Arts

Needs

The entire arts sector (not just Jewish arts) has been dramatically impacted by the pandemic. An April 8 article in ArtsNews reports that collectively, arts organizations have already lost an estimated $4.5 billion.

Fundraising challenges due to potential attitude among funders and government sources that the arts are a luxury and non-essential in a time of crisis.

In light of the current crisis, working artists have seen their incomes evaporate. Performances, gallery openings, standing gigs, book releases, all have been cancelled or put on indefinite hold.

Most art forms depend on bricks-and-mortar venues, such as movie theaters, concert halls, gallery space etc., and while some can be featured in virtual/online venues, they lose much of their power and impact in the process.

Even before the current coronavirus crisis, the Jewish arts and culture sector was already struggling from a lack of coordinated funder support, an issue the new funding partnership, CANVAS, was created to address.

Most artists support themselves financially not only with their art, but with freelance and part-time work teaching or in the service sector, fields where large numbers of people have lost income as a result of social distancing closures and the wider economic downturn.