As we hit the one-month mark of our pandemic physical distancing, the days may be seeming to run together. But change is happening — outside the window, in our options, and in ourselves.
First, the The Boston Dance Alliance Dance Relief Fund which is providing $250 emergency relief stipends to support basic needs on a first come, first served basis* will be open until this Wednesday, April 15, 2020. Dancers, choreographers and dance teachers should get their applications in now.
Our current funds are exhausted, but we will be continuing to fundraise through the end of the month, and hope to be able to provide funds to those who are on our list.
Please encourage every dance lover you know to make a donation, no matter how small. The numbers add up and the need is huge.
* geographic and annual income limits apply, see eligibility criteria
The CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act, the.federal stimulus program, is still in the process of rolling out: the state and some banks are behind schedule but the most important thing you can do is to get your documentation in order over the weekend so you can apply this coming week.
Review last week’s Pro/Motion (we are not replicating information we have already sent out, but everything is archived on the BDA blog webpage).
Updated information from the Arts and Business Council/Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts include new guidelines for freelance and gig workers as they apply for unemployment under the special CARES Act rules, the Paycheck Protection Program, which covers nonprofits as well as small businesses, and more. They have a full slate of resources and are making information available in Spanish, Vietnamese and other languages to come. 15 minute conversations are available for free, but do your homework before the call so that you can use that time efficiently to get your questions answered.
Our friends at the Actors Fund (former partners in BDA’s Dancer Health Day) have online webinars that will improve your financial health and planning during this difficult time. While this series was designed for New York theatre professionals, the lessons should be widely applicable.
Webinars associated with the Mass Cultural Council’s Safe Harbors program are very informative and free whether or not you have received MCC funding. Please answer the MCC survey by April 14 to share how Covid-19 is affecting your cultural business — it is crucial to collect this data and show that, as they say, arts matters.
Americans for the Arts need survey information about the national cultural sector in order to make the case for continuing to include artists in relief efforts. You may be surveyed out, but please answer this one, too.
Veronica Robles Cultural Center has established The New England Latino Arts Alliance and is gathering specific information on the effect of the pandemic on Latino/x artists in all disciplines, with surveys available in both English and Spanish.
Highly competitive state and national relief programs have been announced in recent days; and while it is always good to apply, expect that the funds will be depleted quickly and you may not get support.
The following are open to artists in all disciplines
- The Massachusetts Cultural Council will provide $1,000 grants to those impacted by closures and lost work.
- A consortium of major national organizations have created Artists Relief, a fund providing $5,000 grants for those with dire financial emergencies. The funding is being rolled out in cycles, and if you do not get a grant you can reapply for a later cycle. This fund will be open through September, 2020.
Publicity. Pedagogy. Participation.
There is a new way to share your virtual offerings: anyone in the metropolitan Boston area can post to the (Boston) Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture calendar. Gain new audiences, discover new potential collaborators, and just sit back and enjoy the wealth of creativity across our community.
Please note: BDA’s website calendar is suspended while we dedicate all our efforts to sharing information and identifying resources with the dance community: that is the most important way we can fulfill our mission of service and support. BDA’s popular calendar listings, ticket discounts and more will come back when theaters, schools, and events reopen.
Teaching in a K-12 environment? Online challenges can be met with a little help from your colleagues. EdVestors, the City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council are hosting a virtual conversation exploring remote learning practices in arts education and Creative Youth Development (CYD) on April 15.
Dance/USA is taking its June 17-19 convention online, and while it will not be free, joining online may be a solid investment in your own career trajectory.
Watch our friend, former Boston area dancer and choreographer (and BDA fellowship recipient) James Morrow teach a little finger tutting exercise to make you appreciate those clean hands of yours! He is going to continue this project and you will be able to share your videos with him, so stay tuned.