“Museums are having an identity crisis. Answering the question of ‘What is a museum?’ might seem easy to anyone who’s visited one, but it has provoked a furor at the International Council of Museums, a Paris-based nonprofit that aims to represent the interests of museums worldwide…”
“People are dying, critical resources are stretched, the very essence of our freedom is shrinking – and yet we are moved inward, to the vast inner space of our thoughts and imagination, a place we have perhaps neglected. Of all the necessities we now feel so keenly aware of, the arts and their contribution to our wellbeing is evident and, in some ways, central to coronavirus confinement for those of us locked in at home. For some, there are more pressing needs. But momentary joys, even in dire circumstances, often come through the arts and collective expression…”
As COVID-19 spreads through the country, more and more cities are going into lockdown, closing off arts venues and events and in turn, canceling artists’ and arts workers’ means to produce an income. With the arts suffering during the crisis, many are pushing for larger reform and funding to aid artists and cultural institutions in this critical moment. Bills that have been passed in an effort to alleviate the effects of the crisis, however, do not cover many small arts organizations or freelance art workers. Even larger arts organizations are accruing millions in debt daily, with little government support.
Collette Murphy Stefanko 