Even during the best of times, making a living can be a challenge for artists. During this pandemic, artists and arts groups have been cancelling and postponing events, closing galleries and studios, and trying to find new ways to connect with each other -- and their audiences. Some are also pondering during a time like this: What is the role of the arts and the artist?
Air date: April 27, 2020.
GUESTS:
Andre Belanger, painter, sculptor and owner of Studio Works Art School and Custom Framing in Berlin. See above slide show for examples of some of his work.
Eric Gagne, co-founder of Thing in the Spring and Broke: The Affordable Arts Fair, an annual event that includes concerts and art exhibitions and takes place over several days. This year’s event, originally scheduled for June 4 to 7 in Peterborough, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This would have been the event's thirteenth year. Eric is also involved in Nova Arts Block in Keene.
Rebecca Fredrickson, Event planner for City Arts Nashua, which promotes visual and performing arts. she is also a painter and has worked as an art teacher in the Merrimack/Nashua area. She is now offering free online tutorials for families seeking creative activies for their children. To read about her work and view some of her art, visit here.
Russ Grazier, CEO of the Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, which offers music and visual arts lessons, art exhibitions, and concerts. He plays the saxophone and since the pandemic has been teaching music to as many as 30 students on Zoom. See above slide show for photos of a zoom performance of ukulele players and a painting by teaching artist Anna Nuttall.
Carl Rajotte, Artistic director for the Palace Theatres in Manchester. He is also a former actor.
More information and resources:
TheNew Hampshire State Council on the Artsoffers information for artists and arts groups including updates on COVID-19 related issues. The Council is now accepting applications for Artist Emergency Grants, $500 grants to professional artists whose income has been impacted by COVID-19. The program is partially supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts. Visit their websitefor information. In addition, the Council expects to receive $427,000 from CARES funds allotted to the National Endowment for the Arts and hopes to announce guidelines for those grants in the new few weeks.
The Currier Museum of Art, now closed to visitors, offers online tours of its collectons, ideasfor creating art, as well as eductaional videos found at Views on Art.
The Hood Museum of Art in Hanover, closed to visitors, is offering virtual events and programming.