COCA has created several RESOURCE GUIDES that aggregate ongoing and similar listings by subject. These can also be found on the sidebar of the COCA Classifieds webpage.

Take the ArtsVote pledge and recieved a toolkit and an Acts Action Fund Membership, then download your state's voting rules and deadlines. More info here. 

The Office of Economic Vitality (OEV) is committed to helping businesses safely reopen. They have complied a list that includes companies and organizations located in Tallahassee-Leon County that have indicated that they source, manufacture, or distribute Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). More info here. 

Leon County launched the social media campaign, 'It's Not Too Much to Mask' to encourage the use of masks and facial coverings in public. If you'd like to participate, post a masked-up selfie and share why you wear a mask and for whom using #MaskOnLeon. More info here.

This forum from UPHS, INIE and COCA, will give nonprofit leaders and the general public the opportunity to engage specifically on policy and structural changes essential for collective impact in meeting the needs of each of our neighbors, while engaging each candidate and their platform.

More info here. 

Individual Assistance – Assists Leon County households with past-due rent, mortgage and utility bills. One-time payment up to $3,000.

Small Business Assistance – Assists Leon County small businesses with COVID-19 expenses such as employee wages, vendor bills, rent, utilities, promotion, and safety costs.

Local Human Services Agencies Assistance – Assists local non-profit organizations* that provide or will provide human services with unanticipated programmatic and operational COVID-19 expenses. One-time grant up to $20,000. 

*Nonprofit organizations that not traditionally operated as a human service organizations, however, due to COVID-19 identified a gap in services and has the capacity to meet the need; can be eligible if all other criterion outlined in the guidelines is met. 

More info here.

Find up-to-date news and resources for the arts and culture field. Whether you are an individual artist/creative worker or an arts & cultural organization/arts agency, you'll find Federal Relief information, Relief funds, helpful webinars and other resources geared towards your individual/organization needs. More info here.

Guidelines for COCA's FY21 Grant Programs will be available all available now. More info here.

Watch the recording from the 11 AM August 5 workshop here - use password ?7j$xq4t

Watch the recording the 5 PM August 5 workshop here - use password 2W7!KwLV 

Make an appointment to meet virtually with COCA staff for individual assistance. Even if this is not your first time applying for a grant, we urge you to take advantage of these consultations. Email [email protected] or contact Kathleen, Amanda or Erica at their email addresses above.

In its ongoing efforts to promote safe visitation to the area, the Leon County Division of Tourism grant application cycle for 2020-2021 Signature/Emerging Signature, Special and Sports Events Grants is now open and accepting applications through August 25, 2020. Grants will financially assist events that support the local economy and implement CDC guidelines in accordance with Leon County's Response and Reopening Plan. More info here.

This grant supports creative instructional approaches by funding arts related projects not supported by school budgets. This program is not intended to supplant other funding sources. Its purpose is to support arts teachers who have innovative ideas for enhancing their curriculum or allowing students access to supplemental learning experiences in and through the arts. More info here.

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation (MAAF) is committed to the presence of U.S. artists on international stages. The USArtists International program (USAI) supports performances by U.S. artists at impactful international festivals and performing arts marketplaces outside the United States and its territories. USAI funds the engagements of exemplary solo artists and ensembles across all performing arts disciplines including dance, music, theater, multidisciplinary work, and folk/traditional arts. MAAF is pleased to announce that the 2020 – 2021 guidelines are now available. The application will open on August 21, 2020, and the first deadline to submit applications is October 1, 2020, at 11:59 PM ET for projects taking place between January 5, 2021, and June 30, 2022. More info here.

The Hopper Prize is offering 5 individual artist grants in the amount of $1,000 USD awarded through an open call art competition juried by leading contemporary curators. The Hopper Prize was established in order to increase the recognition of artwork created by artists and photographers. Their aim is to advance artists’ careers by providing them with unrestricted financial support that is coupled with a platform for increased visibility. They are currently accepting submissions for the Fall 2020 Grant cycle. More info here.

The Executive Director of Southern Shakespeare Company (SSC) will manage the organization's artistic and administrative operations, including marketing, communications, finance, development, and grants. SSC has a small staff with an ensemble of artists working to support the company's mission. They are looking for a dynamic leader who has both organizational vision and the skills to strategically execute that vision. More info here.

In this 4-day Zoom class, you will explore some traditional transparent watercolor techniques used to achieve dazzling light effects in your art and to develop loose and spontaneous watercolor expressions. Through the development of miniature thumbnail studies, you will study how to pick a subject, improve the sense of composition, judge values and color, and how to create a mood within your work. Students will work from photos. Class fee $110. More info here.

This quarterly webinar by INIE will inspire you to pursue your passion of serving others while equipping you with start-up resources to launch your organization. Registration for this webinar is free and limited to 20 participants. More info here.

Collaborate Big Bend is dedicated to providing a forum for nonprofits in Tallahassee-Leon County area to break down existing silos and build toward new synergy through collaboration. They aspire for this group to support and engage in this work, as well as to participate, interact, build relationships, and foster opportunities to create a community like no other. More info here.

If you're planning any type of event, be sure to post it on the Tallahassee Arts Guide - COCA's official interactive web calendar for arts and culture. 

"Behind the Scenes with COCA" photo albums showcase artists at work in their studios. We love to see the creative process and learn more about how our artists of all genres make their artistic magic happen. Enjoy these social media albums below, and submit your own album here.

View all the "Behind the Scenes with COCA" albums here.

Casting for “The New Black Fest’s Hands Up” and “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.” Those who wish to audition should prepare a monologue or two contrasting monologues not to exceed 90 seconds. If you are interested in auditioning, you will need to schedule an audition appointment by emailing [email protected]. Audition times will be scheduled on a first come first serve basis. More info here including important COVID-19 protocols.

Old School Square in Delray Beach, FL is excited to announce its 7th Annual 6x6 Exhibition & Sale. All artists, aspiring, professional and hobbyists, are invited to submit original artworks – any medium – in the 6″ x 6″ format for this all-inclusive art experience. All art must be ready to hang on the wall.

 All pieces will be featured in a virtual exhibition and will remain on view from September 21-28, 2020. All proceeds benefit Old School Square Center for the Arts, Inc. All submitted artworks are then sold for $30 each through their Online 6×6 Store. The 6×6 Sale becomes accessible to the general public on September 30th and will be available for 24 hours only. More info here.

The City of Thomasville’s Main Street Office is seeking professional artists to create decorative event signs for the upcoming centennial celebration of Thomasville’s Rose Show & Festival. In an effort to empower our local artists and activate our downtown with creative experience, help celebrate by submitting or sharing this opportunity. More info here.

LeMoyne Arts is calling all mask-makers - ceramic, glass, plaster, fabric, papier-mâché, or wooden, as well as artistic creations celebrating the art of disguise & costuming - for their 'Le Masque at LeMoyne' exhibit. They would also love to include masks of cultural heritage, spiritual, or dance inspired origins. The exhibit will culminate with a special evening "masked" & costumed soirée at the gallery on Halloween. More info here.

The 35th Chelsea International Fine Art Competition (CIFAC) is an exciting opportunity for visual artists from all over the world and at any stage in their career to submit their work and win the chance to exhibit in New York City. Selected artists will also receive valuable promotional benefits and cash prizes. All awards aim to provide the winners with valuable exposure and help accelerate their art careers and encourage future productivity. More info here.

The annual Chain of Parks Art Festival is a multi-day Fine Art Festival with a two-day outdoor exhibit held in a group of city parks known as the ‘Chain of Parks’ in downtown Tallahassee, Florida. The Festival awards over $10,000 in cash prizes with 165 juried artists competing. The Chain of Parks Art Festival has been recognized as a Legacy Event by Visit Tallahassee due to the 40,000+ visitors and patrons it attracts. All proceeds from this juried Fine Art festival benefit LeMoyne Arts, a non-profit community-based art center. More info here.

Lunch Ticket publishes work from new, emerging, and established writers and artists, in balance with conversations about social justice and community activism. They seek to give a platform to underrepresented voices that reflect diverse experiences.

They are currently accepting submissions for their contests; Diana Woods Memorial Fund for Creative NonFiction & Gabo Prize for Literary Translation. Winners of these contests will receive a $200 award. Submissions are open until August 31st. More info here.

This new online Fall program was developed as a way for Middle and High School students to continue their theatre education, exercise their performance talents,

and connect with their community through Southern Shakespeare Company’smission of inclusion, diversity, and community engagement. With a focus on theatre and social change, the Community Connection

Project will teach students about the power of art to tell stories, create hope, and inspire change. More info here.

Click here to submit information for the weekly COCA Classifieds email. Deadline for submission is 5:00 pm on the Wednesday of each week. COCA reserves the right to include or exclude any listing at its discretion and to determine the content and placement of all listings. Items will be listed for a maximum of two editions.

COCA does not endorse any artists, organizations, or programs listed herein, nor imply stature through their inclusion in this newsletter. While we have made every effort to ensure that this information is correct, we cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the information.