Alexandria Arts & Culture
​Needs Grant Funds Now

Thursday, July 30, 2020 - Arts & Culture are an integral part of our social fabric, economic vitality and quality of life here in the City of Alexandria. Our local arts organizations and artists contribute to the lifeblood of our community through art, music, theater, dance, literary arts, and arts education. They are now threatened by the Coronavirus Pandemic, and many people within the arts are facing economic devastation. It is important that these organizations are able to continue to be a part of our community family when this crisis is finally over. 
 
One way the City can help ensure that the arts survive this horrific historical crisis is by immediately expediting FY21 City of Alexandria Arts Grant funds. We, the Alexandria Arts Alliance, in support of our city’s arts organizations and artists that applied for funds in May, ask that the grant funds already in the budget not be delayed as planned by the Office of the Arts, but be expedited and used toward operating funds that can be allocated immediately. This funding is needed now to help our arts organizations, artists, and staff members survive and ultimately thrive post-COVID-19. Our neighboring jurisdictions of Arlington and Fairfax Counties have already allocated grant funds to the arts in response to COVID-19. Similar emergency funds have also been established and granted through the Virginia Commission for the Arts.
 
Arts & Culture is a $111.8 million industry in Alexandria supporting 2,628 full-time equivalent jobs, generating over $56 million in household income to local residents, providing $7.5 million in local and state government revenue and educating our children to compete in the 21st century (Arts and Economic Prosperity 5, Americans for the Arts, 2017).   
 
Just as the City has stood beside our small businesses, the Alexandria Arts Alliance asks Mayor Wilson, City Council, the City Manager, the Alexandria Commission for the Arts and City staff to support the arts community by releasing arts grant funds now, so that we can continue contributing to the diverse culture, economic vitality and social connectedness of our community. 

 ​#wherearethefunds   #saveourartists    #fundALXarts

COVID-19 CRISIS Information and Resources

Rebuild VA
July 28, 2020: Rebuild VA, a new economic recovery fund, will be awarding grants up to $10,000  to approximately 7,000 applicants to cover eligible expenses. For more information about Rebuild VA, eligibility criteria, covered expenses, and how to submit an application, click here: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/rebuildva/
SBSD will hold several webinars to review eligibility requirements and documentation needed to apply when the application opens on August 10, 2020. A one-pager on Rebuild VA is available here: https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/governor-of-virginia/pdf/Rebuild-VA-Flyer.pdf
 
CARES Act Update
We strongly encourage you to subscribe to the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP) newsletter for frequent updates. Go to AEDP’s COVID-19 webpage for detailed information.

Visit Alexandria is featuring businesses adapting to our new virtual environment called ALX at Home. If you have creative ways your organization is engaging people to experience the arts virtually, please contact Patricia Washington. For more information on Visit Alexandria's strategies and response to COVID-19, click here to watch their virtual meeting.

The City of the Alexandria's Office of the Arts is hiring local artists and arts organizations to create and provide virtual content to share with our community. If you're interested in participating, please complete the relevant sections of their standard participation form.

Additional Resources:

Upcoming Arts Alliance Events 

​Meeting topics and locations will be announced through our e-newsletter and on social media.

Alexandria Community Arts Meetings

The Alexandria Commission for the Arts meets on the third Tuesday each month at the Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.

About the Alexandria Arts Alliance

The Alexandria Arts Alliance works to advance the arts in Alexandria because a strong arts community equals an economically strong and vibrant city. The City of Alexandria recently approved a dynamic citywide Arts & Culture Master Plan which affirms the importance of the arts to the city’s economic vitality and quality of life. ​

Arts and cultural organizations are vital to fuel creativity, enhance quality of life, and attract and retain the talent we need in Alexandria for continued growth. The recent Arts and Economic Prosperity 5 study conducted by Americans for the Arts shows that arts and culture is a $111.8 million industry in Alexandria supporting 2,628 full-time equivalent jobs, generating over $56 million in household income to local residents, providing $7.5 million in local and state government revenue and educating our children to compete in the 21st century.