Emergency Preparedness and Response: COVID19 and the arts ecosystem

Thursday, March 19, 4:00pm EDT / 1:00pm PDT [PASSED]

  • DéLana R.A. Dameron, artist and founder, Red Olive Creative Consulting & Black Art Futures Fund
  • Randy Engstrom, director, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture
  • James Hafferman, deputy director, CERF+
  • Tanya Gulliver-Garcia, assistant director of Major Initiatives, Center for Disaster Philanthropy
  • Laura Aden Packer, executive director, The Howard Gilman Foundation
  • Mark Rossier, director of Grants, New York Foundation for the Arts
  • Caitlin Strokosch, president & CEO, National Performance Network
  • Eddie Torres, president & CEO, Grantmakers in the Arts
  • San San Wong, director, Arts & Creativity, Barr Foundation
  • Christine Yoon, senior program officer, Arts, Wallace Foundation and co-chair, NY Chapter of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy

Session 2 of the 2020 Webinar Series.

A recording of this presentation with subtitles is available here.

A recording of this presentation with ASL interpretation is available here.

The arts and culture sectors are seeing the negative impacts from strategies of social distancing and limiting travel in the midst of the coronavirus situation. Organizations are seeing declines in ticket revenue or being pushed to cancel performances or postpone events. Artists may have their gigs and performances cancelled or need to turn down opportunities that require travel and large crowds. Artists and organizations are also feeling the impact of and working to address increases of racism and prejudice toward Asian communities. Grantmakers throughout the field are strategizing how best to support their cultural communities.

We have received feedback from some of our members on how they are repurposing current grant program awards for GOS and how they are fundraising for emergency readiness. However, we are still curious about the larger impact on the arts ecosystem as a result of COVID-19, and how funders can respond thoughtfully, creatively, with care, and without panic. We will hear from those who have already started to repurpose their grants, begun fundraising campaigns, and those who have experience with emergency responses for arts and culture communities when “acts of God” require communities to shift rapidly. Join us on Thursday, March 19, at 4pm ET/1pm PT for a special 90-mintue webinar where we address the following questions:

  • What should funders be thinking about related to how they should be supporting grantees?
  • What is the long-term strategy for resiliency?

Subsequent to the webinar, we will be sharing a survey to gather data on how funders are responding to COVID-19 and then we will share our findings. If you’d like to take the survey now, please click here.