Oklahoma Art Organizations More than Six Feet Away By Kristin Gentry
Kristin Gentry, First Friday May 2020 – Empty Streets at the Tulsa Arts District, Digital Photography
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers—so many caring people in this world.” - Fred Rogers The care and creativity of arts organizations around the state of Oklahoma to continue their support of artists by executing programming through new avenues have been felt throughout the entire state. Not only has the impact of COVID-19 been financially felt, but the social and emotional
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impact on artists and arts organizations has caused a drastic shift throughout the state for how art is seen, sold, experienced, and even created. Although the difficult challenges have been unpredictable, arts organizations collectively have been reaching out to its artists, working to create virtual galleries for arts sales, gathering grants and aid information to help artists, and finding ways to keep art in a part of everyone’s daily lives through online means. Organizations have established some new collaborative partnerships with each other, with artists, and with the community they both serve. Through the pandemic, arts organizations are working to fill the need the for artists to still maintain some semblance of their original arts practices, and still grow with new ones to expand how they create, show,
and are connected with their communities through their art. The Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition’s Executive Director, Krystle Brewer said, “it has been so inspiring to see all of our colleagues coming up with digital solutions to keep the arts present, even if not in person.” Oklahoma Arts Education
One of the positive changes that the pandemic has brought for arts organizations is a large increase in virtual arts learning opportunities that are accessible to a world-wide audience. Just as elementary and secondary institutions went virtual for public education, their fine arts education was sought to be retained through the help of local arts organizations. Tulsa Public Schools, Mayfest, Domestic Violence Intervention Services (DVIS),
