This April, The Golden State celebrates Arts, Culture, and Creativity Month. In California, the creative economy is substantial.
So substantial in fact that the 2020 Otis Report on the Creative Economy found that creative industries support 2.68 million jobs in the state. However, due to the toll that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the economy, the state lost 175,000 Creative Economy Jobs in 2020, including jobs in architecture and related services, creative goods and products, entertainment and digital media, and fashion and fine arts.
While some in the industry were able to stay afloat with assistance from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, others were not as fortunate, and either went under or were left to fend for themselves. According to the Otis Report, 18 percent of BIPOC individuals or organizations reported they were denied such funding, compared to the 5 percent of other people and organizations who were refused the assistance.
The creativity crisis and overall bleak feeling left behind by the public health emergency make now more than ever an important time to come together and celebrate arts, culture, and creativity.
Getting funding and support from local legislative bodies is a powerful way to ensure that the state is able to overcome some of the past year’s adversity. Californians for the Arts, an organization that focuses on “advancing and building public awareness of the value and impact of arts, culture, and creativity across California,” notes that April is a pivotal month for community members to be heard in the fight for the arts.
In the State of California, 2022’s Fiscal Year budget is to be set in June, which means that any last changes that benefit the creative sector need to be advocated for in the months leading up. The investment in all things art, culture, and creativity would enable people to continue sharing what they love and benefiting the greater community. After all, community is built around arts and culture.
Mobilizing in support of the arts can take various forms. For starters, you can help reach out to your local representatives and advocate for monetary support by clicking here. This would help recover some of what was lost as a result of the COVID-19 shutdowns and impact non-profit cultural organizations, arts businesses, museums, individuals artists, and creative workers.
Secondly, you can support local organizations that help artists from all backgrounds. The Root Slam in Oakland enables people to share their written word publicly and offers writing workshops to those who want to hone their skills. Queer Cultural Center employs the arts to advance cultural equity and social justice and provides direct support for queer, trans, Indigenous, and people of color. San Francisco non-profit Intersection for the Arts provides “people in arts and culture with resources to grow.”
These examples just scratch the surface of the organizations that help art and culture flourish, but all deserve your support and recognition.
Lastly, you can support artists by showing up and seeing the incredible work they’ve dedicated themselves to. Donate your time or make a small monetary donation to artists and gallery owners. In many cases online galleries allow you to do so, too. And, if you have the money and find a piece that touches you, support that artist by purchasing it. As galleries expand their hours, we must resume and continue to patron them, even if it is just to browse and get lost in the beauty on display.
Dozens of art galleries showcase the masterpieces by talented individuals. If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to finding a gallery near you, check out this list of Northern California Art Galleries.
If you are near the San Jose area the weekend of May 1-2, the Qmunity District is hosting an Art Walk to showcase some local artists’ work. Artists have until April 28th to register to display whichever medium they use for their work. To learn more about this opportunity or about the Art Walk itself, head over to the Qmunity District’s website.