NCTA’s RARRA Campaign Supports Folk Arts Stakeholders in the Wake of COVID-19

Launched in April of 2020, the NCTA staff, in direct response to and in concern of the impacts (health, fiscal, creative and more) the COVID-19 pandemic was having on the Folk and Traditional Arts landscape, decided to use its social media platforms to offer daily posts and resharing of information to highlight the various business sustainability, arts grants, emergency responses and more being made available to the creative sector at large. Since its launch, the RARRA campaign has grown to include monthly newsletters (a digest and post highlights of the RARRA postings),  expanded it’s scope of posting content to include not just emergency funding, but also a variety of opportunities and outlets that are conducive to resilience for the arts sector and reframing systemic issues pertaining to access, equity and representation.

To date over 260 resources have been shared with the traditional arts community through this effort. RARRA postings are inclusive of grant opportunities to mentorship programs and networking forums, from endeavors reaching from small rural towns to nationwide, all with the goal of amplifying reach and awareness of growth, connectivity, and resilience outlets for culture bearers and the organizations and workers who are part of the traditional arts community.

RARRA is a proud stepping stone for NCTA’s ongoing and expanding efforts focused on serving and connecting with the diverse folk arts practitioners, culture bearers, and festival leaders in the country.