From the Field

Federal Data Update: COVID-19 Arts Watch

The Office of Research & Analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts recently published an update to Taking Note: COVID-19 Arts Watch, which pulls federal data on businesses, households and employment to better understand COVID-19’s impact on the arts sector. Data from the U.S. Census found that 80% of all arts small businesses reported decreased revenue as of early March. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that employment in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector fell by 54.1% between March and April.

Talking about Race

The National Museum of African American History and Culture curated a toolkit, Talking about Race, for engaging with race and racialized identities in the United States. It offers a large collection of essays and exercises for those committed to furthering equitable, antiracist practices in their community. Beyond examining race and identity from a role based perspective, the toolkit also offers topic explorations for a wide collection of subjects, ranging from self-care to bias.

COVID-19 and the Nonprofit Sector

Two newly released resources describe COVID-19’s impact on nonprofit-sector employment and philanthropy. The Center for Civil Society Studies at Johns Hopkins University has published the 2020 Nonprofit Employment Report, which examines the impact of COVID-19 job losses on the nonprofit sector. The first three months of the pandemic saw nonprofits lose 1.64 million jobs.

To see what funders can do to help nonprofits through these difficult times, The Center for Effective Philanthropy surveyed a national sample of nonprofit leaders. Its findings are published in Funder Support during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The report shows which organizations face the toughest challenges and what they need most from funders in the current moment.

Museums around the World and COVID-19

Museums around the World in the Face of COVID-19 maps the global museum industry during COVID-19. Drawn from surveys of UNESCO field offices and museum associations, the report finds that museums are especially hard-hit, with an estimated 90% of all museums (85,000) having closed their doors. While museums show resiliency through innovative online programming, access to museums remains tenuous. The report offers a baseline of data to help states to be proactive in ensuring the survival of—and equitable access to—these cultural resources.