The City of Sacramento’s Office of Arts & Culture is partnering with Americans for the Arts to conduct a survey of COVID-19's impact on the creative economy. One survey gathers critical data about how the pandemic is affecting the budgets, staffing, and programming of arts and cultural organizations and creative businesses. It also collects information about the timing and challenges of returning to in-person activities. The second survey is designed to assess the creative and social—as well as financial and professional—impact of the pandemic on individual creative workers across all artistic disciplines. The findings will help us all address the most pertinent issues facing our local creative economy as well as inform state and federal advocacy efforts.

This survey will provide localized findings key to informing decision making about our region’s creative economy. Once a robust sample of surveys has been collected, Americans for the Arts will send us a link providing access to a dynamic online report that is customized for our community. We will share that report with you.

Click the appropriate button below to complete the survey. It takes about 15 minutes to fill out. The deadline is April 7, 2021.

We recognize that time and resources are precious and sincerely appreciate you participating in this effort.

Sincerely,
Megan L. Van Voorhis
Cultural and Creative Economy Manager
Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month

It is officially Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month! Every April, ACCM is a month to celebrate and recognize the significance of our economic and social impact across communities in California. It is especially relevant during challenging times to uplift the humanity that connects us all. While so much is changing quickly, one thing remains the same: arts are essential and community is built around arts and culture. Learn more at Californians for the Arts!

Race and Cultural Equity Highlights & Resources


"For many organizational leaders who are exploring this area for the first time — including those who have perhaps bought into the model minority myth, this one seems to be a puzzler. No one appears to be physically assaulting Asian employees within the company. Is it enough to release a statement denouncing the attacks and donate funds to API organizations recommended by your API ERG? The answer is no."


"Today’s nonprofits, with their stated values of diversity and inclusion, are more skilled at avoiding these more overt acts of anti-Asian racism. In fact, they are so skilled that they manage to not acknowledge Asian people and communities at all. The model minority is a convenient myth that allows others to invalidate our experiences and pit us against other people of color, especially Black people."


Included in the link are a number of resources to help you educate yourself, speak up, talk to children, and fight anti-Asian racism and white supremacy.
Sacramento Healthy Hearts & Minds

As some students are preparing to return to their classrooms in April, while others face more months of distance learning, the Sacramento Healthy HeARTS & Minds Collaborative will continue to support K-12 students in 26 schools in the Twin Rivers & Sacramento City Unified School Districts until the end of the school year. A partnership between the Office of Arts & Culture and Sacramento County Office of Education, this program was designed to assist students most affected by COVID-19 and related school closures. Sacramento Healthy HeARTS & Minds uses the arts to help address mental health issues, trauma, absenteeism, and other effects of the pandemic on youth. A support team of artists, mentors, and mental health specialists work in tandem to provide programs at each site. Whether its baking cookies or making beats, writing poetry or journaling, this team of caring adults is working to help relieve stress, fight isolation, and bring joy and healthy self-expression into each participating student’s day. For more information, about this program, visit Sacramento Healthy HeARTS & Minds. 
Sacramento Artist-in-Residence: Operation FreeSoul

As part of our Sacramento Artist-in-Residence program, spoken word artist David Loret de Mola is presenting Operation Free Soul, a program that focuses on mentoring poets and spoken word artists in business skills. Operation FreeSoul will offer free grant writing workshops to participants, helping them to simplify the process of applying for funding and making the process more accessible and less intimidating. Workshops begin April 12. Also, Operation FreeSoul is sponsoring the FreeSoul Poetry Contest. Up to four winners will be selected and, in addition to a cash prize, their work will be recorded on the FreeSoul podcast. More information listed in the flyer below, or visit Operation FreeSoul to learn more.  
Opportunities & Resources

Community Murals Sacramento is a Council District focused temporary public art program where visual artists residing in Sacramento region have the opportunity to apply for temporary community mural projects in a District of their choice.

The City of Palo Alto Public Art Program is seeking qualifications from Bay Area and California-based visual artists and graphic designers to submit qualifications to be considered for an upcoming temporary mural project. The artwork will be installed on a construction site barrier for a new Public Safety Building in Palo Alto, CA. A series of 8 temporary murals printed on adhesive vinyl will be displayed in 2 phases of 4 murals between Summer 2021 and through 2023. 

Native Launchpad provides Indigenous artists with tools and resources needed to further their careers and introduce them to the world of arts presenting and management. Native Launchpad helps create opportunity and sustainability for individual Native artists through financial support, professional development opportunities, strategic promotions, and networking. Each awardee will receive direct financial and travel support, mentoring/coaching, professional development, and promotional benefits, valued at $40,000, over three years.

The CAA Annual Conference is the largest professional convening of art historians, artists, designers, curators, and others in the visual arts. Each year the CAA offer sessions submitted by our members, committees, and affiliated societies offering a wide range of program content.