PRIME LIVING
Arts in the time of COVID Late in 2019, the New Bedford Cultural Council met to evaluate and award over $100,000 in arts and culture grants for the City of New Bedford. Steven Froias
The grantees were notified as 2020 dawned, and by the end of February, the council was preparing to announce to the public the list of outstanding projects – many of them placemaking initiatives throughout the city as well as school field trips – with a press release. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. As Governor Charlie Baker announced an emergency order directing all nonessential businesses to close, following restaurants, museums, schools, and community centers of all kinds, the list of New Bedford Cultural Council projects, with so many celebrating the very act of coming together as community, seemed bittersweet when South Coast residents were advised to stay at home. Still, arts leaders in New Bedford were meeting, virtually, to keep laying plans for 2020.
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S ou th C oast P r ime T imes
“Like many other industries, the economic impact of the pandemic is devastating for creatives,” says New Bedford Creative Strategist Margo Saulnier. “By doing all we can, which currently means communicating opportunities for funding relief and promoting content on social media, our message is that the support for their work and efforts in New Bedford will continue on the other side. More than ever, people realize the value of our artists and cultural organizations to bring people together.” Resources and funding opportunities for arts and culture are available on NewBedfordCreative.org. Saulnier works out of the New Bedford Economic Development Council office, and oversees and coordinates arts and culture initiatives throughout the city. The New Bedford Cultural Council (NBCC) funds programs that promote excellence, access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and
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interpretive sciences to improve the quality of life for New Bedford city residents. It is part of the Massachusetts Cultural Council network, and through the awards touches every arts and culture institution, organization, and group in the city, in addition to numerous individuals. This year, several new projects joined returning projects to create a mosaic of possibility in the city that reflects diverse values. An exhibition of Native American female artists at Groundwork Gallery is new this year, as is a grant to Out On A Limb, a group dedicated to raising awareness about the city’s tree canopy through storytelling. So, too is a grant toward establishing a New Bedford LGBTQ+ Archive. Once again, popular favorites like Reggae on West Beach and the Cape Verdean Recognition Parade received funds. They were joined by other beloved programs such as the New Bedford Art Museum/ Artworks! Teen Arts Internship Program, which share an emphasis on ensuring youth get the opportunity to participate in New Bedford’s creative renaissance.
Social togetherness How the current crisis will affect any of
