Dear Arts and Culture Colleagues,

Much like you, Americans for the Arts continues to monitor the rapidly changing spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its impact on artists and arts organizations. As all of us do our best to navigate these uncharted waters, please know that we are thinking of you and the health and safety of your families and friends, organization(s), and communities.

Americans for the Arts has closed its physical offices and all staff are working remotely in order to prioritize public health and the safety of the organization. We have technology in place to continue providing the services you need and are still working hard for (and with) you. Gathered below are key updates, resources, and pertinent information we hope will be of use:

As developments evolve concerning the coronavirus, we will update this webpage daily with resources and news: https://www.americansforthearts.org/coronavirus

We launched a brief survey to gather data and stories from around the country on the economic impact that arts and culture communities are facing due to the coronavirus. These responses will give us a strong foundation as we work to promote the inclusion of the arts and culture sector in any stimulus package options and other federal relief measures.

Please take the survey here:

We have also created a dashboard that allows you to access real time information from the survey responses to help you tell your state and local story. The dashboard is still in beta version but can be found here:

Congress is planning to move at “warp speed” on COVID-19 relief legislation in the coming days, and we are working to ensure that the arts and culture are included, and that states and localities will be a part of the distribution of these funds. The survey and online dashboard can be critical tools for shaping an advocacy response to decisionmakers at the federal, state, and local levels. As we continue to consult with congressional staff on developing legislation, we will share further updates on the policy asks soon.

We have organized a FREE webinar for this Thursday that will focus on the impact of the coronavirus and on our local arts field:

March 19 @ 3:00 p.m. Register here:

If you have any questions, resources to share, or articles that might be of interest, please send them to services@artsusa.org.

Best Regards,

Ruby Lopez Harper
Senior Director of Local Arts Advancement