The death of George Floyd launched a movement to stand up, speak up, and take action against racism in our communities. Watching the recent attacks on the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities illustrated a harsh reminder that racism is still prevalent in today’s world. Artists have always used art to help heal communities...
Museums are an essential part of our collective culture and one of the best ways for us to experience local arts and history outside of a traditional classroom setting. With interactive programs, exhibitions, and activities, these are only a few of the great museums that Fairfax County has to offer. Whether you’re looking for a...
The creativity of the creative workforce fuels our local and national economies. At the height of the pandemic, it was creativity that inspired us to try new things, entertained us, and eased our anxiety and sorrow. Creativity thrived, but creative workers faced unemployment at unprecedented rates. According to a study done by John Hopkins University,...
The arts and culture in our communities are a vital part of our economic recovery. This past year, the arts have guided and inspired our nation during the global pandemic. It came at a cost as venues and programs were the first to shutter or pivot to online and will be one of the last industries to...
ArtsFairfax WORK-SMART Series ArtsFairfax workshops and webinars are learning opportunities for artists, arts administrators, and arts organizations to gain new skills, knowledge, and connections to further their personal and organizational goals, and build the capacity of the arts. In 2020, ArtsFairfax launched the WORK-SMART workshop series to meet identified development needs within our community. The...
A Strong Arts Community Helps Fairfax Survive and Thrive It’s been over a year since the world, as we knew it, came to an abrupt stop. While doors closed and venues shuttered, Fairfax County artists and art organizations used innovation and creativity to share art offerings that entertained, educated, soothed our grief, and kept us...
Relief and Recovery for the Arts President Biden’s signing of the American Rescue Plan is a major step toward recovery and building back America. This bill and federal leaders’ support of the Shuttered Venue Operators Grants are critically needed relief for our community. While these are big steps forward, much is still needed for the...
Spring is around the corner, and we are anxiously taking steps to reopen our economy. As we look toward a better 2021, we cannot forget the pandemic’s financial impact on the arts community. The arts quickly pivoted from in-person to online shows. This shift helped us engage, educate, and create a community during the most...
By Amy Ginsburg, From a Capacity Partners Case Study As Covid-19 crashed into our area a year ago, the arts faced unique challenges as stages went dark and classes moved to virtual platforms. Professional theaters, such as the NextStop Theatre Company in Herndon, VA, were thrust into unfamiliar, unprecedented circumstances. Not every arts organization survived,...
