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End of Year Message from CERF+ – Dec 2006
Dear Friends & Colleagues,
As the year draws to a close, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for making 2006 an unparalleled year for CERF+’s rapid and sustained delivery of assistance to artists in crises. While we hope we will never need to mobilize our community to the degree that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita demanded, you demonstrated your capacity to respond generously and creatively and always with great heart.
As you probably already know, recovery on the Gulf Coast for most artists is just beginning. At a recent meeting during the Grantmakers in the Arts annual conference, representatives of foundations and arts agencies described some of the critical issues impeding artists’ abilities to get back to work:
- Lack of affordable housing and studio space;
- Poor communications and planning infrastructures;
- Greatly weakened and, in some instances, nonexistent tourist economies;
- Lack of mental health services.
Despite these adversities, we are also encouraged by the positive stories we’re hearing, such as the following update from Pass Christian, Mississippi potter Brian Nettles:
I wanted to drop you a note about the Mississippi Gulf Coast progress. This past weekend (November 5 & 6) was the Peter Anderson Festival in Ocean Springs (MS). The weather was to die for and the crowds the first day hit over 100,000 with almost that many on Sunday….People were buying from every vendor there. Everyone I spoke with had record breaking days, including myself. There are about 700 artists and I did not hear one complaint about sales!
We remain committed to an “on the ground” approach to monitoring and assisting progress towards rebuilding devastated lives and careers. We are equally committed to helping artists throughout the United States gain the skills and develop the tools to be better prepared for career-interrupting emergencies. If 2006 was about emergency response, 2007 will be about recovery and readiness.
By now you should have received our annual appeal solicitation. I hope you will respond as generously as possible – for your convenience you can contribute on our website. Clearly your partnership makes a significant impact on artists’ careers.
All of us at CERF+ wish you and yours a very happy holiday season!
Warmly,
Cornelia Carey
Executive Director
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