A Letter from the Directors Re: COVID-19 Closure

Re: Hamilton Artists Inc.'s Covid-19 Closure
June 2020

Dear Members and Hamilton Arts Community,

It has been over three months since Hamilton Artists Inc. closed its doors due to covid-19. We would like to take a moment to remind our membership, artists and community at large that we are still here and committed to serving artists and our communities.

We have been using this time to deepen our relationships with local organizations by initiating new partnerships and strengthening existing ones. We believe in collaboration as a core principle that allows us to serve our shared communities through reciprocal fostering of creativity, inclusivity, and responsiveness to changing needs.

We are working on policies, programming, and accessibility measures both inside and outside of the gallery, so when we do reopen we can serve the community with current needs in mind. We have also been adapting our programs in order to offer them in alternative ways. As part of this process, we are asking our audiences to complete this short survey to help us determine effective ways of serving you under our current circumstances.

Although our physical space is closed, we are still working to support visual artists of all career levels through our workshops, screenings, special projects, and publications. Here are some programming updates (More details at the bottom of this newsletter):

• Given that many artists are currently experiencing greater precarity in their housing and employment situations, we are hosting an online workshop on Tenant and Workers’ Rights on June 24, led by Stephanie Cox of the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic, and in partnership with Factory Media Centre.
• The call for submissions for this year’s Photophobia: Contemporary Moving Image Festival will be closing on June 22. Hosted in partnership with the Art Gallery of Hamilton, Photophobia showcases creative, unconventional and experimental approaches to short-format film, video and animation. Apply now!
• We are kicking off our annual screening series with a program of experimental short films curated by imagineNATIVE. Films will be available for flexible online viewing between June 27-30, culminating with an artist talk with filmmaker Rebecca Thomassie.
• If you missed the artist talk between Nahed Mansour and Swapnaa Tamhane back in April, the full video documentation is now posted on our website. Check it out!
• Did you know that all of our recent publications can be accessed digitally on our website? Take a look at our new and improved publications page to learn more.

Members continue to receive their membership perks including 10% discounts at Mixed Media and Martin’s Fine Art Services, as well as access to networking, mentorship and art opportunities through our e-newsletters and dedicated Members Facebook Group. Memberships are currently available for purchase through our website. A limited number of in-kind memberships are available for members of COBRA (the Coalition of Black and Racialized Artists). Please contact Jasmine at community@theinc.ca with membership inquiries.

Hamilton Artists Inc. continues to partner with the Hamilton Arts Council’s Artist Relief Fund to bring emergency financial support to local artists. If you would like to donate to the fund, access their free online programs, or apply for emergency funding, click here.

Please remember that our board and staff are still here to assist during these unprecedented times. We welcome any feedback or questions you may have for us.

Warm wishes,
Abedar Kamgari (Programming Director) and Julie Dring (Executive Director)

If you would like to make a donation to Hamilton Artists Inc., you can do so by visiting our Donor’s Page or by mailing a cheque to:

PO Box 57125 Jackson Station
2 King Street West
Hamilton, ON L8P 4W9

Please note that all money generated from our online store this month is being donated to emergency and anti-racism efforts presented by the Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion.

—Posted Jun 19, 2020