2020-863-E Arts Commission-The Concern NCCARES grant

Browse Search

Provide a brief description of your pre-pandemic core arts-related programming or offerings. Pre-pandemic, The Concern would be part of the Second Friday Art W alk in Chapel Hill ev ery month at Attic 506. Attic 506 is an artist run studio & exhibition space on the second floor, abov e Local 506 music v enue on W est Franklin Street. During these ev ents, the public would come to make purchases of art publications at The Concern, v iew artwork at My Room (gallery) and by artists in the participating studios, as well as v iew rare mov ies on the outdoor rooftop area. These ev ents could welcome up to 100 people approximately, coming & going in a 3 hour window. Pre-pandemic, at Lump Gallery, The Concern's selections were always on v iew during gallery hours and during their opening receptions & special ev ents. Lump Gallery is a non-profit art gallery downtown Raleigh exhibiting non- commercial artwork; in existence for ov er 20 years. In both locations, The Concern would also be open for indiv idual appointments for v iewing the merchandise. In a typical year, The Concern Newsstand would also participate in Art Book & Zine Fairs in cities out of state and locally as well, bringing its offerings to a larger audience. North Carolina’s “stay at home” order (Executive Order 117) had a profound impact on the arts sector. Describe the specific steps your organization took to comply with Executive Order 117. Attic 506 had their last public ev ent on Friday, March 13 with only a handful of v isitors as the knowledge of the pandemic had, hit just then. After the "stay at home" order went into effect, The Concern closed up its shop to the public at Lump Gallery & at Attic 506. Lump Gallery and Attic 506 were closed to the public for just ov er 6 months. Luckily The Concern's e-commerce store was still able to function, as USPS shipping could safely be done from the home office. Attic 506 was giv en free rent by the landlords for the month of May, which was a welcome relief, howev er rent was required for the remainder of the months & with no in-store sales until one night in October, the cost of rent became a burden for The Concern's operations. Lump Gallery nev er charged rent, so that aspect was not as much of a burden, except that store sales were much less. Once Phase 2.5/3 in NC began, Lump Gallery re-opened for gallery hours & Attic 506 has had one ev ent so far with a regulated number of people allowed in at one time, masks required & a one way flow of traffic. Howev er, the traffic for all art ev ents is much less in general because of the public's need for caution. W e are still trying to figure the safest ways to hav e art ev ents & stay open. Please explain the impact of your organization on the Orange County community in a typical year. In a typical year, pre-pandemic, The Concern Newsstand filled a community v oid showcasing its selection of artist books & rare publications which does not exist elsewhere in Orange County. The Second Friday Art W alks at Attic 506 are an open & welcoming space for all and allow for conv ersations & cultural exchange that may not take place otherwise. In a typical year, The Concern can see up to 1200 people pass through its space in Chapel Hill. The promotion of local artists v ia The Concern's web store, The Concern magazine & through social media has helped put Chapel Hill on the map again, on a global scale. COVID-19 IMPACT DATA This data is for the OCAC's informational purposes only and may or may not be applicable to your organization depending on your structure. DocuSign Envelope ID: D0B7E45D-3548-4D6B-BFDD-65F8890DCA11