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 connected during this difficult time.
While our programs were temporarily altered, it did not stop our passion for supporting and amplifying the voices of every artist, arts organization, and art enthusiast. ArtsFairfax is privileged to be part of this community. We are all part of something bigger, and we, ArtsFairfax, thank the arts community for their work toward the greater good of our community. We look forward to continuing to serve you.
ArtsFairfax Looks Back
Grants
ArtsFairfax re-envisioned our traditional grant opportunities to create the Emergency Relief and Recovery Grants to meet the arts community’s greatest needs. This past year, ArtsFairfax awarded $101,950 in Emergency and Recovery Grants to 40 Fairfax County arts organizations and privately raised funds to award $23,300 in grants to 29 individual artists.
Additionally, ArtsFairfax awarded 39 arts organizations a total of $436,888 in Operating Support Grants to fund areas of greatest need.
Community Conversations
The arts unite communities, but COVID-19 changed the way we connected peer-to-peer and with the community. In March, ArtsFairfax invited grantees to share their challenges and fears to understand how we could adapt our programming to support their changing needs. In November, we continued the conversation and invited the broader community to share success stories, challenges, and questions on how we can continue and adopt our support.
Workshops
What became clearer throughout the year was that the arts community remains committed to serving their audiences. Familiar faces and new audiences turned up for our workshop offerings. In May, we offered the workshop “What’s Next for the Arts and How To Plan For it.” In September, ArtsFairfax partnered with Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts to present the Creative Entrepreneur Series. In October, ArtsFairfax offered a 4-day virtual program for arts educators to help adapt their online participation programs.
COVID – 19 Information
ArtsFairfax launched a webpage of curated COVID-19 resources for the arts community.
Arts Promotion
In January, ArtsFairfax unveiled a new website designed to inform the entire Fairfax County community, including potential grantees, funders, arts educators, students, art lovers, and many more. We are ready to promote you and your events.
Arts Awards
Every year, ArtsFairfax strives to support and celebrate the arts in our community. Once a year, we invite the community to join us to celebrate arts visionaries at our annual Arts Awards. Like many organizations, we sadly had to postpone our ceremony. This means we are more excited than ever to celebrate our Arts Awards honorees at the new Capital One Hall in 2021. We hope to see you there.
The Impact on Us
ArtsFairfax is a 501(c)(3), and like other nonprofits, the pandemic has severely limited our fundraising efforts. We rely on your generous donations to continue to sustain and expand our support of the arts community. Thank you for your continued support of the arts, and we look forward to a healthy and vibrant recovery.