Dear Arts Connect International Community –
ACI is deeply committed to protecting the health, safety, and well-being of our community and continuing to build equity in and through the arts. With health, wellbeing and equity at the forefront, ACI's team is moving forward with AES2020 as a virtual summit.
What does this mean?
Virtual AES2020 will take place online via web conferencing, April 24th - 26th.
All of our confirmed artists and speakers are invited to continue participation in this format, and will be offered their full honorariums.
All of Virtual AES2020 will be recorded and archived this year, allowing us to make the material open source!
We believe this format leads to a more equitable Summit in myriad capacities. Above all, this response allows us to keep community and collective health at the forefront, while working against fear with love.
In this time, we are all individually and collectively impacted by the quickly evolving landscape surrounding COVID-19. We want want to recognize the disproportionate impact this public health issue has had on various individuals, families and collectives.
We also recognize, at this time and always, the importance of addressing racism and xenophobia in our work and in our communities. This is particularly apparent during times of stress and duress, as we are experiencing now. As a member of the ACI community, Wilhelmina Peragine, shares with us:
"It's a time for profound altruism to outshine profound fear"
We hope that these words resonate as we endeavor to take care of one another during this time.
Virtual AES2020 is supported by our funders and Board of Directors, for which we are incredibly grateful. We simply could not do this work without them and our wonderful community. We are in the process of producing AES2020 in this new format and will release information on the new registration process and updated schedule next week.
Please keep posted on updates through our newsletter and the AES2020 website.
In the meantime, below are additional resources available to better understand COVID-19 and how we can all help to prevent further spread of the virus.
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Additional Resources
Mental Health & Coping During COVID-19
Talking to Children About COVID-19
Best Practices for Working from Home
Research Based Online Learning for Teachers
National Coalition for Artists Preparedness
How the Arts & Culture Sector can Prepare for COVID-19
With all our love,
ACI's Staff & Board
Allegra Fletcher, Executive Director | Hanako Brais, Research & Programming Assistant | Kelsey Karys, Development Fellow | Sahara-Yvette Zamudio, Programming Fellow | Marian Taylor Brown, Board Chair | Jennifer Bailey, Treasurer | Kimberly Curhan, Board Member | Quanice Floyd, Board Member | Andrea Gordillo, Board Member | Meena Malik, Board Member | Shreyas Navare, Board Member | Tiago Santiago, Board Member