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Samantha Ortega

May 28
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WESTAF Update Notes #109 | May 2020

By Newsletter

This is the 109th in a continuing series of updates about the work of WESTAF.   WESTAF COVID-19 Response Since March, WESTAF has tracked the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the arts field in the West as well as related policy and funding developments, sharing this information with arts service organizations and arts funders in the West and nationally as we formulate ways to provide relief to the field. WESTAF continues to revise the COVID-19 Update and Resources web pages on our website, and a presentation/briefing is updated weekly, providing deeper insights on state-by-state responses to the impact of…

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Apr 29
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TOp 30 Most Creative Small Cities Logo

WESTAF’s CVSuite™ Reveals List of 30 Most Creative Small Cities in America

By CVSuite, Special Projects, WESTAF News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Leah Horn 303.629.1166 leah.horn@westaf.org The list ranks cities with populations under 500,000 using the Creative Vitality™ Index to measure creative activity DENVER, CO, April 29, 2020—At a time when we could all use a little good news about the health of our communities, the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF), a nonprofit arts service organization and leading provider of technology solutions for the arts, is pleased to release its list of the 30 Most Creative Small Cities in America.  The list is the first in WESTAF’s new series of data-driven lists that profile and celebrate the arts,...
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Mar 30
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WESTAF Update Notes #108 | March 2020

By Convenings, Newsletter, Programs, Updates
This is the 108th in a continuing series of updates about the work of WESTAF.   COVID-19 Update WESTAF remains open for business and continues to serve our constituents and customers. Our team is continually assessing how to approach these unprecedented circumstances and is working diligently to respond to the rapidly changing climate. We released a brief statement on March 12 and have created a COVID-19 Resources & Information page on our website that we are regularly updating as more information becomes available. We recently shared some information on the implications of COVID-19 in the western region as well as some...
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Mar 03
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COVID-19 Update Logo

WESTAF COVID-19 Update

By Updates, WESTAF News
David Holland, Director of Impact and Public Policy  Updated periodically since March 20, 2020 Last Update: January 5, 2021 General Trends, Resources, and Data Across the West and the Nation The number of currently confirmed novel coronavirus cases in the region ranges from over 2.4 million in California to under 100,000 in Alaska, Hawai’i, Montana, and Wyoming based on data collected on January 5, 2021. For public health information about COVID-19 in your state and nationally, please visit the following health agency websites. Alaska (47,006) Arizona (567,474) California (2,452,334) Colorado (346,893) Hawai’i (22,168) Idaho (144,843) Montana (83,378) Nevada (235,455) New...
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Jan 22
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WESTAF Update Notes #107 | January 2020

By CVSuite, Newsletter, PAA, Programs, Social Responsibility & Inclusion, Updates

This is the 107th in a continuing series of updates about the work of WESTAF.   PAA Announces Collection-Specific Interactive Maps The Public Art Archive™ (PAA) recently launched a new interactive mapping feature for public art collections. Collection Maps make engaging with public art easier than ever by giving visitors the ability to visualize public art collections on an interactive map, navigate to specific works of art, and discover artwork details. The feature replaces the need for development of costly websites and apps that drain time and resources on public art organizations. This latest addition to PAA’s suite of products and…

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Nov 18
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WESTAF Update Notes #106 | November 2019

By Advocacy, CaFE, Convenings, GO, Newsletter, Social Responsibility & Inclusion, Updates

This is the 106th in a continuing series of updates about the work of WESTAF.   WESTAF Board of Trustees Meet in Denver  Members of WESTAF’s board of trustees met October 23-24 in Denver. The meeting opened with a dinner at the historic Brown Palace Hotel that all WESTAF staff were invited to attend in order to build and deepen authentic relationships between trustees and staff. The meeting also included a gallery session, a “science fair”-style gathering designed to strengthen trustee and staff connections as we move ahead with our 10-year strategic plan. During the hour-long session, trustees visited six…

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Nov 12
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WESTAF Update Notes #105 | September 2019

By News, Newsletter, Staff, Updates, ZAPP

This is the 105th in a continuing series of updates about the work of WESTAF.   2019 Emerging Leaders of Color Program  WESTAF’s ninth Emerging Leaders of Color (ELC) program will take place October 7-9 in Denver. WESTAF will host 15 ELC alumni for this year’s convening. Alumni participants include: Christy NaMee Eriksen (Alaska), Yvonne Montoya (Arizona), Abraham Flores (California), Laili Gohartaj (California), Mariana Moscoso (California), Alexandria Jimenez (Colorado), Julz Bolinayen Ignacio (Washington/Hawai‘i), Anastacio Del Real (Nevada), Michelle Patrick (Nevada), Sandra Margarita Ward (Nevada), Gabrielle Uballez (New Mexico), Candace Kita (Oregon), Humberto Marquez Mendez (Oregon), Renato Olmedo-González (Utah), and Moana…

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Nov 08
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WESTAF Board of Trustees Meeting – Denver, October 2019

By Convenings
Members of WESTAF’s board of trustees met October 23-24 in Denver. The meeting opened with a dinner at the historic Brown Palace Hotel that all WESTAF staff were invited to attend in order to build and deepen authentic relationships between trustees and staff. The meeting also included a gallery session, a “science fair”-style gathering designed to strengthen trustee and staff connections as we move ahead with our 10-year strategic plan. During the hour-long session, trustees visited six separate tables representing WESTAF’s departments and divisions, where they learned about each team’s work priorities in a fun and friendly way. Another unique element...
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Sep 24
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Bi-Weekly Recap: September 23, 2019

By Board of Trustees Bi-Weekly Recap

Dear WESTAF Trustees:   As we head into the Fall (OMG! Really?), we’ve been hard at work at WESTAF, with a variety of initiatives on the horizon and coming right up. Thank you for your continuing leadership and support as a WESTAF trustee! Here we go:   NASAA LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE David Holland and I just returned from the NASAA Leadership Institute in Providence, RI. This was the smaller and more intimate conference presented by NASAA in alternate years. It was a useful opportunity to catch up in person with WESTAF EDs (at the conference were Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana,…

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Sep 10
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Bi-Weekly Recap: September 9, 2019

By Board of Trustees Bi-Weekly Recap

Dear Trustees:   Really fun and productive few weeks, including a remarkable trip to the Black Rock playa of NW Nevada (more on this below) and great progress on a variety of important fronts! Read on . . .   WESTAF AT WAA Chrissy and Seyan attended the Western Arts Alliance’s annual conference August 27-29 in Los Angeles. As a longtime partner in WESTAF’s regional touring program, it was a rich learning opportunity for Chrissy, who is gradually assuming responsibility of WESTAF’s TourWest program and key relationships with leaders in the touring and presenting field. (TourWest is our competitive grant program…

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