Dance/NYC launched an advocacy page on its website to highlight all of the actions it is taking to ensure dance has a seat at every level of decision making. Additionally, Dance/NYC created an advocacy resource page to help you in your own advocacy efforts. 

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NATIONAL 
 

1. Dance/USA announced the 2021 Institute for Leadership Training participants. Learn about the 2021 DILT mentees and mentors. Learn more about the Dance/USA Institute for Leadership Training.  

2. Dance/USA Announces New Virtual Office Hours. Register for office hours in archiving, dancer health and emergency preparedness. 

3. President Biden taps Vice President Harris to tackle voting rights legislation. Vice President Harris released a statement on Voting Rights Efforts. VP Harris has stated that she will engage the American people on the issue of voting rights, including community organizations and the private sector.

4. President's Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Proposes $201 Million for the National Endowment for the Arts, which is a $33.5 million increase to NEA, making it a record-high increase. Check out the full budget proposal. 

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NEW YORK STATE

 

1. DOS Tax Filing Repeal Call to Action. A1141A (Paulin)/S4817A (Krueger) would repeal the new, redundant 990 filing obligation for nonprofits registered with the NY Attorney General’s Charities Bureau. Thanks to your advocacy, S4817A cleared the State Senate today. A1141A is stalled in the Assembly. Call, e-mail and tweet your legislators to help advance this bill today as tomorrow is the last day of the assembly session. Sign on in support of the DOS Tax Filing Repeal.

2. Sign On to Support Nonprofit Advocacy! As a part of the A Place at the Table campaign, Nonprofit New York and coalition partners have successfully worked with Assembly member González-Rojas and Senator Biaggi to introduce legislation to lift the administrative burden for legislative advocacy. A6943/S6398 would raise the State's "lobbying threshold" to $10,000. Contact your legislator.

3. Make Arts Education a Core Subject in New York State. New York City Arts in Education Roundtable is asking everyone to contact their elected officials to support S4525 and A1788. These bills would put arts education on par with other required New York State education curriculum subjects. Use New York City Arts in Education Roundtable website to send letters to your elected officials.  

4. Under a week to Pass NY Health Act. Dance Artists National Collective (DANC) is calling on every New Yorker (please tell your friends, co-workers, bosses, relatives) to call our leaders using this link and script. 

5. 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. 

6. Current Delays Are Keeping Undocumented Workers From Relief Funds. The Excluded Worker Fund (EWF) offers relief to workers who have suffered income loss due to COVID-19 but who are ineligible for Unemployment Insurance or related federal benefits. Check out information on how to apply to the Excluded Worker Fund. 

7. Governor Cuomo says that the State will relax 'virtually all' COVID-19 restrictions when vaccination rate hits 70%. Lifted restrictions will include social distancing, capacity limits, cleaning requirements, health screening protocols, as well as contact tracing preparations in most social settings. The state's COVID-19 guidelines will still apply to large-scale event venues, pre-K to 12 schools, public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes and healthcare settings until more New Yorkers are vaccinated. 

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NEW YORK CITY

 

1. 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 of funding opened Tuesday, June 8; applications for additional cycles will come online later this summer. 
 

MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON NYFA'S WEBSITE

 

2. 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. 

3. Mellon Foundation announced Creatives Rebuild New York, a guaranteed income and artist employment project that is forthcoming.

4. Applications are Open for NYC Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) Program. Based on the idea that artists are creative problem-solvers, the program embeds artists in City agencies to propose and implement solutions to pressing civic challenges. Selected artists will receive $40,000 for the residency, and artists working in all media and disciplines are welcome to apply. Go to nyculture.submittable.com to learn more about each of these unique opportunities and to apply; the deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 27. 

5. Apply for the New York City COVID-19 Just Recovery Match Fund. It provides matching dollars on ioby crowdfunding campaigns for projects that serve low-income, Black communities within the five boroughs of New York City. Matching funds are available now on a first-come, first-served rolling basis until the funds run out. 

6. Apply for the New York City COVID-19 Neighborhood Relief Match Fund. It provides matching dollars up to $15,000 to ioby crowdfunding campaigns for projects that help low-income communities respond to and recover from the economic and social impacts of COVID-19. Matching funds are available now on a first-come, first-served rolling basis until the funds run out.

7. New York City senior centers to restart indoor activities by June 14. Mayor De Blasio announced the city will reopen all of its nearly 250 senior centers for indoor activity on June 14, and will allow outdoor gatherings effective immediately. 

8. COVID-19 Updates 

• 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. 
• The statewide positivity rate was 0.51% and 66.3.% of New Yorkers have had at least one vaccination dose.  
• MTA will cut late-night buses after the return of 24/7 subway service.
• Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city aims to fully reopen on July 1. 
• 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.

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UPCOMING ELECTIONS 

 

1. NYC primaries will use ranked choice voting. You can rank up to 5 candidates in order of preference. Here are some resources to learn more about ranked choice voting:

• NYC Civic Engagement Commission
• Vote NYC
• NYC Votes
• NY Times How to Vote in June 22 Election 

2. Early Voting begins June 12! Find out polling places and hours at findmypollsite.vote.nyc!  

3. Discover the New Yorkers for Culture and Arts candidate questionnaire on Arts and Culture. 

4. Our City, Our Vote Coalition Rally For One Million Voices, is this Thursday June 10 at 11:00 a.m. at Corona Plaza. They are calling on City Council Member Francisco Moya to sign on to Introduction 1867- legislation that expands democracy in New York City so green card holders and those authorized to work in the United States can vote in elections for city-level offices.

 

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Dance/NYC 

 

1. Engaging in community action in support of dance workers? Submit to be listed on the #ArtistsAreNecessaryWorkers Campaign Activations page. Visit the page for events, actions, and platforms that are independently led by the NYC dance 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 10 will feature #BeAnArtsHero. 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. This data will be used to document this historic time and to advocate to policymakers for aid. Please email any closures that you know of in the dance community to research@dance.nyc. You do not need to be in charge of the organization to send a notification as Dance/NYC works to compile a list of closures.