Photo credit: Mikki Schaffner Photography / Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

We join you in concern for our community, our workplaces and our families. Across the United States and the rest of the world, the novel coronavirus COVID-19 has been deeply impacting many aspects of daily life. The community-oriented nature of the nonprofit creative sector means that the arts could be particularly hard-hit by the spread of the virus and preventative measures that may be necessary as the situation develops. The health of our community is everyone's first priority, including ArtsWave's. We support the need for social distancing and all individual efforts to slow down the spread of COVID-19.

However, the cancellation of hundreds of shows and performances will have direct effects on artists, arts organizations and their staffs in the Cincinnati region. Many organizations will lose ticket revenue and attendance, outside of their control. Revenue from ticket sales and other sources of earned income, including gift shops, concessions and service contracts typically covers about half of the cost of producing artistic experiences.

One thing that is within our control is keeping support for the arts strong, protecting our community's overall health and vibrancy. To support nonprofits that face near-term financial challenges, ArtsWave has a bridge loan fund in place that arts organizations can apply to access. ArtsWave will be closely monitoring the impacts of the health crisis on the region’s arts sector.

This is a moment to take good care of ourselves and our community. As news and new guidelines arise, we will continue to assess the situation. In the meantime, we also recognize that the arts sector is feeling the impact of COVID-19 through decreased engagement and attendance. Now, more than ever, the Cincinnati region's arts need your help.

As an arts supporter, here are a few things you can do now to help:

1. Give to the annual ArtsWave Campaign. The ArtsWave Community Campaign is the largest single source of annual funding for the Cincinnati region's arts organizations. The 2020 campaign kicked off on January 30 and is currently at 50% of its $12.4 million goal.
2. Stay informed about arts events. ​Be sure to follow ArtsWave as well as all of your favorite arts organizations on social media to keep up to date. Visit artswave.org/corona to find a new ArtsWave Guide event category listing events that have been affected, canceled or postponed by COVID-19.
3. Stay informed about COVID-19. You can stay up to date on local information regarding COVID-19 on the City of Cincinati's COVID-19 Resource Page. For information about COVID-19 in Ohio overall, visit the State Department of Health's COVID-19 page. For general information about the virus, visit the CDC's website.

ArtsWave is following the lead of our city, state and federal elected officials, as well as recommendations by public health authorities and the Center for Disease Control (CDC). That means, of course, that this weekend's OTR Arts Day event will be canceled. It also means that CincyJams, scheduled for March 19, will be postponed pending further information.

We look forward to resuming a full and enriching schedule of arts activities, as together we make this a great place to take part in the arts!

Be well and thank you.