Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Advocacy Alert, June 23: Make Arts Education Essential!

By Dance/NYC

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NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is calling on all New Yorkers to push for increased funding to support universal arts education in City schools. As the FY 2022 city budget is finalized and adopted this June, investing in arts education is critical to providing opportunities to actively engage students and support their academic and social-emotional needs while also supporting the recovery of arts organizations and employment of thousands of artists. Use Arts in Education Roundtable’s social media toolkit to spread the word to your council member and community.

NATIONAL

1. Dance Industry Unite! Sign on with Be An #ArtsHero, Dance/USA, and National Dance Education Organization to support relief, recovery, and representation for the dance industry. You can learn more with the Be An #ArtsHero Advocacy Toolkit and Lobby Guide.

2. The Small Business Administration (SBA) Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG): Funding remains available in the $16 billion in emergency assistance to shuttered venues affected by COVID-19. SVOG applications remain open until funding is exhausted. After repeated delays and setbacks, progress reports on the SVOG program and SVOG frequently asked questions can be viewed on the SBA website. Also check out the latest updates from a coalition of arts organizations led by the Association of Performing Arts Professionals.

3. The National Council of Nonprofits sent a letter to congressional leaders and all Members of Congress opposing any proposal to claw back or reclaim funds already allocated to governments from the American Rescue Plan Act. Share the National Council of Nonprofits letter to show your support.

4. Tell your representatives in Congress to support S. 2065 and H.R 3824 and restore Supplemental Security Income (SSI). It would help disabled people to access rent, Medicaid and caregivers.

5. President Biden signed a law making Juneteenth a federal holiday.

NEW YORK STATE

1. Thanks to your advocacy, A1141A (Paulin)/S4817A (Krueger) passed the State Senate and Assembly! The bill repeals the new, redundant 990 filing obligation for nonprofits registered with the NY Attorney General's Charities Bureau to also report their 990s with the Department of State. The bill further codifies existing Charities Bureau privacy protections for nonpartisan 501(c)(3) donors.

2. Governor Cuomo Announces $105 Million in Grant Funding for Nonprofit Arts and Cultural Organizations and Artists. The grants will aid in the arts sector's multi-year recovery from COVID-19 and spur the revitalization of New York's creative economy. There will be four rounds of funding, with $20 million already committed to multi-year awards in the first round. Each round is designed to address the most urgent needs of organizations and artists within New York's nonprofit creative sector. More information on grant funding for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and artists is available through New York State Council on the Arts.

3. Restart NY: Rapid Live Performance grants applications are open. This program will distribute $5,000-$10,000 in funding to eligible performing arts organizations for planned performance programming in 2021. Deadline to apply is July 1 at 4:00 p.m. Learn more about prequalification guidelines for Restart NY for applicants.

4. Governor Cuomo Announces $3.5 Billion in Assistance for Renters and Small Businesses. Governor Cuomo announced that starting on June 1, $2.7 billion in emergency rental assistance will be available for struggling New Yorkers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Within the first four hours over 7,000 New Yorkers applied. Find more information on what to know before applying to emergency rental assistance.

NEW YORK CITY

1. NYC Vaccine Referral Bonus Program for Community-Based Organizations. This program will work with community-based organizations to turn out their neighbors and award $100 for each referral that leads to an individual receiving their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a City-run site. Sign up for the Vaccine Referral Bonus Program to be approved for the platform for City-run network of vaccination sites.

2. Places Please Project. This fund is intended to distribute $500,000 in rent relief directly to theater workers in New York City. Sign up to be notified when Places Please Project applications open.

3. Sign on to support the 2021 NYC Nonprofit Policy Platform to educate candidates, nonprofit staff members, and communities about the importance of the nonprofit sector and the key roles that nonprofits need to play in developing and implementing recovery strategies for NYC.

4. Join Broadway Advocacy Coalition for WHAT NOW PART II: From Ally to Action Forum to investigate the progress that has been made in the industry and the systems that must be addressed in order to ensure that this change is sustainable and long lasting. June 29, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

5. Tell City Hall: Libraries Make New York City Stronger. Sign on to support libraries and their importance to our communities, especially as we continue to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and consider the future.

6. NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and its partners announced details for how City Artist Corps will support local artists while providing opportunities for New Yorkers to engage with cultural programming starting this summer. Applications for the first cycle have closed; applications for the second cycle will open on Tuesday, July 6 at 10:00 a.m. Dance/NYC is a regranting partner and will be hosting support webinars. More information on City Artist Corps is available on NYFA’s website.

7. Email your council member to support the Cultural Plan for Recovery (CPR). Find your council member on this list and use this email template to tell them to support the CPR.

8. Applications are Open for NYC Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) Program. The program embeds artists in City agencies to propose and implement solutions to pressing civic challenges. Go to nyculture.submittable.com to learn more about each of these unique opportunities and to apply; the deadline to apply is Sunday, June 27.

9. COVID-19 Updates

• On June 15, Governor Cuomo Announced COVID-19 Restrictions Lifted as 70% of Adult New Yorkers Have Received First Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine.
• The Broadway Vaccination Site (ATC Vaccination Times Square) for arts and cultural workers is now taking appointment requests online or by calling 877-829-4692. The Actors Fund is supporting making appointments. Call 917-281-5937 or email vaccines@actorsfund.org.
• Find other vaccination locations and make appointments online at vaccinefinder.nyc.gov or by calling 877-VAX4NYC or 833-NYC-4VAX for assistance in multiple languages. For the latest information, please consult the City’s Vaccine Command Center and State's website.
• Statewide positivity rate is 0.39% and 70.4% of New Yorkers have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
• Download the COVID Alert NY app and Excelsior App today!
• Remember to follow the “core four”—wear a mask, wash your hands, practice social distancing, stay home if you’re sick—and get tested! For information on free testing, personal protective equipment, and more, visit the NYC Mayor's Office Coronavirus page.

Dance/NYC

1. Register for Dance/NYC’s Aesthetics and Artistry Town Halls. Join us June 23 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. for Disability Aesthetics and June 30 from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. for Immigrant Artistry, Resources and Community.

2. Dance/NYC hosts bi-weekly dance field-wide calls. The call addresses questions, needs, and plans for the future of the field. Calls are on a Thursday from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. This Thursday, June 24 will feature Making Homes for the Arts in Sacred Places, who will share details about this program. Be sure to register.

3. For the ongoing Coronavirus Dance Impact Study, Dance/NYC is tracking studio & company temporary and permanent closures to gain a better understanding of the financial impact of the pandemic on the dance sector. Please email any closures that you know of in the dance community to research@dance.nyc.