Guelph, ON – September 23, 2020 – With gratitude for support from the Guelph Community Support Fund and the City of Guelph Emergency Fund, Guelph Arts Council is pleased to announce new services and programs to support local artists affected by COVID-19.
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Free Artist and Organizational Memberships:
GAC one-year memberships are now offered at no charge to Guelph-Wellington artists of all disciplines, arts businesses, and not-for-profit arts organizations through December 31, 2020. GAC extends a special invitation to BIPOC, newcomer, Deaf, disabled, youth, and/or 2SLGBTQ+ artists to sign up. GAC members are featured in the guelpharts.ca Member Directory, and member events and listings are included in our online event calendar, in our monthly What’s On Arts Listing e-newsletter, and through our social media channels. All current GAC Artist and Organizational memberships will also be automatically renewed for one year. While free memberships are now offered to everyone, pay-what-you-can donations are gratefully accepted to help us fund our programming. Tax receipts are issued for all donations over $20. Sign up for a free GAC membership online.
Live-Performance Booking Service:
GAC invites Guelph-Wellington performing artists (musicians, dancers, theatre artists, spoken word artists, comedians, children’s entertainers, etc.) to apply online if they are interested in being included in a roster of artists available for safe, live performances. GAC will create and promote an online platform for Guelph-Wellington residents to select, book, and pay for performances in their neighbourhoods, near their workplaces, or in other safe settings, in accordance with public health and safety guidelines.
Free COVID-Recovery Workshops:
In partnership with 2h media and the Business Centre Guelph-Wellington, GAC will offer a series of workshops designed to support artists in their immediate economic recovery and longer-term response to a new future. First up is Creating a New Audience on LinkedIn, offered online on Thursday, October 22 from 10 am – 12 pm. Free for GAC members. Contact us or watch your email for the promo code.
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GAC staff continue to provide one-on-one consultations with artists and arts workers by phone, online, or safely in person (by appointment). Need some help with goal setting, marketing, or making connections? Contact us at [email protected], [email protected], or 519-836-3280.
In announcing these services, GAC Executive Director Patti Broughton said: “We are so grateful to have been able to continue to promote and support the arts in Guelph through the pandemic. Now, thanks to support from The Guelph Community Foundation, the United Way, the City of Guelph and, most recently, Oak Tree 6, we are able to enhance our support to local artists and organizations who’ve been impacted by COVID-19.”