COVID-19 and the South Arts community

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Dear friends and colleagues,

As the country and world respond to coronavirus and the COVID-19 situation, our team at South Arts would like to share the following information. First and foremost, South Arts is invested in the health and well-being of the artists, arts organizations, and communities whom we serve. Please follow all directions and recommendations from your local and state authorities as well as entities such as the CDC and WHO.

Additionally, for information specific to artists and arts organizations, please refer to ArtsReady, the Performing Arts Readiness project, and the National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response. These resources are available with best-practices, updated information, and resources specifically for the arts community.

For those of you who are currently operating with grants funded by South Arts, we are responsive to individual concerns and necessary changes to the originally-proposed activities. Should you need to modify your grant, please contact the appropriate program officer to discuss options.

We also want to make you aware of campaigns to include artists and the nonprofit arts community in any federal relief funds that are made available. There are currently campaigns being conducted through both The Performing Arts Alliance as well as the American Alliance for Museums. We recommend reading about these campaigns and, should you feel strongly about the causes, informing your legislators.

We recognize the impact that this virus and the necessary reactions may cause. Artists, technicians, administrators, and everyone involved in the arts community are facing an unprecedented situation as events get canceled or postponed. But, ultimately, we believe that the arts are about bringing people together. We share emotions and ideas. These connections strengthen us. And, looking forward as we work our way collectively through this pandemic, we are hopeful that the artists, organizations, and everyone who make up our arts community will come together and be stronger for it.

Thank you all,

Suzette M. Surkamer
Executive Director, South Arts