July 2020
USArtists International 2020 Round Three Grantees Announced
Earlier this week, MAAF announced over $290,000 in support to 31 ensembles and solo performers through the spring round of USArtists International (USAI). Grantees are scheduled to travel to 33 different festivals on six continents and perform in 26 countries. At the time of the press release, engagements were moving forward with travel arrangements and artists and their hosts were taking necessary health precautions to ensure a successful engagement. Most of the engagements are currently scheduled for 2021.
 
USAI supports performances by American artists at important international cultural festivals and arts marketplaces abroad. Since its inception in 2006, USAI has awarded over $7.89 million through 1,021 grants to 609 ensembles and solo performers. Guidelines for the 2021 program will be available in late July.
 
USAI is a program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation in partnership with The  National Endowment for the Arts  (NEA), The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation , The Trust for Mutual Understanding , and the  Howard Gilman Foundation  for support of New York City-based organizations. We are grateful for our program funder's flexibility during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Their continued support provides performing artists with affirmation and continuity during a time of great uncertainty.

Image: YJastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company based in New Mexico, will travel to the Festival of Jerez in Spain with support from USAI. Credit: Courtesy of the artist.
Delaware Fellowships Deadline Approaching
2021 I ndividual Artist Fellowship applications are now being accepted by the Delaware Division of the Arts! The deadline for Delaware applicants is Monday, August 3, 2020 at 4:30 PM ET . For more information about the program, guideline requirements, and a link to the online application system, please visit the Delaware Division of the Arts website .
 
Questions should be directed to Roxanne Stanulis at 302-577-8283 or Roxanne.Stanulis@delaware.gov.
Jazz Touring Network Explores Innovative Programming During COVID-19
Title screen to the Todd Marcus Trio Sidewalk Serenade video. A woman and small child are in the lower right hand corner in a large green space. White titling in on the screen.
MAAF is excited to highlight some of the innovative ways that members of our Jazz Touring Network (JTN) have been reaching audiences and supporting musicians in the wake of COVID-19.

On March 20 th , Creative Alliance (MD) launched their Sidewalk Serenades series. This program has been successful in reaching audiences around the city who have been shut in at home, while maintaining distance and safety measures. Musicians featured include jazz bass clarinetist Todd Marcus and jazz trumpeter Brandon Woody’s Quartet. Says Performance Director Josh Kohn, “This program has put nearly $40,000 back into the hands of Baltimore musicians.” 

On June 19 th , Flushing Town Hall (NY) streamed a virtual Tribute to Jimmy Heath in honor of the renowned jazz saxophonist and Music Director of the Queens Jazz Orchestra who passed away in January. The show included performances and testimonies given by students of Heath’s as well as musicians he collaborated with over his long career.

Creative Alliance will be launching a third round of Sidewalk Serenades late in the summer, and Flushing Town Hall is in the process of planning a second virtual tribute to Jimmy Heath. These are just two examples of successful programming innovations. We look forward to spotlighting other members in the coming months.

To learn more about the Jazz Touring Network, click here . Questions about the Jazz Touring Network should be directed to Program Officer, Jess Porter at jess@midatlanticarts.org .

Article contributed by Katya Buresh, MAAF Fellowships and Jazz Summer Intern.
National Heritage Fellows Announced
Graphic with nine boxed images of the 2020 National Heritage Fellows on the right size and copy recognizing them as the 2020 Heritage honorees on the left side.
Congratulations to all of the recipients of the National Endowment for the Arts' 2020 National Heritage Fellowships. The National Heritage Fellowships program celebrates the United States' rich traditional arts heritage and awards of $25,000 are given in recognition of both artistic excellence and efforts to sustain cultural traditions for future generations. This year, we are delighted to recognize two Mid Atlantic region artists - Onnik Dinkjan of New Jersey and John Morris of West Virginia. The full class of 2020 honorees includes:


The annual celebration of National Heritage Fellows will take place virtually this year. More information about this event, including the date, will be available at a later time on the Arts Endowment's website .
Welcome Back Ann Turiano!
We are delighted to announce that Ann Turiano, our former Program Associate for Individual Artist Awards & Fellowships , has returned to MAAF as our Programs Specialist! Most recently, Ann was the Managing Director of Baltimore Shakespeare Factory and she has also worked as a teaching artist for a variety of Baltimore organizations. An in demand actress, she has performed with Single Carrot Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, Iron Crow Theatre, and Submersive Productions and directed productions at Notre Dame of Maryland University and Loyola University Maryland.  Ann can be reached at ann@midatlanticarts.org .
Opportunity Quick Links
  • Maryland State Arts Council’s Independent Artist Awards recognize achievement by Maryland artists making work independent of an institution or organization. The awards are accompanied by unrestricted grants that encourage artistic growth and sustained practice. Artistic categories rotate in a three-year cycle. 2021 IAAs will recognize artists in the Visual/Media Arts. Deadline: Friday, July 24, 2020 at 11:59pm. 
  • The National Endowment for the Arts has announced the second round of Fiscal Year 2020 funding. As a part of its regular grantmaking, separate from grants related to CARES Act funding, the Arts Endowment has made grants of over $84 million for 1,144 new awards to organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and each of the five U.S. territories. Grants were support 13 artistic disciplines, arts research, and partnership agreements with all U.S. state and regional arts agencies.
  • The New York Foundation for the Arts is partnering with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation to administer a new medical emergency grant program called Rauschenberg Emergency Grants. The program provides visual and media artists and choreographers with one-time grants of up to $5,000 for medical emergencies. Applications are reviewed on a monthly basis and funds will be distributed upon acceptance. Open application until August 31, 2020.
  • The Foundation for Contemporary Arts is inviting applications for its FCA Emergency Grants COVID-19 Fund. In response to the impact of COVID-19 on the arts community, FCA has created a temporary fund to meet the needs of experimental artists who have been impacted by the economic fallout from COVID-19. The Foundation will disburse one-time grants of $1,500 to artists who have had performances or exhibitions canceled or postponed due to the pandemic. Deadline: August 31, 2020.
  • Artist Relief helps support the financial, professional, social, and mental well-being of artists impacted by the Coronavirus public health crisis. The initiative will distribute grants of $5,000 to artists facing dire financial emergencies due to COVID-19, as well as serve as an ongoing informational resource and co-sponsor (with Americans for the Arts) of the COVID-19 Impact Survey for Artists and Creative Workers to identify and address the needs of artists moving forward. Deadline: September 30, 2020.
  • Since 1933, Barter Theatre has been developing new works and nurturing area talent. The Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights (AFPP) has gained national attention by developing a process that has resulted in new plays being produced not only on Barter’s stages, but in regional theatres across the country. In an effort to give voice to the more diverse stories of the region, Barter's Black in Appalachia Initiative is committed to presenting at least one play written by a Black Appalachian playwright at each annual Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights. Deadline for submission: October 1, 2020.
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