COVID-19 Arts News Roundup Apr 22

A periodic round-up of news for artists related to the COVID-19 crisis.

Finances for Artists Webinar WBUR’s The ARTery is hosting a webinar, Finances for Artists, featuring artist and arts organizer Ngoc-Tran Vu leading a Zoom workshop that covers finances and taxes for artists. It’s on Thursday, April 23, 2020, 6 PM, and it’s free but space is limited.

MASSCreative Last week, Mass Cultural Council Executive Director Anita Walker spoke with MASSCreative Executive Director Emily Ruddock (via Zoom) to talk about the power we all share when we advocate together. Curious where to focus your arts advocacy efforts? Follow MASSCreative, who has been advocating local, state, and federal governments to ensure that the needs of the arts and culture sector are considered in future actions. You can also take part in MASSCreative’s next Virtual Policy & Action Update this Friday, April 24, 2020, at 9:45 AM.

Be Counted Have you filled out the 2020 Census yet? Doing so is key for the allocation of resources to our state and its communities. It’s simple and online.

Memorials In his journal Wonderland, Greg Cook has put together a moving series of memorials for individuals with ties to Massachusetts arts, who have died due to COVID-19.

Local Funding Recently, Northampton Arts Council announced a relief program for artists. That means Northampton joins Boston, Cambridge, Cape Cod, Essex County, and Worcester (Worcester grants already awarded) in offering support to artists in the local community.

More Funding Find more funding on our frequently updated list of COVID-19 Funding for Artists.

Legal Guidance Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA) has compiled a useful resource page for artists during the COVID-19 crisis, including the reminder that VLA is waiving services fees for artists suffering financial hardship due to COVID-19.

Arts and Culture in the Virtual Realm Massachusetts artists and cultural organizations are continuing to find ways to connect through art:

• Somerville Arts Council announced that its beloved PorchFest, a festival of music performances on porches throughout the city, has morphed into CouchFest in this year of social distancing. Performers are encouraged to participate by streaming a live performance or posting a live video. CouchFest will be May 9, noon to 6 PM. Artists should register by May 7, 2020.
• In honor of National Poetry Month, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston shared a video with Danielle Legros Georges (Poetry Fellow ’14) responding to the question, “When did I know I was an artist?” Legros Georges is an ICA Artist Advisory Council member.
• The Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge is calling for stories from Cambridge residents for its project Cambridge: Our Town – “a play that you will help us write the script for.”
• The Bright Lights Film Series at Emerson is holding Zoom discussions to take place Tuesdays and Thursdays to discuss films currently available on Netflix and Hulu. On Tuesday, April 28, 2020, 7-10 PM, there will be a discussion of Cunningham (on Hulu as of Apr 23) featuring three Mass Cultural Council awardees: the film’s director Alla Kovgan (Film & Video Fellow ’09), dance artist Alissa Cardone (Choreography Fellow ’12), and Emerson Visual & Media Arts professor Shaun Clarke (Film & Video Finalist ’19, ’17). To participate, sign up by noon on Apr 28.
• Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston will present a Facebook livestream event on Saturday, April 25, 2020, 8 PM featuring a variety of performances and a discussion of what it’s like to be a musician in this unprecedented time.
• This is genius. Eben Haines (Drawing & Printmaking Fellow ’18) has developed the Shelter in Place Gallery to give local artists an “opportunity to make ‘large scale’ work from their shelter in place locations.” The twist is that the gallery is a miniature simulacrum of an exhibition space, where 1 inch = 1 foot. Read more about the project on the Abigail Oglivy Gallery blog. One of the first artists exhibiting is Nicole Duennebier (Painting Fellow ’16).

Leave a comment to let us know about intriguing news we’ve missed.

Image: still image from CUNNINGHAM, a film by Alla Kovgan (Film & Video Fellow ’09).