West Virginia Division of Culture and History

The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History and the West Virginia Commission on the Arts are proud to work with artists, arts organizations, schools and community groups across the Mountain State to help provide a thriving environment for creative expression and appreciation for the arts.

Through grants and technical services funded by the West Virginia Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts, we collaborate with artists, schools and nonprofit organizations to help provide cultural activities that improve the quality of life in West Virginia, help provide a complete education to our children and boost economic development in communities throughout the state.

Whether you’re interested in applying for a grant, bringing new cultural experiences to your community or needing advice for expanding currents services, the Arts staff is here to answer your questions and assist you in taking advantage of these services.

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COVID-19 Peer Support Sessions for Artists and Arts Organizations

Over the next few weeks, The State Arts Office at the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History will be facilitating a series of free-form and topic-focused discussions centered around the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on artists and arts organizations in West Virginia. Each session will be 1 to 1.5 hours long and are free to join. Participants may join for any duration of the session. To join a session via Zoom or by phone, see credentials below. No need to RSVP.

PLEASE NOTE: All peer support sessions will be recorded for future uncommercial use by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. By entering into a session, you grant the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History (WVDACH) permission for the use of your image from the sound and/or video of the Peer-to-Peer session. If you would like to participate but wish to remain as anonymous as possible, it is suggested you call-in or disable your video during the session.

Friday, July 24, 10:00 AM: Free-Form Discussion for Arts Organization Staff. Share with fellow West Virginia arts and culture organization staff how you are doing, what struggles you are having, what information you need, or what resources you have discovered. In turn, you can hold space for others, provide support, listen, and learn.

Wednesday, July 29, 10:00 AM: Free-Form Discussion for Artists: Share with fellow West Virginia artists how you are doing, what struggles you are having, what information you need, or what resources you have discovered. In turn, you can hold space for others, provide support, listen, and learn.

Wednesday, August 5, 10:00 AM: Fundraising During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Join marketing and management consultant and Peer Assistance Network Advisor Terri Cutright of Terri Reed Cutright & Associates for a presentation and discussion centered around fundraising during the pandemic. The presentation will cover several fundraising ideas, grants and government assistance, as well as strategies for communicating with donors. It will end with a Q & A session.

Tuesday, August 11, 2:00 PM: Adapting Arts Programs and Presentations to Virtual Platforms - What Are We Learning? This will be an open conversation facilitated by Community Arts Coordinator Jack O’Hearn. What is working and not working about moving your artistic presentation or programming into virtual platforms? How will virtual presentation and programming influence the way you work post-pandemic?

Thursday, August 13, 2:00 PM: Arts and Social Distancing: Returning to a New Normal. Wondering what re-opening guidelines are going to look like? Have you begun planning? Join Director of Arts Lance Schrader and Community Arts Coordinator Jack O’Hearn for a discussion that looks at best practices and strategies for reopening safely and responsibly. If you are an arts organization that has been able to resume in-person programming in some way, this will be an opportunity to share your experiences with peers throughout the state.

To join a Peer Support Session, open the Zoom app or visit: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83502927243?pwd=MmFMK2Q5SXhmMUwrNFhLdWZuVHVjQT09
Enter Meeting ID: 835 0292 7243
Enter Password: 734833
To join the session by phone, call: +1 646 558 8656

WV Artists and Arts Organizations,

The State Arts Office of the WV Department of Arts, Culture and History and the WV Commission on the Arts is closely monitoring the news regarding COVID-19 virus, the illness caused by a new Coronavirus. We are beginning to hear from many of our grantees and constituents regarding the potential impact of COVID-19 on arts programs, events and cultural facilities. We understand that many artists, non-profit organizations with public performances and events, and school programs, are having to deal with the very real tensions of putting health and safety first. Our job is to support the arts and the creative economy, and your work is at the core of our efforts. While there are many helpful resources regarding preparations and procedures for preventing, identifying, and addressing COVID-19, we have assembled a collection of arts-specific resources and WVDACH/WVCA-specific information that we hope is tailored to your needs. Below is a list of FAQs and resources. We will be updating this periodically as we receive more information.

We’ve also created a Google survey to gather information about how COVID-19 is affecting the arts industry and how artists and arts organizations are preparing and responding. Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey.

GRANTEES:

Q. We might have to cancel or reschedule our grant project (or part of our grant project). What options are there?

A. If you need to cancel or reschedule a grant-funded project due to COVID-19, please contact the grant program coordinator (listed below) to discuss options. We will be handling this on a case-by-case basis. Please note that any options and procedures discussed with grant coordinators will require approval from the Curator of the Department of Arts, Culture and History.

APPLICANTS:

Q. Will any upcoming FY21 application deadlines be changed?

A. No. The WVDACH and WVCA will continue to accept grant applications at our published deadlines. The majority of our grant application deadlines have already passed, with the exception of our Cultural Facilities and Capital Resources grant, which is due April 1st.

Q. Will my application be reviewed on schedule?

A. Yes. All of our FY21 grant applications will be reviewed on schedule. Our grant panels typically review grants remotely in addition to reviewing and scoring grants at an in-person meeting. If travel restrictions are still in place at the time of scheduled grant panel meetings, those meetings will be conducted virtually via web-conferencing.

Q. What if our organization has already submitted an application (e.g. for a grant program with March 1st deadline), but we need to make a change to our project as a result of COVID-19?
A. Applicants should notify the grant program coordinator of any significant changes in their project that occurs after they have submitted their application. Our staff will work with you to determine the appropriate course of action.

IMPORTANT:
If you need to postpone or cancel all or part of a grant project, please contact the appropriate grants coordinator to discuss options. Our staff is currently working remotely and will be available to discuss options and answer questions via email. If you need to talk to someone via phone, you can call the director of arts, Lance Schrader, who will be maintaining regular office hours, at 304-558-0220.

Â Contact:
Lance Schrader, Lance.E.Schrader@wv.gov, Ext. 145