NEWS

Arts News in the WESTAF Region

The WESTAF region includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Stay up-to-date on our programs, convenings, research, reports, technology, funding opportunities, and partnerships by subscribing to our bimonthly newsletter here.

Cynthia Chen Announcement

WESTAF Welcomes Cynthia Chen as Manager of Public Policy and Advocacy

American Rescue Plan Fund for Organizations WESTAF

WESTAF Announces American Rescue Plan Awardees

SRI Joint Team Announcement

WESTAF Expands its Social Responsibility and Inclusion Team

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ArticlesNewsWESTAF News

US Regional Arts Organizations Welcome Shannon Daut as National Director

The United States Regional Arts Organization (US RAOs) has announced the appointment of Shannon Daut as the US RAO Collective’s first ever National Director. The US RAOs are a national collective of six, place-based, nonprofit arts service organizations that strengthen America’s infrastructure by increasing access to creativity for all. The six RAOs are Arts Midwest, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Mid Atlantic Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts, South Arts, and WESTAF (Western States Arts Federation), with a combined  reach that spans across state, national, and international borders. "We are thrilled to welcome Shannon Daut as the National Director of the…
Natalie Scherlong
September 14, 2023
ArticlesNewsWESTAF News

2023-24 National Leaders of Color Fellowship Application Launching Soon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Leah Horn 720.664.2239 leah.horn@westaf.org   Second Round of National Leaders of Color Fellowship to Launch with Support from United States Regional Arts Organizations Application Opens September 18 for Unique  Eight-Month Leadership Development Experience Denver, CO, September 11, 2023—Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) has partnered with its five United States Regional Arts Organization (USRAO) counterparts in continued support for the National Leaders of Color Fellowship, a transformative leadership development experience curated by WESTAF in order to establish multicultural leadership in the creative and cultural sector. By partnering with the other RAOs (Arts Midwest, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Mid…
Natalie Scherlong
September 11, 2023
StaffWESTAF News

Exciting News: WESTAF Welcomes Expanded Social Responsibility and Inclusion Team

WESTAF’s Social Responsibility and Inclusion (SRI) team is growing! Led by Director of Social Responsibility Anika Tené, the expanded team will support existing equity work in the region as well as new initiatives, including new technical assistance grant programs, deeper investment in the Leaders of Color Network, and the development of equity-centered tools and resources to further the work of WESTAF-region states and jurisdictions. In the coming months, the expanded team will unveil new approaches and philosophies around their work and share the different ways for the region to engage with them.Josh Ellis, Grants and Inclusion Manager With a proven…
Natalie Scherlong
June 20, 2023
CaFEGOGrantsTechnologyWESTAF NewsZAPP

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation: A Story of Arts, Culture, and Opportunity

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation is a multi-faceted organization that spearheads music education, community engagement, and cultural preservation in Louisiana. Most famously, the Foundation owns and operates the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, a renowned annual showcase of musical performances, arts and crafts marketplaces, and local culinary delights. With an impressive attendance of over 460,000 individuals spanning seven days in April and May, the festival invigorates New Orleans, transforming it into a dynamic hub of cultural expression.The festival’s proceeds also play a pivotal role in funding the Foundation's wide range of programs, which encompass music education, community…
Samantha Ortega
June 5, 2023
GrantsSpecial ProjectsWESTAF News

WESTAF Announces BIPOC Artist Fund Awardees

WESTAF is delighted to share the awardees of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Artist Fund! These artists represent a range of disciplines, from visual to performing arts, and we are thrilled to support their creativity and contributions to the cultural landscape of the Western region. Our team of reviewers identified 18 awardees (from a pool of more than 450 applications!), with one awardee per state and jurisdiction receiving an average of $10,000 per artist. Made possible through WESTAF's MacKenzie Scott gift, the fund will include four virtual group coaching sessions to build on the plans awardees shared…
Natalie Scherlong
April 24, 2023