BUFFALO, N.Y. — This week, for many, is another week of creating from home. Artists have faced a unique struggle during this pandemic, which has impacted so many industries, including arts and cultural industries.
One local nonprofit wants to celebrate all that local artists contribute, and provide help to struggling artistic and cultural workers.
The Arts Services Initiative of Western New York (ASI) is hosting "WNY Arts Week" to celebrate the rich creative culture in our region and an industry that has a very significant impact on the local economy.
They've also created a GoFundMe to raise money for artists and arts/cultural organizations in the region that have been impacted by the virus. All the money will go back into the arts/cultural sector through grants.
ASI wrote on their GoFundMe page that based on a survey of 178 artists and arts organizations in Western New York, so far $2,532,576 in revenue/income has been lost due to COVID-19 in just one month. Survey respondents estimate losing a total of $4,459,319 over the course of the pandemic.
"A lot of us do work in person, at venues collectively through workshops and teaching, and things like that. And so that was immediately felt in the lack of direct connection," ASI Executive Director Jen Swan said about the changes artists have faced during coronavirus.
"Also, a lot of the organizations, they really, with those in person connections that's also their main form of either raising revenue or operating their general operations," Swan added.
According to ASI's Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 Report with American for the Arts, WNY's arts and cultural sector employs 10,160 people full-time, and has a $352.1 million impact on the region.
The arts and cultural sector also generates $40.3 million in local and state government revenue.
ASI is encouraging creatives to share their art and photos of them being creative with the hashtags #WNYArtsWeek, #WeAreWNYArts, #WNYCulturalConnections, and #WorldArtsDay.
ASI also has several different ways you can get involved with Arts Week and support local artists on their website.
"We support the arts because we know they are a source of unity and healing for communities; they bring us together and force us to reckon with the big questions of our shared experiences," ASI wrote in a recent blog.
"When we make it to the other side of this crisis—and we will make it to the other side—we’ll need the arts to help us repair, ASI said.
