Overview

Arts Mid-Hudson (AMH), the arts council for this region, embraces the constantly changing nature of art and culture and continues to respond to the community’s vision. Since 1964, we adapted to reflect societal changes and we understand there is still more work to be done. The following encompasses AMH’s area of work and policies towards a more inclusive, just, and equitable organization.

Systems of oppression such as racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, xenophobia, classism, and ableism have been detrimental to generations of people and have caused irreparable damage. The effects of these destructive systems reverberate today. There is no place for discrimination within our arts and cultural community. AMH understands that marginalized artists and arts organizations encounter equity imbalances including but not limited to differential access to funds, volunteers, workforce, and resources. AMH seeks to disrupt these systems through policies, advocacy, access, and programming.

AMH recognizes that our staff and board represent a small portion of the diversity that exists within our region. AMH seeks and welcomes new voices at all levels and promotes continued learning throughout the organization. Our commitment to diversity, equity, access, and inclusion is a constant endeavor and this document will be reviewed and updated quarterly. 
Note: In this document the term underrepresented includes Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian, People of Color, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, elder, youth, rural, and low-income populations.

Cultural Development & Art Services

• AMH seeks to disrupt the current arts and cultural landscape by advocating and supporting underrepresented artists, cultural leaders, and arts workers, whose points of view are rarely explored in our region.

• Organizations led by Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian, People of Color, disabled, LGBTQIA+ are the best representatives of their communities.

• AMH prioritizes partnering and supporting arts and cultural programming led or organized by the communities listed above.

• AMH prioritizes and advocates for hiring and paying artists who are a part of underrepresented groups.

• AMH builds collaboration among diverse groups and communities by facilitating connections, introductions, and partnerships.

• AMH supports expansive representation of leadership in the arts and cultural field.

• AMH continues to develop new systems and assess existing frameworks that bring us closer to equity. We understand that this work is done in partnership with stakeholders and freely share our findings and strategies. AMH is guided by several advisory committees focused on our distinct areas of work.

• AMH strives to represent individuals in the communities listed above as both exhibiting artists and curators in the AMH gallery programs.

• AMH provides on-going and current information regarding advancement opportunities for underrepresented artists.

Resource Development & Grant Making

• AMH assists emerging arts organizations, individual artists, and community based groups to provide arts and cultural events.

• AMH prioritizes funding for underrepresented and marginalized artists in our region and organizations/community based groups led by underrepresented individuals.

• AMH promotes our funding opportunities to diverse communities in our region through personal outreach and cross-channel marketing.

• AMH requires all nonprofit organizations submitting proposals to our grants and funding programs to have a board approved nondiscrimination policy in place and provide a statement regarding their commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion.

• Funding priorities for the AMH Grants and Funding opportunities are revised annually to reflect community feedback and needs.

• AMH offers free grant assistance to all applicants for our funding programs, including brainstorming, Q & A, draft review, budget review, and troubleshooting. 

• Accessibility accommodations are available upon request, including large text documents, subtitles in videos, translation services, and technology assistance.

• All funding recommendations are determined by peer panel review. Panels are composed of individuals who reflect our diverse region. AMH staff or board members do not have a vote in this process.

• AMH has evaluation systems in place to evolve the program and increase accessibility.

• We have a zero tolerance policy for racist, culturally insensitive, homophobic, transphobic, sexist, xenophobic, classist, and/or ableist behavior of volunteer panelists of Arts Mid-Hudson’s grants programs.

Advocacy & Public Awareness

AMH recognizes there are existing policies which reinforce inequity, oppression, lack of access and disparity in our region and we are committed to challenging these harmful systems.

• AMH advocates to government and private funding organizations for increased support for underrepresented artists and groups.

• AMH gathers information and encourages feedback to communicate the needs and assets of the Mid-Hudson Valley region to funding entities.

• AMH convenes the arts and cultural community through networking opportunities, events, and professional development programs.

• AMH promotes regional arts and cultural organizations, artists, and events through social media, email, radio, and press.

• AMH builds awareness of the value of arts and culture and increases the visibility of working artists, especially those who are marginalized and underrepresented.

Arts Education Program

The purpose of the AMH Arts Education Program is to enhance the learning and creative potential in each person. Ultimately, this benefits the individual and the community at large.

• AMH advocates and legislates for integrated arts education programs for all educational institutions in the Mid-Hudson region with the goal of ensuring every student has access to quality arts education regardless of their location.

• AMH builds relationships, collaborations, and partnerships with artists, schools, and art and cultural organizations to foster an inclusive environment for the diverse population we serve.

• AMH seeks teaching artists who represent a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.

• AMH oversees and assists to develop arts-based workshops, classes, and presentations both virtually and in-person.

• AMH Arts Education Programs enrich and supplement, but are not intended to replace on-going external programs.

• We have a zero tolerance policy for racist, culturally insensitive, homophobic, transphobic, sexist, xenophobic, classist, and/or ableist behavior of teaching artists of Arts Mid-Hudson’s workshop programs.

Folk Arts Program

The AMH Folk Arts Program supports the enduring traditional practices of the cultural communities of the Mid-Hudson region and sharing those practices with one another.

• Cultural communities are the best interpreters of their cultural expressions. AMH provides networking, fieldwork, research assistance, and resource development to aid communities in this endeavor.

• AMH assists communities in presenting their traditional practices to the public through programming, such as workshops and festivals.

• AMH recognizes the value of cultural expressions, as well as the time and resources utilized. We advocate for the compensation of the work of folk artists.

• AMH recognizes and respects that cultural expression can have multiple meanings across cultures, geography and time, which may present opposing interpretations. AMH strives to facilitate challenging discussions and greater cultural understanding between different viewpoints.

• We have a zero tolerance policy for racist, culturally insensitive, homophobic, transphobic, sexist, xenophobic, classist, and/or ableist behavior of presenters, performers, and volunteers of Arts Mid-Hudson’s Folk Arts programs.