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.

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.

“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 Steven Froias

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. Socialtogetherness How the current crisis will affect any of

the projects is unknown at this time, as are the plans of so many throughout the South Coast region.

NBCC co-chair Jessica Bregoli states that, due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) reality, grantees which may need to make necessary changes should not fear losing reimbursement for their projects as long as the council is notified and approves those modifications.

“We approve as long as it still fits within MA Cultural Council guidelines,” she notes.

Elsewhere in New Bedford, during the first week of Baker’s emergency shutdown order, the Cape Verdean Association of New Bedford held a GoToMeeting to discuss the renovation of their new Cape Verdean Cultural Center on Acushnet Avenue in the North End.

Prior to the present crisis, plans were well underway to make some significant improvements to the building, the former Strand Theater, with the Waterfront Historic Area League (WHALE) as a redevelopment partner.

Fortunately, it was judged that immediate plans could indeed move forward. The building’s brick facade will be re-pointed as scheduled in April. Then, a massive mural depicting Cape Verde and island musical culture will be hung on the building.

The mural is already finished – executed over the past year on 35 four-foot-byeight-foot panels by artist Eden S. Soares and currently stored in the basement of the Co-Creative Center in the city’s downtown.

A reception for the mural’s hanging, being organized by the Love The Ave community action group, may have to be rescheduled. But still, it was yet another bright spot and proof that even during

the current crisis, adaptability is key to keeping on track.

A lot of ways other arts and culture organizations adapted or are still adapting to events is by making liberal use of live stream platforms through their Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Indeed, at press time, AHA! New Bedford was busy coordinating content for its regularly scheduled second-Thursday-of the-month April evening. Director Lee Heald commented that she had gone from “Boomer to Zoomer” at record speed organizing the now-online slate of offerings utilizing the popular video meeting app., Zoom (Keep up with future schedule adjustments at ahanewbedford. org.)

The New Bedford Symphony Orchestra immediately launched a series of live-streamed mini-concerts through its Facebook page, too, and the Co-Creative Center has been busy creating its own member-generated content, including podcasts and a new YouTube channel. Learn more about both at nbsymphony. org and cocreativenb.org.

To keep informed about all the adjustments that may be necessary to the schedules of arts and culture organizations and groups throughout the area, you can log on to newbedfordcreative.org and follow their Facebook page.

Saulnier has informed all creatives that they are welcome to add #NBCreative as a co-host on any online event and help share the news with its followers as we all navigate a changed – and increasingly digital – arts and culture landscape.

Steven Froias is a freelance writer based in New Bedford and is a regular -contributor for The South Coast Insider and South Coast Prime Times. He can be reached at NewBedfordNow@gmail.com.

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