Land Institute. + Breakout panel sessions, including the annual Research Round-Up and

Recovery and Regeneration n

Social Justice as a Foundation for

The Future of For- and Nonprofit

a special overview of NEA grants and opportunities, as well as sessions on cultural activism, resilience and belonging, disrupting philanthropy, and six

Engaging the Community

additional topics. To register for the digital, on-demand content from the 2022 Americans for the

Arts Relationships n

Arts Annual Convention, please visit our Convention website. Registration is $149 for members and $199 for non-members.

Public Art and its Impact on Community

Transforming Cultural Impact Through Social Innovation

We Are Bound: What Is Needed to Improve Treatment of Creative Workers

To register, visit the Convention website.

AmericansForTheArts.org

SPRING 2022 | ARTS LINK | 5

Not One More Girl campaign participants, photo by Stephen Woo.

HOW ART DISRUPTS THE CULTURE OF VIOLENCE ON PUBLIC TRANSIT by Haleema Bharoocha, Anyka Howard, Sango Tajima

hat transformative solutions can artists and cultural workers bring to bear upon the sexual violence that girls* and gender-expansive youth face on public transit? Sexual harassment and gender-based violence in public spaces remain one of the most widespread issues impacting girls globally, yet not enough is done to

address it. A California Assessment of Sexual Harassment found 29% of women surveyed experienced sexual harassment on mass transit. Not One More Girl (NOMG) is a community-driven initiative in the San Francisco Bay Area to end sexual harassment on public transit, informed by 500 youth and led by Alliance for Girls (AFG), Betti Ono, Black Girls Brilliance, The Unity Council’s Latinx Mentorship and Achievement (LMA) Program, and a group of 15 AFG member organizations. NOMG is a partnership with San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to reimagine safety for riders and address sexual harassment and gender-based violence. NOMG was sparked by the powerful work of AFG—the nation’s largest regional network of girl-serving organizations working to change systems to ensure every girl* can thrive— whose 2019 youth participatory action research report, Together We Rise, alongside its three other research initiatives, revealed that girls and gender-expansive Bay Area youth of color frequently feel unsafe and are disproportionately targeted in incidents of sexual assault and gender-based violence on public transportation.

AmericansForTheArts.org

SPRING 2022 | ARTS LINK | 7

HOW ART DISRUPTS THE CULTURE OF VIOLENCE ON PUBLIC TRANSIT

Gender justice advocate Rexy at the podium, photo by Maria J. Avila.

Nisha Kaur Sethi’s art at West Oakland BART, photo by Stephen Woo.

The NOMG campaign is a strategic cultural and systemic intervention to bring healing; build power at the individual, societal, and institutional levels; and hold transit agencies accountable for ensuring safe and just passageways on public systems.

8 | ARTS LINK | SPRING 2022

The Source for Arts Professionals in the Know

changing cultural violence that prevents girls from living their whole lives. The NOMG team successfully advocated for BART to commit to collaborating on developing its first-ever sexual harassment prevention campaign. Youth leaders were centered in the core design team, working directly with the lead artist and voicing the core issues that informed the look, feel, messages, and slogans of the campaign’s visual narrative. Lead artist Nisha Kaur Sethi took the lead in working with the youth to develop and create the visual Not One More Girl activists at BART offices, photo by Maria Avila.

aesthetic. Sethi is a Berkeley-based multi-disciplinary artist, specializing in typography and hand-painted signs, who is deeply invested in uplifting her

Betti Ono is a Black women- and survivor-

Narrative therapy enables us to chal-

led cultural agency with a mission to

lenge old and unhealthy beliefs, and

build power through culture. Its core

focus on creating new narratives of

competencies are racial justice, alliance

belonging, equity, access, and power.

building, cultural strategy, and com-

These life-affirming and self-determined

munity engagement. Betti Ono works

creation stories where the authors write,

collaboratively across public and private

dance, and sing themselves into the

sectors to advance shared public policy

future, disrupt the status quo, and dream

agendas and solutions to society’s most

a vision of a world for us, and by us.

pressing civic issues.

community. Sethi’s work serves as seeds for the resistance in which bright, bold lettering and images dance their way into the streets where they echo the chants and songs of the people. Sethi’s work weaves together modern and traditional techniques to create mixed media art that focuses on social change. Her designs that reflect the voices, lived experiences, and powerful

This residency model is replicable and

images of Black and Brown girls are

Building from a decades-long history

designed to strengthen relationships,

seen and experienced by riders through

of providing sites of cultural resistance

invest in youth, and build the capacity

300+ posters throughout BART train

for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People

of community leaders. Comprehen-

cars, 50+ BART stations, and a large-

of Color) women and girls* to become

sively, NOMG is a strategic cultural and

scale art installation at West Oakland

leaders in affecting and affirming their

systemic intervention to bring healing;

Bart station.

lives, Betti Ono designed the campaign

build power at the individual, societal,

strategy and activated its residency

and institutional levels; and hold transit

model, The Fire Next Time: A Call and

agencies accountable for ensuring safe

Response, to animate AFG’s research.

and just passageways on public systems.

Betti Ono residencies are highly

In the fall and winter of 2019, AFG

gender-equity action plan; negotiated

collaborative, intergenerational, and

brainstormed community solutions

and established equitable relationships

participatory. Artists and cultural

to sexual harassment on transit in

between BART and the community;

workers are embedded in movement-

a preliminary round of town halls,

created 100 paid leadership roles for

building efforts as agitators, strategists,

then drafted a policy proposal with

girls as public speakers, social media

policymakers, storytellers, and

its member organizations, and came

strategists, and artists; and held online

designers. This model uses cultural

back to the community in a second

convenings and gatherings to engage

equity, cultural strategy, world-building,

round of engagements for feedback

and inform the broader community

and narrative therapy to root out

on the proposal. This culminated in a

and public. This involved building an

dominant cultural norms that are

community listening session with BART

equitable partnership so that each entity

creating harm in our communities and to

at Betti Ono to discuss how a transit

could function in their fullness as artists,

create policies and actions that support

agency can work with the community

educators, policy change-makers, and

liberation and freedom.

to create an equitable approach to

youth leaders.

AmericansForTheArts.org

Over the course of 18 months, and through the delays of the pandemic, the NOMG team advocated for and won the adoption of BART’s first-ever youth-led

SPRING 2022 | ARTS LINK | 9

HOW ART DISRUPTS THE CULTURE OF VIOLENCE ON PUBLIC TRANSIT

West Oakland BART activation, photos by Stephen Woo.

‘ Safety Zone’ booths were created as a mechanism to address the mental, emotional, and physical harms that riders experience. These booths equip girls and families with the resources needed to support their agency, power, and ability to navigate harm through trauma-informed healing practices.

10 | ARTS LINK | SPRING 2022

The Source for Arts Professionals in the Know

Updated the BART rider code of

violence worldwide. Moving onwards

conduct to include the prohibition of

from April, Sexual Assault Awareness

sexual harassment.

month, we continue to uplift the call to

BART hired transitional-aged youth

action for transit agencies, community

and long-term policy change were at

to serve on hiring panels for frontline

advocates, and activists to fight for

the root of the campaign. Black Girls

safety roles.

safe and just passageways for our girls

Engaged staff across BART, including

and gender-expansive youth. Today and

Alliance for Girls (AFG) led the

coordination and management of the NOMG strategy, along with policy advocacy to ensure structural changes

Brilliance and Unity Council led efforts

to ensure meaningful youth engagement and youth inclusion throughout the campaign. Roughly 500 Bay Area youth (ages 9–24) contributed to Not One More Girl through youth policy input, research, communications, and narrative-driven art. With the combined forces of cultural strategy, policy change, community engagement, and youth leadership development, the NOMG team developed a campaign where “safety” on transit was redefined as girls saw it. Since the launch of the initiative, the following policy and cultural changes have been accomplished: n

traditional infographics in multiple languages for distribution.

*“ Girls” refers to gender-expansive youth (cis girls, trans girls, non-binary youth, gender non-conforming

The Betti Ono team led the design

youth, gender queer youth, and any

for intentional public engagements

girl-identified youth).

throughout Oakland, rooted in the safety

*“ Gender-based violence” refers to social,

and well-being of the community. The

economic, physical, psychological,

design was informed by AFG’s research,

verbal forms of violence based on

which unearthed what girls need to feel

(perceived) gender (e.g., street harass-

safe. ‘Safety Zone’ booths were created

ment, withholding money, threatening

as a mechanism to address the mental,

comments, etc).

emotional, and physical harms that riders experience. These booths equip girls and families with the resources

* Sexual Violence & Harassment: Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, including unwelcome sexual advances,

Department (BPD) Chief to add a

and ability to navigate harm through

new BART Watch reporting category:

trauma-informed healing practices.

Unwanted verbal/nonverbal sexual

person is not able to consent (e.g., sexual

Riders receive information about

harassment (non-criminal).

assault), verbal or nonverbal conduct

processes to keep the community safe,

of a sexual nature, invasion of personal

Added a question on sexual

as well as free healing kits with unique

space, exposure of genitals or public

harassment occurrences to BART’s

items for inner and outer safety (a copy

masturbation, inappropriate touching,

Passenger Environment Survey

of AFG’s Radical Visions of Safety report,

grinding, groping, intense and unwanted

with BART External Affairs and now

coloring books, youth created resource

staring, and infliction of the fear for safety.

have quarterly data.

zine, mask, hand sanitizer, flashlights,

Created transparency through the

support through BPD.

acts done against a person’s will or when a

the Fruitvale, Deep East Oakland, and West Oakland neighborhoods with ‘Safety Zone’ booths, art, music, and conversations. These meaningful and culturally responsive engagements were

for those who seek help via BART to

a way to get the transit agency to shift its

report or get resources in the case

position of power, directly connect with

of gender-based violence (GBV)* or

the community, and build a relationship

sexual harassment.

with its ridership.

Filmed a bystander intervention

NOMG has gained national recognition

HALEEMA BHAROOCHA (she/her) is the advocacy director at Alliance for Girls (AFG) where she organizes 180 members in advocacy initiatives like Not One More Girl. Read more.

ANYKA HOWARD (she/her) is a curator, strategist, and social entrepreneur. In 2010, she founded Betti Ono as a creative social enterprise for artists of color to thrive. Read more.

and the team is exploring phase two

Curated community engagements

to build on this progress and have

that reached over 300 people using

the model adopted by other transit

narrative, art, digital, and cultural

agencies. This movement will continue

strategy to connect with those

in the Bay Area and beyond to end

impacted by GBV and allies.

sexual harassment and gender-based

AmericansForTheArts.org

requests for sexual favors, physical sexual

disinfecting wipes, etc). NOMG activated

Ensured survivors know their options

training video. n

Developed multiple resources including a youth-designed zine and

needed to support their agency, power,

webpage about the process of seeking

forever, we say Not One More Girl!

Worked with the BART Police

campaign and created a new BART.gov

station agents on the NOMG initiative.

SANGO TAJIMA (she/her) is a Japanese American performer and theater-maker. She is the administrative and grants manager of Betti Ono. Read more.

SPRING 2022 | ARTS LINK | 11

YOU BELONG HERE

MEMBER CENTER

Mehmet Dede, photo by Sebnem Tasci.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Mehmet Dede

the programming director of downtown

continued to create and found innovative

New York City music venue, Drom.

ways to channel their creativity and

In a Member Spotlight earlier this year, Dede shared his views on teaching, programming at Drom, the impact of the pandemic on live music and the arts, and the significance of the communal experience of live music.

THE HARTT SCHOOL at the

“If the last two years taught us anything,

University of Hartford offers

it is that we can no longer rely on older

amplify their stories.”

‘‘

Read the full Q&A on ARTSblog.

Music and the arts are collaborative disciplines; they do not exist in silos. They trigger deeper conversations about life, truth, love, beauty, and other subjects that speak to our

conservatory-based training in music,

means and methods to communicate

dance, and theater that moves beyond

and disseminate art. We are adjusting

conservative traditions. Assistant

to the constantly changing reality of the

Professor of Music and Performing

new performing arts—canceled tours,

Arts Management, Mehmet Dede, is

silent stages, artistic work performed at

an internationally recognized award-

home and transmitted over livestream

lasting, meaningful relationships

winning music curator and festival

technology. That said, the pandemic

on which we can build communities

producer with 20 years of experience

brought out the resilience of the arts,

at the local level. This is why

in the culture space. In addition to his

and the social impact of the work

independent venues are so critical

work at The Hartt School, he is also

has anything but diminished. Artists

to the music ecosystem.

12 | ARTS LINK | SPRING 2022

human condition and society. As a performance curator my goal is to open up paths of inquiry and self-reflection. This leads to long-

The Source for Arts Professionals in the Know

Six Ideas Toward Culture Shift for Americans for the Arts

New Haven’s Cultural Equity Plan

Nolen Bivens President and CEO

IN AN ARTICLE in the fall/winter issue of Arts Link, Director of Arts &

Cultural Affairs Adriane Jefferson, from New Haven’s Department of Arts, Culture, and Tourism, shared New Haven’s Arts for Anti-Racism Pledge and the city’s commitment to undoing racial systems that exist within their arts and culture organizations. Rather than being a pledge that people would sign and forget about, New Haven’s pledge lay the foundation for undoing

Membership Briefing With Nolen Bivens

racial systems within the city’s arts and culture organizations. In January 2022, the City of New Haven launched another advancement in

ON MARCH 8, 2022, we had the first

their equity work—the Cultural Equity Plan. Commissioned by the City of New Haven’s Department of Arts, Culture, and Tourism, the Cultural Equity Plan was written by a group of creatives, culture holders, facilitators, and lifelong residents from across New Haven. It includes a collection of ideas, stories, and questions about culture, and provides tools to identify opportunities for equitable change. The Cultural Equity Plan is an ever-evolving document—the beginning of a conversation New Haven is committed to having forever.

membership briefing of the year. As Americans for the Arts staff, board, stakeholders, and partners continue to work on the Strategic Realignment Process, Workplace Culture Rebuild, and proposed actions from the Task Force for Racial and Cultural Equity, President and CEO Nolen Bivens shared a memo

“As we continue to pick ourselves up from the blow of the pandemic,” writes

summarizing six ideas he considers necessary

Jefferson in her introduction to the Plan, “we have an immense opportunity to

for achieving transformational change.

not go back to being the same as before, but to do better. We will get through

this pandemic eventually, but racial injustice in this country will continue to exist and it’s up to the arts to decide how we will help to eradicate it.”

everywhere and for everyone. 2

Community is where the arts make a difference.

Although specifically created by, with, and for New Haven residents, the ideas, prompts, and activities within the Plan are universal and effective from com-

T he arts are a national asset: arts

Focus on our place in a network

Download and read the full Plan on New Haven’s Arts & Culture webpage.

Success depends on equitable and

Adriane Jefferson, photo by Mark Ferguson.

We must build trust and resiliency.

Stay relevant, be prepared.

munity to community. See how you can incorporate these ideas into your work.

of networks. collaborative partnerships.

At the briefing Bivens discussed these themes in more detail, to continue a more transparent and inclusive conversation about the way forward. The conversation and input from the session was invaluable for progressing our work. Thank you to those who attended. Join us for our second briefing of the year on June 7 for a special presentation from Vice President of Strategic Impact Clay Lord about our Social Impact Explorer.

AmericansForTheArts.org

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“Every time I get my feet under me and start doing well, the economy destroys my career. 2008, 9/11, now this. Every single time, I was at the precipice of major things happening for me that I had worked hard for, and it all went away.” Anonymous Survey Respondent

SO FAR PAST

THE BRINK

How Systemic Failures Sent Creative Workers Into Free Fall During COVID-19—and How to Avoid it Happening Again by Clay Lord and Isaac Fitzsimons

n March 10, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. By April, 63% of the U.S. creative workforce was unemployed, and by June, the arts and culture sector had shrunk by 58%. Within the creative sector, a unique combination of long-term systemic inequities and new rules put in place to mitigate

the pandemic hit hard. They laid bare a pre-existing backdrop of poverty, inequity, and dysfunction in both public and private policy that made the ensuing devastation inevitable.

SPRING 2022 | ARTS LINK | 15

SO FAR PAST THE BRINK From April to November 2020, Americans for the Arts researchers surveyed 33,001 creative workers to document the financial, social, and creative impact

Job Insecurity

63% of respondents became fully unemployed because of COVID-19

of COVID-19 on artists and creative workers as well as the preconditions that made it possible. What follows are a set of key findings and recommendations excerpted from So Far Past the Brink: COVID-19 and the Ongoing Conditions That Keep Creative Workers in Free Fall, published in April 2022.

ECONOMIC INSECURITY n

(vs. 15% of the general population).

P overty and savings. Going into the

pandemic, respondents were 2.5x more likely to live in poverty than the general population, 2 in 3 had less than two months savings, and nearly a third had no savings at all—a number that rose to 55% during the pandemic. Less educated, Black, Indigenous, transgender, and/or respondents with disabilities were the most likely to have entered the pandemic without any savings. n

Wages. 95% of survey respondents

lost creative income. Average total income fell from $33,000 to $13,500

Unpaid Digital Work

70% of respondents whose work was distributed digitally received no revenue from that distribution.

($800 above poverty level) from 2019 to 2020—leaving creative workers with

“I fall between all of the cracks—freelance artist, not working for any organization, 1099 or gig-to-gig, not part of a union, not able to apply for unemployment. Now I’m stuck many ways.” Anonymous Survey Respondent

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The Source for Arts Professionals in the Know

Income Loss

$19.5K Respondents earned an average of

$19,500 less income in 2020 than in 2019.

“ The arts are one of our most vital sectors in civic life, and more investment is needed to respond to the immediate moment and sustain a resilient equitable sector.” Anonymous Survey Respondent

average income that was $30,000 less

workers. Pre-pandemic, for example,

services, retail/wholesale, education,

than the average U.S. worker’s income.

only 8% of respondents could access

and hospitality, where many jobs

paid family leave (vs. 78% overall)

disappeared overnight as well.

Disproportionate impacts and

and 34% of respondents entered the

insulating characteristics. Respon-

pandemic without health insurance

dents with less income, less education,

(vs. 15% overall). 25% experienced

and/or disabilities, as well as those

O nline earnings. Respondents earning

discrimination that prevented them from

money through online sales dropped

earning money during the pandemic.

by a quarter during the pandemic.

Unemployment. 63% of respondents

That said, for those earning online,

provided some insulation, it did

became fully unemployed because of

that revenue made up almost

not mitigate racial inequities; being

COVID-19; the national unemployment

half of their income. While still hit

wealthier, for example, did not insu-

rate was never higher than 15% in the

hard financially by the pandemic,

late Black respondents from losses,

same period. Black, Native Hawaiian/

respondents earning online revenue

though it did for white respondents.

Pacific Islander, Arab/Middle Eastern,

suffered about 10% less financial loss

Hispanic, Indigenous, and Asian/Asian

than those not selling online.

who were not white, were more negatively impacted financially. While higher income and more education

INEQUITIES IN THE DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT

Working to support community, often

American respondents all experienced

without pay. 77% of respondents used

S taying analog. About three-fourths

higher rates of unemployment than

of respondents did share and/or sell

white respondents. Respondents with

their work online. For those who stayed

disabilities, less formal education,

analog, they said they did so because

and/or who were younger were dispro-

their work could not translate; they

portionately unemployed as well.

could not access necessary materials,

Inequitable layoffs and furloughs.

technology, or internet; or they lacked

Independent creative workers lost their

an audience. Low-income and/or rural

JOB INSECURITY AND EXPLOITATIVE

jobs first and at a higher rate than other

respondents were 1.5x more likely to

WORKING CONDITIONS

cultural workers (83% vs. 69%). They

lack sufficient technology and 2x more

were also rehired at about two-thirds

likely to lack sufficient internet.

their creative practice to help their community. Of these, 65% were not compensated. Respondents from marginalized demographics were the most likely to use their art in service to community.

Independent or gig work. 34% of all

the pace of other cultural workers.

workers in the creative sector are

D istribution without compensation.

High-risk non-creative income.

A quarter of respondents had

the national rate), and current public

34% of respondents held supplemen-

work distributed online through an

policy disadvantages independent

tal non-creative jobs, often in food

organization; 70% of those creative

independent or gig workers (3.5x

AmericansForTheArts.org

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SO FAR PAST THE BRINK workers received no revenue for that use of their creative work. Overall, nearly 6 in 10 respondents who distributed their work online did so without compensation.

Health Insurance

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND CARE n

Lack of health insurance entering the pandemic. 34% of respondents lacked

health insurance prior to the pandemic (vs. 15% overall). White respondents were 2x more likely to have insurance than Black and Indigenous respondents

34% of respondents lacked health

and were more likely to have insurance

insurance prior to the pandemic

than any other race or ethnicity.

(vs. 15% of the general population).

Younger, less educated, or poorer respondents were less likely to have had health insurance pre-pandemic. Half of respondents avoided visiting a medical professional due to inability to pay prior to the pandemic; a third were unable to pay for medication. n

Mental strain and inability to access psychological/psychiatric care. Mental

health strain, and an inability to selfcare, were rampant before and during the pandemic. For example, 4 in 10 respondents identified mental health issues that they did not treat prior to the pandemic because of inability to

Food Insecurity

52% of respondents experienced food insecurity during the pandemic (vs. 11% of the general population).

pay; a third of respondents identified the same issue during the pandemic. Two-thirds experienced debilitating stress, anxiety, or depression during the pandemic, including

“As a queer, Black, female visual artist and with all the challenges that these identities carry, it has been hard.” Anonymous Survey Respondent

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The Source for Arts Professionals in the Know

disproportionately high percentages

housing and food, steady income,

of female, less affluent, older, and

universal broadband and technology

areas that are fair and achievable to

respondents with disabilities.

access, and debt relief.

artists and organizations. Encourage

HOUSING AND FOOD INSECURITY n

for creative workers to build, expand,

Homelessness and eviction. Prior to the

and improve their ventures. Ease

pandemic, a quarter of respondents

access to capital, improve loan terms,

had experienced homelessness,

replace inequitable public policies

a quarter had faced the threat of

related to disaster relief, and employ

eviction, and 1 in 10 had been evicted.

creative workers to address public

Transgender, younger, Indigenous,

policy issues.

and respondents with disabilities had

funders to come together now to craft effective, equitable, and sustainable agreements that ensure the sector can thrive in the future. COVID-19 has highlighted long-standing, entrenched inequities in the cultural sector and the United States overall. Creative workers entered the pandemic more vulnerable; experienced higher

mismatch between the cost of

rates of unemployment and greater

pursuing, and wages resulting from,

economic, social, physical, and emo-

advanced degrees in the field.

tional suffering than most Americans;

Recognize what it means to be a sector

and could not as easily access medical

height of the pandemic, less than 1%

in need of constant relief. Recognize

care, housing security, and food because

of the general U.S. population was

our complicity as arts institutions,

of inequitable or insufficient public and

homeless—which was about double

funders, and workers in perpetuating

creative sector support policies.

pre-pandemic levels.

a system that requires constant relief

We must address our shaky foundations

and sacrifice to function.

and prepare for the pandemics to come.

Improve creative worker compensation

Stop-gap measures perpetuate a cycle

food insecurity pre-pandemic, nearly

baselines. Exert influence to ensure

of requiring constant relief and do not

a quarter of all respondents. And

that creative workers are always paid

address the root systemic causes. We

while the percentage of Americans

for their labor and are paid at least the

have a unique opportunity—and a duty—

experiencing food insecurity remained

prevailing living wage.

to reimagine our sector and public policy

respondents were made homeless during the pandemic, a third were threatened with eviction, and 7% were evicted. For comparison, at the

Food insecurity. Respondents were

2x more likely to have experienced

relatively steady throughout 2020,

Realign the public value and revenue

with these concerns in mind.

the percentage of respondents more

equation for the creative sector.

Only then will artists and creative

than doubled, to over half. Younger,

Educate consumers, realign pricing,

workers truly thrive.

transgender, LGBTQIA+, and respon-

and support creative businesses trying

dents with disabilities were most likely

to improve pay equity.

to seek food assistance. n

SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS icy and creative sector recommendations

AmericansForTheArts.org/PastTheBrink.

workers. Consider royalty-sharing

For the full We Are Bound project, visit

agreements for long-term income for

WeAreBound.YanceyConsulting.com.

and financial education. n

to try and address the systemic inequi-

Develop plans now for weathering future crisis conditions. Encourage

ties experienced by creative workers.

rainy day funds and savings, help

Realign U.S. labor policy to be more

organizations to purchase or lease

equitable to independent or gig workers.

spaces long-term, underwrite or secure

Expand access to unemployment to

insurance, prioritize and employ the

independent workers, retool labor pol-

most vulnerable in the system.

icy, and safeguard creative coalitions.

CLAY LORD, (he/him) is vice president of strategic impact at Americans for the Arts and co-lead of the Get Creative Workers Working coalition. Read more.

Coordinate research efforts and create

Drive for better and more universal

databases of local, state, and federal

support of basic human needs through

creative economy policy and research.

policy. This includes healthcare,

Encourage replication and better case

childcare, access to leave, affordable

studies of both policy and practice.

AmericansForTheArts.org

To read the full research report, visit

Prioritize long-term income for creative

artists, support retirement savings,

The report closes with a set of public pol-

unions, cultural organizations, and

existing debt and address the

rates. The data shows that 1 in 10

C raft labor agreements in emerging

Reduce debt. Ameliorate or forgive

experienced homelessness at elevated

Improve access to the dollars needed

ISAAC FITZSIMONS (he/him) is a writer of young adult fiction, including The Passing Playbook, and is based outside Washington, D.C. Read more.

SPRING 2022 | ARTS LINK | 19

INSPIRING LEADERSHIP THROUGH EXAMPLE

LEADERSHIP IN PRACTICE Starting in 2018, Bakehouse has been working in collaboration with community stakeholders to chart a new path for the neighborhood. They canvassed door-to-door, met with local schools, and attended community meetings. They learned that residents wanted Wynwood Norte to maintain its historical character, and they wanted a say in its future. Together with local schools, the city and county, real estate developers, lifelong community members, and new investors, the Wynwood Community Enhancement Association (WCEA) was established. Over the next two years, it convened community visioning sessions in

Photo courtesy Bakehouse Art Complex.

parks, at schools, and online to inclusively think about what’s next and

MIAMI ARTS CENTER Building Community Inside and Out

With support from the Knight Foundation, Bakehouse created a new strategic plan that identified the opportunity to redevelop its property to add affordable housing for artists. Funders such as the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation, and other individuals provided much-needed general operating support to pursue

AS FAR BACK AS the 1980s,

the plan and subsidize artist studios.

best for the neighborhood. To make Wynwood Norte appealing, volunteers picked up litter and artists painted Bakehouse bright, Bauhaus-inspired colors. Bakehouse artists forged new community connections, capturing the neighborhood’s spirit through photography, storytelling, poetry, and more. The collective efforts resulted in the Wynwood Norte Community Vision Plan, made by and for the community.

redevelopment and rising land

Reinvigorated, Bakehouse is assuming a

The work paid off when the City of Miami

costs have made affordable art space

multifaceted role in the Wynwood Norte

codified the vision into law in 2021 with

scarce across the country. In 1985,

neighborhood through space, advocacy,

neighborhood-specific regulations that

artists behind Miami’s Bakehouse Art

and community.

mitigate displacement, preserve the

Complex saw an opportunity to acquire

a former bread factory and turn it into a permanent and vibrant space

Land is an expensive commodity in Miami, and Bakehouse has an impressive

area’s historic residential character, and encourage new housing opportunities.

2.3-acre parcel in the city core. As the

For Bakehouse, the plan enables the

fifth largest landowner in Wynwood

organization to pursue a new live-work

Norte, Bakehouse determined that

cultural campus, which it hopes will pro-

Since its founding, Bakehouse

participating in the neighborhood’s

vide housing and workspace security for

has provided low-cost artmaking

responsible revitalization needed to

artists and lifelong community members.

infrastructure to hundreds of artists.

be a part of its own strategic priorities.

As the organization seeks a developer

However, after 30+ years, the board

Historically, a few core industries

partner, they continue to maintain and

recognized the need to evolve to better

were the economic backbone for the

plan for the renovation of the historic

serve artists as well as address the

neighborhood. With their departure in

building, fundraise to subsidize studio

escalating affordability challenges facing

the late 1970s came population decline,

space, and work with the community to

Miami’s cultural community.

blight, and disinvestment.

make Bakehouse a place for everyone.

for artists—and they have focused on building community ever since.

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The Source for Arts Professionals in the Know

Celebrating Black Genius Simone Eccleston

“66 Degrees” by Riva Lehrer, 2019, courtesy of the artist.

LAUNCHED IN 2021, The Black Genius Foundation

celebrates and invests in the intellectual and creative genius of Black artists, arts professionals, and arts organizations committed Photo courtesy Andre Chung.

to creating and supporting work dedicated to and rooted

in the African Diaspora. The Foundation offers public programs and digital

The Complex World of Art and Disability Advocacy Riva Lehrer

initiatives, as well as grants and awards that honor and invest in artistic excellence and accomplishment, such as The Black Genius Prize and Strokes of Genius.

RIVA LEHRER is no stranger to difficult

times. Growing up with spina bifida in

In February of this year, Founder and Chief Genius Officer Simone Eccleston

the 1950s, Lehrer experienced a very ableist

shared with us her vision for the organization and the celebration of Black

world where children with disabilities were

genius. Below is an excerpt of our conversation. Read the full Q&A online

often hidden from public view. She quickly

at ARTSblog and stay tuned for more about The Black Genius Foundation in

had to learn to mask her own disability or

the summer issue of Arts Link.

acquire other identities to overshadow her

What was the inspiration behind The Black Genius Foundation?

I see Black genius as the soulful expression of the extraordinary creativity, intellect, and ingenuity of African Diaspora people. It is about how we incite the imagination, move the crowd, and stir the soul. There’s a spirit to Black genius that needs to be awarded. It’s not solely the moments of inspiration, but also the deep dedication and commitment to craft, the ways in which we locate ourselves within a tradition and traditions.

“differentness.” She didn’t learn how to advocate or vocalize her needs as a disabled person until later in life. It was through her art and writing, and joining the Disabled Artists Collaborative, that gave Lehrer a way to portray and publicly amplify the humanness of those with impairments as people, like everyone else, including herself. In

The Black Genius Foundation is committed to transforming the conversation

her acclaimed 2020 memoir Golam Girl, Lehrer

around genius by placing Black artists and the Black Creative Ecosystem at

exposes a still ableist society where people

the center. It’s about giving artists their flowers in real time. During the pan-

either don’t want to see the disabled or can’t

demic, I watched the Toni Morrison documentary The Pieces I Am and was

look past someone’s disability for who they

moved by how the Black writing community galvanized in support of her and

are—sisters, husbands, moms, professionals,

her contributions. That planted a seed deep within me and served as the cat-

lovers, and friends.

alyst for this work. The Black Genius Foundation is our opportunity to sing a praise song for new generations and advance the legacy that our ancestors and elders have so boldly created for us to carry forward.

When asked about the future, Lehrer is frank. “I’m less worried about [my artist friends] because there is a value in the arts,” she said. “But we are still trying to get people to understand that there is value in disability.” Visit ARTSblog to read the full spotlight on Lehrer.

AmericansForTheArts.org

SPRING 2022 | ARTS LINK | 21

INFORMATION TO HELP YOU SUCCEED

THE TOOLBOX

New Federal Funding Resource Guides Published THE AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS Govern-

ment Affairs Department has published a new set of six federal funding resource guides that can aid nonprofit and government arts organizations in exploring and pursuing grants from various federal agencies. The six issue areas are: Community Development, Environment, Rural Development, National Service, Earmarks, and Economic Development. Earmark-hunters can also view the webinar on the topic. All guides

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

are offered for free download on the Americans for the Arts website. Plus,

there’s an introductory guide to get you started on your grant pursuit!

Partnership e-Learning Series Continues THIS SPRING, AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS released Part two of its three-part

collection entitled, “How to Partner With Your Chamber of Commerce” on ArtsU. The collection aims to flip the conversation away from ‘business support of the arts’ to ‘how and why the arts are an essential part of business and economic development strategies.’ Part two explores how to identify your work as a local arts leader and your community’s assets within the frame of your civic ecosystem and how to leverage relationships with chamber, economic development, tourism, and other civic partners to address broad community issues as an equal, vital, and respected leader. Parts one and two are now available, and each includes three on-demand webinars and an accompanying digital toolkit. Periodic live and virtual coffee chat sessions are available to meet and discuss chamber and economic development partnerships with your peers. Part three will be available summer 2022.

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The Source for Arts Professionals in the Know

Photo courtesy 11th Street Bridge Park.

On-Demand Arts Marketing Resources Available AS THE NATIONAL Arts Marketing Project

(NAMP), a program of Americans for the Arts, continues to support arts professionals and artists who market the arts, engage audiences, and serve their communities, we invite fieldwide access to two professional development and skillsbased resources for all arts marketers to

Develop Your Project With Community at the Center

further their learning. The following series from 2021 programming are now available on-demand and open to all. + Monthly Training Calls for Pennsylvania Arts Marketers

THE 11TH STREET BRIDGE PARK, District of Columbia’s first elevated park,

began in 2014 as a project to connect the city’s historic Anacostia and Capitol Hill neighborhoods, which are divided by the Anacostia River. In January 2022, Irfana Jetha Noorani, founding staff member and deputy director (2014–2020), shared the community engagement process in the development of the park in an ArtsU webinar, Bridging D.C.: Cultural Equity at the 11th Street Bridge Park. During the past eight years, the project

has expanded its work through its Equitable Development Plan to include major neighborhood investments, including affordable housing, workforce development, and small businesses, all while centering cultural equity. Watch the video of the webinar on ArtsU to learn more!

Thanks to the generous support of the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, arts marketers from Pennsylvania-based arts and culture organizations gathered monthly to learn tactics of arts marketing topics such as audience engagement and development, equity in arts marketing, digital marketing, fundraising, research, social media, and more. Take a dive into this series to brush up on your technical skills or learn a new one! Register to access here. + Arts Marketing Coffee Chat Series

Bi-monthly coffee chats, sponsored by Grapeseed Media, and presented by the National Arts Marketing Project are informal discussions designed for arts marketing leaders who are interested in transformative and extraordinary ways to help better inform their practice. Though available for all, these conversations are best suited for arts marketing leadership. Register to access here.

AmericansForTheArts.org

SPRING 2022 | ARTS LINK | 23

1275 K St NW, Suite 1200 Washington, D.C. 20005 202.371.2830 AmericansForTheArts.org

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