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Understanding the Impact of Executive Orders and Proposed Legislation on Arts and Culture

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Understanding the Impact of Executive Orders and Proposed Legislation on Arts and Culture

Updated February 10, 2025

This page will be updated regularly as new information becomes available. Please email indyarts@indyarts.org if you have any questions or would like to share a resource.

Please note: These resources have been compiled solely for informational purposes and are not intended to be legal advice. 

What’s happening?

Executive orders by the White House are undergoing legal review as government agencies assess the implementation of new requirements and regulations affecting federal operations. To support the tracking of these evolving executive orders, organizations such as the National Council for Nonprofits have developed resource guides that provide regularly updated overviews of each executive order and its related impacts.

The Indy Arts Council remains committed to supporting artists and arts organizations by providing resources to navigate these evolving political changes. These tools can help arts and culture organizations stay informed, protect their rights, and advocate for their communities.

Resource Guides

1. Navigating New Executive Orders: Legal Assistance for Indiana’s Arts and Culture Sector

As new executive orders from the Trump administration take effect, many communities may face legal uncertainties. Whether addressing issues related to civil rights, racial equity, or artistic expression, these legal resources can provide crucial support for individuals and organizations in Indiana.

Pro Bono Indiana Lawyers for the Arts

Artists and small arts organizations seeking legal guidance can access free assistance through Pro Bono Indiana’s Lawyers for the Arts project. Support is available thanks to the Indiana Bar Foundation.

  • Hours: Calls accepted Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (Central Time)
  • Contact: Call 812.402.6303 

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

The Protecting and Advancing IDEA Pro Bono Initiative offers legal guidance for entities working to uphold racial diversity and inclusion efforts. Complete the intake form on their website to begin the process.

Local Resources

These resources can help Indiana residents and organizations stay informed and legally protected as they respond to policy changes.

2. Navigating the Trump Administration’s New Executive Orders: Guidance for Diverse Communities

As new executive orders are issued by the Trump administration, many communities are seeking reliable resources to understand their rights and ensure their safety. Below are key tools and recommendations to help organizations and individuals navigate these changes effectively. By sharing these resources, communities can stay informed, protect their rights, and support one another in challenging times.

Know Your Rights Information and Resources

Latina/o/e Community Resources

LGBTQ+ Community Resources

3. Using Your Nonprofit’s Voice: Navigating New Executive Orders

Recent executive orders from the Trump administration have introduced policy changes that may impact nonprofit organizations, including those in the arts sector. As nonprofits work to understand and respond to these developments, advocacy remains a crucial tool for protecting their missions and the communities they serve.

Nonprofit organizations can advocate and lobby for issues that align with their values while remaining compliant with legal guidelines. Below are resources to help your nonprofit navigate advocacy efforts in this shifting policy landscape. By staying informed and actively engaging in advocacy, nonprofits can ensure their voices are heard and their missions remain strong in the face of evolving federal policies.

Advocacy and Lobbying Guidelines for Nonprofits

Current Issues and Actions for Arts Nonprofits

Communicating the Importance of the Arts

Policy and Equity Resources for Nonprofits

Emergency Resources for Artists & Freelancers

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Emergency Resources for Artists & Freelancers

Find a running list of resources and opportunities to support emergency needs. This list is maintained by the Center for Cultural Innovation.

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5 Social Media Strategies for Creatives

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5 Social Media Strategies for Creatives

Lumbre Media pulled together 5 key strategies from our recent conversation at Artist Industry Night hosted by @artscouncilindy—swipe through the carousel to check them out! These takeaways will help you build a stronger, more authentic online presence whether you’re a small business owner or a creative.

✨ Pro Tip: Save this post to refer back to later when you’re planning your social strategy.

5 Social Media Strategies for Creatives
Lumbre Media

Creating Cultures & Practices for Racial Equity

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Creating Cultures & Practices for Racial Equity

Creating Cultures and Practices for Racial Equity is a toolkit that can be used to make strategic and equitable decisions in assessing existing or proposed policies, practices, plans, programs, grant-making, contracting, budgets, and more.

How to use this Toolkit

In order to develop racial equity policies, practices, and culture in your arts organization, we recommend following four sequential steps, listed in the chart below. Each step has corresponding curated tools and primes.

Racial Equity Tools & Primes

Step 1: Aim for Racial Equity Outcomes and Impact. Get clear about the specific internal and/or external outcomes and impacts that you’d like to work towards in your organization. Organizational Equity Impacts and Outcomes Assessment. This tool can help you pause and envision what racial equity could look and feel like in your organization. It includes a list of specific possible impacts or outcomes for different areas of your organization’s work.

Step 2: Use Choice Points to Counteract Racial Inequities. Identify specific decision-making opportunities where you can consciously apply a race lens. Choice Points Criteria and Selection Worksheet. This tool provides a set of five criteria for identifying, prioritizing, and selecting choice points in your work.

Step 3: Use Equity Primes. This provides you an immediate prompt or short-term visual reminder to center racial equity and BIPOC. Race Forward Equity Prime. This is a beautiful poster you can pull out, print, and post in your workspace to remind you to pay attention to racial equity considerations. DreamYard Equity Prime. Co-developed by staff at DreamYard, an arts organization in the Bronx, NY, this visual reminder helps redirect attention to racial equity dynamics.

Step 4: Use a Racial Equity Tool to generate creative strategies and tactics. This helps you analyze institutional racism and its root causes, generate solutions, assess impacts, and develop strategies and actions. There are lots of different types of tools. You can use one from this Toolbox, from other sources, or create your own. Use the tool for building generative and creative space to develop new ideas and actions.

DOWNLOAD TOOLKIT

Social Media Best Practices

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Keep up to speed on social media

Social media is a tool many creatives and artists use to share work, promote collaborations and features, and connect with clients. Our friends at Fractured Atlas share some basics – always worth reviewing.

 

For many artists, Instagram is the social media site where you spend the bulk of your time. It is a visual platform that allows you to post images with captions, stories that disappear after 24 hours, Reels (which are similar to TikToks), longer videos on IGTV, and even livestreams. You can even have a webstore on Instagram. We’ve seen artists conduct sales, performances, and interviews using Instagram. For more of an introduction, check out our social media basics and our coverage of different social media platforms for artists.

Instagram Ideas
from Fractured Atlas
Latest Reels Trends
from Later
Social media 101
from Fractured Atlas
what to post

Photographers for your headshot

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Need a new headshot?

Headshots are great for grant applications, promotion materials, and when your pieces and art is shared.

The following photographers are super at headshots and love working with creatives. Reach out to them and be sure to share that the Indy Arts Council sent you!

Jay Goldz

Leah Tribbett

Jes Nijjer

Allison Tylek

Faith Blackwell

Grants and Funding Resources

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Grants and Funding Resources

Indy Arts Council invests in artists and arts organizations to nurture and foster a thriving arts scene that helps build stronger neighborhoods and ultimately enhances the quality of life for all Indianapolis residents. We invite all eligible applicants to apply for a grant opportunity.

These grant programs fall into two categories: Grants for Individuals and Grants for Organizations.

GRANTS FOR INDIVIDUALS

  • Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship Program: A two-year sabbatical-like fellowship for artists and administrators that have worked in the arts for 5 or more years. Award Amount: $10,000
  • Opioid Prevention Mental Health Grants : Applications open January 2024
  • Public Art for Neighborhoods : Applications open January 2024

GRANTS FOR ORGANIZATIONS

  • Annual Grants Program: A competitive grant program for established Arts organizations within Marion County for general operating support. Applications open January 2024.
Arts Council Grants and Funding

Building a website

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Artist website solutions

Artsy.net contributor Ariela Gittlen looks at web platforms from an artist’s perspective, and finds good solutions for a range of artist-specific web needs. Whether you want options for displaying and selling your work online, or easy ways to generate content for your website (via Dropbox!); maybe you’re looking for new ways to use Adobe Creative Cloud, or even just looking for a company to host your gallery, here are some good options to consider.

Need a website?

Affordable Internet Options

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ALLIANCE FOR ARTIST RESIDENCIES

The Alliance for Artist Residencies is a national organization serving artists and the various artist residency programs around the country. This site is a valuable resource to learn about different opportunities for residencies, but also offers a wide variety of “tips” for artists who are wanting to learn more about how residences work, how to find the right one for you, how to apply and get them funded!

Artist Communities

Insurance for Creatives and Artists

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Insurance for Creatives & Artists

ACT Insurance is a company that specializes in insurance for artists, crafters, and tradespeople, focusing on the needs of both artists in the studio, and artists showing their work at fairs and festivals. They offer quick short-term policies that provide a certificate of insurance for art fairs and shows that require one, with a quick, easy online application and approval. They also offer annual policies for working artists that cover general & product liability, business & personal property, and personal & advertising injury coverage. Their show policies start at $49, the monthly price is available at $24, and annual policies start at $279.

 

 

ACT Insurance
ACT Insurance

Taxes

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Know what you need for your taxes ::

The Arts Council of Indianapolis collaborated with Gener8tor to create a series of professional development webinars. This one shares best practices and tips for filing taxes after the unusual year that was 2020. The presenter also covers tips for record keeping that will be helpful moving forward as freelancers and small business owners.

Gener8tor webinar

Using “Explore”

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Using “Explore”

Discover new arts events, creative opportunities, and cultural experiences, and explore Indy’s vibrant arts scene all in one place. Explore is the most comprehensive online resource for the arts in Indianapolis.

Explore offers the largest database of arts organizations in the city, featuring events, festivals, classes, workshops, fundraisers, jobs, auditions, venues, and public art. Updated daily, Explore provides access for both Hoosiers and tourists to find out the latest information on the city’s unique exhibitions, performances, programs, and more.

Artist Opportunities

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Newsletter with all the opportunities

Find out the latest ways you can be paid and/or have your work featured – the Artist Opportunities newsletter has it all. Sign up today!

 

IndyArts E News

Media Training for Artists

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Better promote and pitch your projects to the media ::

The Arts Council of Indianapolis hosted a free conversation with some of Indy’s top arts and culture journalists. Learn how they choose the stories they cover, how to promote your own projects, and how to prepare for an interview.

Panelists included:

  • Katiera Winfrey, multicultural reporter for WISH-TV
  • Sarah Bahr, culture reporter at the New York Times and writer for Indy Monthly
  • Jill Ditmire, reporter and anchor for WFYI public TV and radio
  • Wildstyle Paschall, editor-in-chief of All317Hiphop photography blog (also contributes to Black Indy Live and New America).
  • Dave Lindquist, pop culture and entertainment reporter for IndyStar
Moderator: Amanda Kingsbury, (former) Director of Communications for the Arts Council of Indianapolis.
Watch the workshop!
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