ARTICLE
Hot Spring Area Cultural Alliance calls to provide food for the soul The Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance is collaborating with local food banks, the Hot Springs Giving Circle, and local artists to aid in the healing and nourishing of the local community during the post-pandemic recovery era. Alongside the food banks’ emergency food box program, which provides produce and grocery items for healthy bodies, the Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance is helping to nourish the soul by commissioning local artists to create original works which will be donated to the food bank for distribution to its clients. While the community is cheering on the recovery efforts after more than a year of a pandemic, business closings, lost employment and significant isolation, there are still many area residents who have not made their way back to full recovery, turning to local food pantries and food banks to feed their families; including local artists whose livelihoods were crushed during lockdown closures. As a result, HSACA initiated a program that will help some of the more vulnerable and isolated members of the community while also helping provide work to the local art community. The HSACA did a trial-run of the program back in May, donating original art to the food bank, which was very successful and well-received. Round two of the Soul’s Food program will put out a call for artists to apply, each artist selected by the Soul’s Food committee will be compensated $200 for creating an 8 X 10 or 10 X 10 inch piece of original artwork. The selected artist will give HSACA the rights to donate and reproduce the art for distribution through the food bank. Artists must create their works on either paper or canvas. Artists interested in participating should email their bio with three images of their artwork to hsaca@hotspringsarts.org prior to August 1. “This is a win-win to provide art and encouragement for those in need and to support the arts community.” said Mary Zunick, executive director of the arts alliance. “It has been a difficult year and half for everyone, but for many local artists who sell their works at public events, which were restricted during pandemic safety precautions, it has been particularly debilitating ” The artwork will be purchased by HSACA using the organization's funds and through a generous grant provided by The Hot Springs Giving Circle. The Giving Circle, a component fund of the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation, is a group of active community philanthropists who have the ability to quickly analyze situations and promptly render appropriate responses when nonprofit organizations encounter unanticipated or urgent needs. For more information about the Soul’s Food program or to apply as an artist to participate, visit www.hotspringsarts.org by August 1.
The Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance is collaborating with local food banks, the Hot Springs Giving Circle, and local artists to aid in the healing and nourishing of the local community during the post-pandemic recovery era. Alongside the food banks’ emergency food box program, which provides produce and grocery items for healthy bodies, the Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance is helping to nourish the soul by commissioning local artists to create original works which will be donated to the food bank for distribution to its clients.
While the community is cheering on the recovery efforts after more than a year of a pandemic, business closings, lost employment and significant isolation, there are still many area residents who have not made their way back to full recovery, turning to local food pantries and food banks to feed their families; including local artists whose livelihoods were crushed during lockdown closures.
As a result, HSACA initiated a program that will help some of the more vulnerable and isolated members of the community while also helping provide work to the local art community. The HSACA did a trial-run of the program back in May, donating original art to the food bank, which was very successful and well-received.
Round two of the Soul’s Food program will put out a call for artists to apply, each artist selected by the Soul’s Food committee will be compensated $200 for creating an 8 X 10 or 10 X 10 inch piece of original artwork. The selected artist will give HSACA the rights to donate and reproduce the art for distribution through the food bank. Artists must create their works on either paper or canvas. Artists interested in participating should email their bio with three images of their artwork to hsaca@hotspringsarts.org prior to August 1.
“This is a win-win to provide art and encouragement for those in need and to support the arts community.” said Mary Zunick, executive director of the arts alliance. “It has been a difficult year and half for everyone, but for many local artists who sell their works at public events, which were restricted during pandemic safety precautions, it has been particularly debilitating ”
The artwork will be purchased by HSACA using the organization's funds and through a generous grant provided by The Hot Springs Giving Circle. The Giving Circle, a component fund of the Hot Springs Area Community Foundation, is a group of active community philanthropists who have the ability to quickly analyze situations and promptly render appropriate responses when nonprofit organizations encounter unanticipated or urgent needs.
For more information about the Soul’s Food program or to apply as an artist to participate, visit www.hotspringsarts.org by August 1.