"Please break down the door": How Ivano-Frankivsk women evacuated hundreds of paintings from cities in line of fire

Interactive museums and venues are shifting their exhibits during the coronavirus pandemic to better attract patrons while still abiding by safety precautions. Although it has been a struggle in some cases, and all venues are at restricted capacities, several museums in New York have been able to still sell out with executive saying "some revenue was better than none."

Some arts organizations in Orange County, CA have found creative ways to deal with Covid-19 closures by bringing their collections online, creating digital programming, and reaching out to new audiences. For example, the Muckenthaler Cultural Center hands out weekly art kits to kids and seniors and reports donation support from an entirely new group of donors. Others have taken the opportunity to create new content and bring their collections online to engage with those stuck at home of all ages. Not all have been able to withstand the Covid-related closures and many art galleries have closed down for good.

Criticism and protests led by community activists in NY led to wide scale changes in NYPD’s policing, it resulted in a large decrease at the unequal way the NYPD racially profiled black and latino men. Many of this activism was led by the mothers of young black men killed at the hands of NYPD. In Baltimore, mothers are also coalescing around the same issue, but they’re taking a different approach.

In 2013, Detroit filed for bankruptcy because of a poor economy. While the city’s industrial businesses have floundered, the art scene has thrived, bringing in new sources of income through art galleries and investments in contemporary art. This new art scene is one factor to measure Detroit’s recovery and prospects of growth for the future.

The Virginia Fire Chiefs Association's Rural Apparatus Support Program has donated essential used firefighting equipment (including ambulances, fire engines, and tanker trucks) to 14 rural fire departments over two years, enabling departments with minimal budgets to replace broken or outdated equipment they could never afford to purchase new.

The Heurich House Museum in Washington, D.C., has created two targeted initiatives—the Urban Manufacturing Incubator and the DC Makers' Guild—to support local small-scale artisan businesses facing barriers to growth such as high rent fees and limited visibility. These programs provide mentorship, business coaching, market entry opportunities, like various mini markets throughout the year, and advocacy support to improve market conditions for these small businesses.

Frustrated by the lack of childcare funding and access, one woman created a documentary showcasing the issue. It received widespread attention throughout the state, leading to a state representative sponsoring a $7 million bill to increase childcare funding and provider wages and to expand access to subsidies for middle-income families. It also led the governor to create the Alaska Child Care Task Force to oversee state licensing regulations to make the process of becoming a licensed childcare provider and opening a facility more accessible.

The Union for Contemporary Art makes the local art scene more inclusive by uplifting marginalized artists and supporting them at all stages of their development. The Union hosts exhibitions, public studios and classes and also offers fellowships, grants and residencies for artists. In the past decade, The Union has awarded 20 artist fellowships and distributed $312,000 in grants to over 200 local artists.

Organizations in politically divided states like Arkansas, Idaho and Ohio are hard at work to protect direct democracy through community organizing and education. These groups have rallied to pass measures like minimum wage increases, medical marijuana and have even organized voters to fail ballot measures like Ohio’s recent Issue 1.

The Citizen's Call for the Emergency Evacuation of the South Sudanese collective arose after a lack of government action to help evacuate people pushed locals to start a crowdfunding campaign to facilitate the evacuations themselves. Through the use of social media, community meetings and press conferences the collective called upon locals and organizations to donate to the cause. The money was then used to pay truck drivers to help transport evacuated people. So far, these efforts have helped 6,600 individuals.