Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation invests $20,000! 

We applaud the AAACF and 40 generous stars who made it possible to send grants of $350 - $1,000 made to 36 artists and organizations throughout Washtenaw County.

Keep spreading the word and giving! The more raised, the more aid distributed so that once the green light is given, our creatives will be ready to  return to the cultural gathering places across the greater Ann Arbor are to do what they do so remarkably: give of their art so that we can rejoice, renew, remember and reflect on our humanity as individuals and together as community.

Finally! Unemployment for Michigan Gig Workers and Self-employed Begins.

Applying online at Michigan.gov/UIA is the fastest and easiest way to access these benefits though patience is still required.

Wed. Apr. 22 at 11:00 a.m. A Small Business Forum with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in association with the A2Y Chamber

Get answers to your crucial questions regarding cash flow challenges and strategic steps to survive, pay employees and navigating unemployment and discuss the most pressing issues facing local businesses including the current state of funding programs Register here.

Thu. Apr. 23 at 10:30 a.m. Michigan Humanities Organization Pandemic Emergency (HOPE) Grants

Information session - Registration is required and available here.

Apr 27 – May 1 National Arts Action Digital Summit

"This Summit is best dang way to learn how to advocate says " AFTA MI state captain Deb Polich! Deb looks forward to meet up time with registrants and our state legislators. Let her know if you have any questions: deb.polich@a3arts.org

Join the Arts Action Fund

It's FREE and takes just a minute. Add your name and be counted so Congress know their are millions of arts and creative workers,businesses and citizens who insist that arts and creativity are critical to our country. Join here for updates and calls to action.

The following surveys are critically important for YOU to be included in the next CAREs act.

COVID-19 Impact Survey for Artists and Creative Workers - Artists and Creative Workers do this please!

This stark report comes from Clayton Lord, AFTA president of strategic impact "…I analyzed the first findings from the survey of artists and creative workers, and found myself on the verge of tears. It’s really so, so bad, what’s happening:

• TWO-THIRDS have become unemployed. For comparison’s sake, there are about 5 million creative workers in the U.S. — so if that number holds, it would mean 3.34 million unemployed creative folks right now—most of them gig workers or contractors.
• 75% of the artists whose work is being shared online right now by organizations are not being compensated for it.MORE THAN HALF now have no savings.
• 8-IN-10 have no plan for how they’ll recover, most noting they have no time to look to the future right now.
• The average expected annual income of the respondents for 2020 has fallen from $40,000 before COVID to just $16,000 now.

Economic Impact Survey of COVID-19 on Arts and Cultural Organizations - Arts & Cultural organizations do or UPDATE this survey please.

Check out these additional AFTA CAREs Act Resources.

• CARES Act Table of Funding Opportunities for the Arts and Artists
• Americans for the Arts Coronavirus Resource and Response Center
• Arts Action Center for legislative news and action alerts

WolfBrown leading advisor to foundations, public agencies and charitable organizations has launched The COVID-19 Audience Outlook Monitor. Tjos is a worldwide tracking study of audience attitudes about attendance at arts and cultural programs during and after the COVID-19 crisis. The COVID-19 Audience Outlook Monitor will bring timely and essential data to the sector’s decision-making about when and how to resume programming. A new website, www.audienceoutlookmonitor.com, will serve as a home on the web for communicating research results and exchanging viewpoints about what it all means for programming, marketing, and engagement.

Additional WolfBrown resources:

A Sector in Peril: Philanthropy's Role in Responding toCOVID-19 by Alan S. Brown.

WolfBrown’s Alan Brown is a guest on WEMU NPR's "creative:impact" and tells co-hosts Deb Polich and David Fair the course of action he has recommended philanthropists take to ensure the arts have a future post-COVID-19. Listen here.

$10 million Artist Relief Fund

A consortium of funders announced the creation of the Artist Relief Fund, a $10 million national emergency relief fund for artists and creative workers that will provide $5,000 no-strings-attached grants. It is intended for anyone who earns income from their creative or artistic practice and who has also been affected by COVID-19. Don’t wait on this, they have had an avalanche of applications.

Due May 1, CultureSource announces $10,000 competitive Emergency grants for SE MI arts 501(c)3s

Due May 1, MCACA announces $5,000 competitive Emergency grants for MI arts and cultural grants

Rolling due date - Michigan Humanities Organization Pandemic Emergency (HOPE) Grant

Thurs, April 23 at 10:30 a.m. - Information session - Registration is required and available here.

Due Apr 22. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) CAREs Act Grants

Applicants must be previous NEA direct award recipients from the past four years (fiscal year 2017-2020.) Seven Washtenaw County organizations are eligible:

• Ann Arbor Film Festival, Inc.
• Ann Arbor Summer Festival
• The Arts Alliance
• Kerrytown Concert House, Inc.
• Neutral Zone
• University of Michigan Museum of Art
• University Musical Society

The deadline to file 990 forms and pay federal income tax – including some Forms 990-T, 1041 and 1120-POL – is extended to July 15, 2020. For details, including what forms are not included, see questions and answers regarding filing and payment deadlines.

Stimulus payments expected timeline - updated 4.22.20

UHY Certified Public Accountants, Ann Arbor

Our awesome accounting firm offers these regular updates.(Most recent first.)

• Additional support coming to middle market businesses
• Payroll Tax Deferral Provided By Cares Act
• Cares Act Provides Additional Relief through Qualified Retirement Plans
• More taxpayer relief from IRS - filing and payment obligations due between April 1, 2020, and July 15, 2020.
  
• Gift tax returns extended until July 15
• Latest updates on Michigan economic support programs
• Executive order delays Michigan tax deadline
• Congress passes CARES Act; Details on Paycheck Protection
• Senate passes CARES Act
• Guidance to employers contemplating potential layoffs
• Initial guidance on new sick pay credits
• Economic assistance for Michigan small businesses
• IRS issues guidance on July 15 tax deadline
• Disaster relief lending approved for Michigan
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act Signed
  
• Final details on 90-day tax payment deferral
• Michigan waives late penalties on most sales, use and withholding returns
• Temporary expansion of unemployment and cost sharing

WEMU 89.1 FM

For the fastest updates and breaking news!

• Follow The Arts Alliance on Facebook

• Follow The Arts Alliance on Twitter
  

The Arts Alliance’s COVID-19 Support Page

• Resources– including advocacy, support and affiliation agencies
  
• Aid, assistance and grants for artists, creatives and organizations – COVID-19

Contact us anytime at info@a3arts.org or 734-213-2733.

The Arts Alliance is the arts + creative industry authority in Washtenaw County. A regional agency, its mission is to advocate for and support Creative Washtenaw and ensure that the greater Ann Arbor, Michigan, region remains a great place to create, live, work, learn, play and visit.

The intrinsic and aesthetic values of the arts and creativity are determining factors of success for the members of The Arts Alliance: Creative people from students to industry experts leading the sector locally, nationally and internationally. They are professionals and amateurs who have creative practices, own creative businesses, hold creative jobs in profit, nonprofit and government entities; and offer creative products, services and programs throughout the Washtenaw community.

The Arts Alliance serves Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester, Milan, Saline, Whitmore Lake and Ypsilanti plus the 21 townships in the county. It is committed to, forever evolving and learning about diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Arts Alliance is supported by its members, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

For more information, please go to http://www.a3arts.org or contact info@a3arts.org or 734-213-2733.