Blog - 05-2020 Archive

Staff Picks: A curated list of what to look at, listen to, watch, or read from the team at EAC

From the first wave of Asian immigrants in the 1850s to modern refugee crises in a globally-connected world, an epic new film from PBS examines Asian Americans’ contributions to our country’s past, present, and future. Join us for the online screening and live panel discussion with a diverse panel from Erie’s Asian community on Thursday, June 11th at 6:30. Presented in partnership with the Erie Asian Pacific American Association (APAA) and WQLN Public Media, Erie’s NPR and PBS affiliate station.

"Asian Americans" is a new five-hour film series from PBS that examines the lives and personal stories of what the 2010 US Census identifies as “the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States.”  The film delivers a bold, fresh perspective on a history that matters today, more than ever. As America becomes more diverse, and more divided, while facing unimaginable challenges, how do we move forward together? Told through intimate and personal stories, the series casts a new lens on U.S. history and the ongoing role that Asian Americans have played in shaping the nation’s identity.

Please join Erie Arts & Culture for a virtual discussion on May 28 at 4:30 PM about how artists and non-profit organizations can identify funding opportunities and prepare their applications accordingly.

On May 20, 2020, Erie Arts & Culture hosted a virtual conversation about how COVID-19 and social distancing have impacted the cultural and creative sector in Erie, PA, and what the path forward looks like. The panel featured non-profit leaders and artists from a variety of backgrounds who are adapting to the unique challenges and opportunities presented to the creative sector at this time in history.

Staff Picks: A curated list of what to look at, listen to, watch, or read from the team at EAC

As the current pandemic continues to affect the creative and cultural sectors across the nation, Erie Arts & Culture is committed to serving as a central source of information during this difficult time. In addition to initiating our Emergency Financial Assistance Fund for creative and cultural professionals in Erie County, we have compiled a list of additional resources that may be helpful to those who operate in our sector.

If you are in need of financial assistance, we encourage you to apply for several opportunities to increase your likelihood of receiving aid.

Staff Picks: A curated list of what to look at, listen to, watch, or read from the team at EAC

Erie Arts & Culture presented the second installment of the Creative Catalyst Speaker Series with Kemi Ilesanmi on May 6, 2020. Kemi is the Executive Director of The Laundromat Project, a non-profit arts organization located in New York, NY. For the past 15 years, the organization has worked to advance artists and neighbors as change agents in their own communities. The Laundromat Project makes sustained investments in growing a community of multiracial, multigenerational, and multidisciplinary artists and neighbors committed to societal change by supporting their artmaking, community building, and leadership development. The conversation with Kemi was moderated by Kristen Weeks, the Program Manager of Erie Arts & Culture’s New Horizons initiative.

The Erie Asian Pacific American Association (APAA) and WQLN Public Media, Erie’s NPR and PBS affiliate station, invite you to watch “Asian Americans” on May 11th and 12th at 8:00 PM. 

"Asian American" is a new five-hour film series from PBS that examines the lives and personal stories of what the 2010 US Census identifies as “the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in the United States.”  The film delivers a bold, fresh perspective on a history that matters today, more than ever. As America becomes more diverse, and more divided, while facing unimaginable challenges, how do we move forward together? Told through intimate and personal stories, the series casts a new lens on U.S. history and the ongoing role that Asian Americans have played in shaping the nation’s identity.

Arundel Cellars and Brewing Company contributed $2,000 to Erie Arts & Culture’s Emergency Financial Assistance Fund, now in its third cycle.

Staff Picks: A curated list of what to look at, listen to, watch, or read from the team at EAC

Americans for the Arts has been tracking the economic impact that COVID-19 is having on non-profit arts organizations. They’re administering an ongoing survey for arts organizations and the data from those surveys has been compiled into an easy to navigate dashboard. If you’re a non-profit arts organization in Northwestern Pennsylvania and you have not yet completed the survey, please do so. It’s the only way that we will have an accurate indication regarding the impact that the pandemic has had on the economic health of the sector. 

Preliminary numbers are alarming. At the time of our blog post, this disruption has resulted in a loss of $4.98 billion for the US non-profit arts sector. When examining Northwestern Pennsylvania specifically, the 37 non-profit arts organizations that participated in the survey have estimated a loss of $491,300. 45% of those organizations also reported that they’ve had to dip into their financial reserves. Additionally, 46 non-profit art workers in our region have been either laid off or furloughed. 

After reviewing the report, the question that may arise is, “why should we care?”

Please enjoy this recording of our webinar conversation with Jonathan D'Silva of MMI Intellectual Property about how copyright, licensing, and other IP issues affect creative professionals. Presented by Erie Arts and Culture's PRO Network initiative (Professional development, Resources, and Opportunities), this is one of a group of sessions we hope will help build the professional capacity of our region's creative and cultural professionals.