Heart of Art—How can we help you?
By Meghan Joy “Mojo” O’Keefe
Technical Assistance for artists and arts organizations is a cornerstone of the county arts council’s work. Still, it can mean an array of things—proofreading, grant curating, the proper box for safely shipping your prized sculpture, nylon versus steel strings, how to write a bio, headshots, microphones, business cards, storage containers, sourcing a table, music licensing rights, “help me find the right barn”, and my all-time favorite: which glue should I use?… And a whole lot more.
Statewide, the county arts councils (also known as State-Local Partners) are here to provide technical assistance to artists of all kinds throughout all phases of their lives and careers. It’s part of our long-term strategy to develop the next generation of working artists and arts entrepreneurs. It is also part of our strategy to support healthy aging, vibrant communities, and sustainable economic growth.
We engage in all this arts advocacy because a thriving community is dependent on the integration of the arts into the fabric of everyday life. There is ample evidence throughout the world on how the arts not only bolster tourism and stimulate economic growth, but also bring people together across differences. Research indicates that engagement with the arts is a significant factor in promoting community cohesion, public welfare, and civic dialogue.
Beyond these social and financial benefits, the arts are essential to our health at all stages of life—not just in brain development, not just in the face of a disability or dis-ease, and not just as our lives come to a close—but throughout life. Whenever humans integrate the arts into our experiences, our physiology reaps healthy benefits.
Helping us engage across our differences, the arts give us an infinite and common table to which everyone belongs. As we progress through life, we each encounter adventures and trials that challenge our boundaries. We face hurdles and choose to grow and keep going, or stagnate and disengage. Regardless of the ups and downs, the arts serve as a means of endurance and a tool that inspires one to approach all the chapters of life with curiosity, even in the toughest of times.
Thus, part of the technical assistance that county arts councils provide to the community is to serve as an enduring “arts cheer squad,” a team of people who consistently show up to spread the many benefits that come from lifelong creative practice—the arts simply as a way of approaching life. Together, our teams are committed to creating nurturing spaces for all creatives to reflect, share, and grow. You can call, text, or email us any day and find a helpful resource who is ready to connect you with the support you need to sustain your creative practice.
Tomorrow, November 1st, we host a unique opportunity for creatives to transform their life stories into memoirs. Taught by local New York Times best-selling author Susy Flory, this sold-out writer’s workshop is one of thousands of classes the Amador County Arts Council (Amador Arts) has produced since 1982. If you feel compelled to contribute to advancing the arts in every aspect of community building, sustenance, and innovation, please get in touch with our team of artists and cultural advocates at (209) 256-8166 or info@amadorarts.org.