ECA Artist Grants Initiative
Supporting Our Artists While Cultivating Community
Easthampton City Arts (ECA) is deeply committed to our community of artists and we are actively invested in the meaning, value, and impact that arts and culture have here in Easthampton and throughout our region. For 15 years, ECA has served our community in receptive, responsive, and innovative ways and in accordance with the evolving needs of our public.
Within the context of this time of pandemic, we recognize that our community of artists is more economically vulnerable than ever before and that the financial circumstances that individuals are facing are broad, complex, and diverse. Within the current climate of renewed and revitalized attention toward social and racial justice, ECA is committed to continue to a) develop and deepen our work to serve local and regional artists from a diverse range of racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds and perspectives, b) to further expand our outreach and marketing efforts so as to diversify our audience members in terms of the towns and cities we are reaching throughout the region, and c) to diversify our organizational leadership in terms of race, ethnicity, and age, so as to more accurately reflect the communities we serve.
In the spirit of our ongoing commitment to our artists and our community, we are pleased to announce Easthampton City Arts Artist Grants Initiative. This first-of-its-kind program at ECA will provide grants to individual artists in exchange for an event, workshop, or other arts-based activity — presented through a virtual platform — that serves to engage others and inspire community. This particular approach serves to activate our new, shared virtual platforms during this time of social distancing with the visual arts, poetry, music, performance, and educational opportunities that we all value and appreciate so much.
ECA extends our immense gratitude to all the dedicated individuals, local businesses, and community organizations that have contributed throughout the years to creating our community of arts and culture that we all hold dear. Creating this grants program is rooted in this longstanding foundation – and is an opportunity for ECA to join the larger ecosystem of artist relief efforts to help provide some assistance as we all work together to navigate this unprecedented time. We also acknowledge Mayor Nicole LaChapelle for her leadership, guidance, and support as we worked to develop the ECA Artist Grants Initiative.
Overview
Easthampton City Arts (ECA) is pleased to announce PHASE II of the ECA Artist Grants Initiative. Building upon our first round of grants—which is currently supporting 16 grantees with $300 grants (totaling $4,800)—PHASE II will award 15 artists with $500 grants (totaling $7,500). Our plan is to grant an additional $7,700 to artists in Phase III of the program, once we have reached our fundraising goal (and we’re currently just $835 away – please give if you can)!
As a municipal organization within the Planning Department of the City of Easthampton, ECA is committed to serving artists whose work engages and cultivates community. As an established arts institution that has served our city and our greater region for the past 15 years, we are deeply committed to continually growing, expanding, and developing our impact and our reach, through cultivating new and existing collaborative partnerships with artists and community organizations throughout the area.
Priority will be given to BIPOC* artists and artists experiencing financial need in response to the economic impacts of the pandemic. We are also interested in supporting projects that can be experienced outdoors, while keeping health and safety protocols in mind. Examples include but are not limited to: activating storefront windows, light projections, sound installations, outdoor musical and literary presentations, public artworks, workshops, tours, etc—and, we of course welcome your thoughts, creativity, and ideas as well!
*BIPOC = Black, Indigenous, People of Color
BACKGROUND: A total of $20,000 is being granted to local artists through the ECA Artist Grants Initiative. ECA committed the original $10,000, a Go Fund Me page was set up to raise an additional $5,000, and River Valley Coop is generously matching these community-generated funds with an additional $5,000 – for a total of $20,000.
*Please note, we are still currently fundraising toward this effort and we’re nearing our goal. Between the funds raised through our Go Fund Me page, plus checks that have arrived through the mail, we have just $835 more to raise before we reach our $20,000 goal. We encourage you to make a financial contribution if you can—and please share this link either way. Thank you!
Timeline
August 7
- Announce PHASE II of the Easthampton City Arts Artist Relief Grants program
August 28 @ 11:59pm
- Deadline to apply for PHASE II
September 4
- All applicants will be notified
September/October/November
- All PHASE II projects must be presented during Fall 2020
- Specific dates and schedules will be arranged with each individual selected artist
- All PHASE II artists will be asked to complete an evaluation form, so as to help ECA continue to develop, strengthen, and improve the program for PHASE III
October/November 2020
- Details for PHASE III of the program will be announced
Eligibility
- All local and regional artists are eligible to apply;
- Priority will be given to BIPOC applicants and applicants experiencing financial need in response to the economic impacts of the pandemic. We are also interested in supporting projects that can be experienced outdoors;
- Artists of all genres and media are welcome and encouraged to apply;
- All proposed projects must engage the greater community in some way;
- All platforms for recording and sharing proposed projects will be considered;
- All selected artists must submit a W9 in order to be compensated.
Select Committee
The selection committee for PHASE II includes the following individuals:
Pasqualina Azzarello – City Arts Coordinator, Easthampton City Arts
Jeffrey Bagg – City Planner, City of Easthampton
Jon Carroll – ECA Coordinating Committee Member & Musician
Casey Douglass – Co-chair, ECA Coordinating Committee & Owner of Galaxy
Tracey Eller – Co-chair, ECA Coordinating Committee & Photographer
Sindy Mojica -ECA Coordinating Committee Member & Easthampton High School’s Parent Advisor of the Diversity Leadership Club & Parent Coordinator of the Diversity and Inclusion Center
Kevin Monaghan – ECA Coordinating Committee Member & Commercial Photographer
Ted Perch – ECA Coordinating Committee Member & Easthampton Media Board Member
Hillary Smith – Secretary, ECA Coordinating Committee & Cultural Policy Professional
Matt Waugh – ECA Coordinating Committee Member & Owner of Waugh Agency
Artist Agreements
All selected artists must comply with program guidelines. As with all ECA & City programs, artists can submit invoices once they have fulfilled the requirements of their agreement. Please note that checks can be expected to arrive approximately four weeks after paperwork has been processed.
Contact
Please direct all inquiries regarding the Easthampton City Arts Artist Relief Grants program to Pasqualina Azzarello, City Arts Coordinator: pazzarello@easthamptonma.gov
