Here's How We're Responding to COVID-19

Hi Living Arts supporters -

In the last few days, so many of you have reached out to me and Living Arts' staff and board members with your concern and well wishes. Your messages and conversations have been a great source of encouragement as we navigate new challenges together.

Our response to the COVID-19 crisis has been moving quickly and I want to update you on some of the ways we are responding to the needs of our youth, Teaching Artists, and staff. As always, we are directing all of our energy, creativity, and resources to best support our community's children and families.

As you know, we have canceled all programming through April 5th in compliance with Governor Whitmer's school closure mandate—which means that our Teaching Artists will not be working in the coming three weeks and our students will not be getting necessary educational supports. We remain committed to doing everything we can at this time to mitigate these losses.

To that end, I am glad to share that:

• We are committed to supporting our Teaching Artists financially during this time. Our goal is to provide compensation through April 5th, based on the hours of service each artist would have provided through that date if these extraordinary events had not occurred;

• Staff will be actively connecting our young people and their families to resources for food, academic, and social support throughout Metro Detroit and Teaching Artists will be checking in on their students;

• We are working on new, creative ways to engage students in programming remotely;

• Staff members will continue to work remotely in order to practice social distancing; and

• We remain in conversation with the larger arts community and funders to explore how we can participate in efforts to support individual artists in our region.

Thank you for making all this possible with your support and partnership.

I hope you will continue to reach out to me with your questions, concerns, or ideas as we continue doing the work we love!

Wishing you and your loved ones good health,

Alissa Novoselick
Executive Director