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The Business of the Arts

Public Art image "Chairs"

The Business of the Arts program aims to provide knowledge and skills through resources and workshops. It has focused on fundraising and development, marketing and public relations, as well as legal concerns and entrepreneurship. Free workshops and seminars are led by accomplished professionals and subject matter experts.

Unless otherwise noted, workshop facilitators are independent professionals, not employees or affiliates of CAH or the District of Columbia government. The views expressed are their own and not necessarily those of CAH or the District of Columbia government.

Upcoming Workshops:

CAH Emergency Preparedness Symposium

Friday, June 27, 2025

9:30 am - 5:30 pm

CAH will host a number of workshops to address emergency preparedness topics and issues in the arts. Please see below for complete details on each session. All sessions will be held virtually via Zoom.

Session #1: Welcome and NCAPER

9:30 am - 11:30 am

Emergency Preparedness Symposium Session 1: Welcome and Blue Skies to Storms

DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities welcomes you to the Emergency Preparedness Symposium. CAH Staff will open with remarks, followed by an introduction to DC Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) by Benjamin Curran, Chair, and our first session hosted by Mollie Quinlan-Hayes, Fund Development and Program Officer, National Coalition for Arts Preparedness (NCAPER)

Blue Skies to Storms: Stories, Strategies, and Systems for Readiness in the Arts and Humanities

“Blue sky times” are the periods when things are stable, running (more or less) normally. These are the best times for readiness planning, to be ready for whatever “storms” might occur. This session will launch from the findings of the CAH Emergency Management Survey (bit.ly/cahepsurvey) and identify some common strengths and needs for the DC arts community.

Session #2: Emergency Planning & Business Insurance for Artists

12 pm - 1:30 pm

Emergency Preparedness Symposium Session 2: Emergency Planning & Business Insurance for Artists

Join Cameron Baxter Lewis for an in-depth session on developing emergency plans and business insurance options for artists. Cameron serves as the Director of Grants, Programs, and Training at the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+), where he oversees emergency response and readiness initiatives. He holds a Master's in Public Administration and Emergency Management and is dedicated to fostering inclusivity in the arts through his work.

Session #3: Disaster Planning, Risk Assessment, & Collaboration

2 pm - 3:30 pm

Emergency Preparedness Symposium Session 3: Disaster Planning, Risk Assessment, and Networking/Collaboration

Tom Clareson, Performing Arts Readiness, Project Director  

Performing Arts Readiness (PAR) will present information about the growing number of types of disasters that our arts and cultural institutions may face – from natural, human-made, and technological crises to “administrative emergencies” which might include funding cuts and succession or other staffing issues.

We’ll discuss the development of disaster plans which can help mitigate risks or address emergency situations, and consider how collaborating with other arts and cultural organizations can help you prepare for and respond to disasters.

Session #4: Rehearsal to Readiness: Accessibility in Arts Emergency Plan

4 pm - 5:30 pm

Emergency Preparedness Symposium Session 4: Rehearsal to Readiness: Centering Accessibility in Arts-Based Emergency Planning

In this closing session, Rehearsal to Readiness: Centering Accessibility in Arts-Based Emergency Planning, Jessica Wallach from Story Tapestries leads a dynamic, hands-on exploration of what it truly means to center accessibility in emergency preparedness. Through embodied reflection, real-world examples, and creative tools drawn from the arts, participants will rethink emergency planning not as a static checklist, but as a responsive process rooted in physical awareness, access needs, and intentional practice.

This session isn’t just about compliance — it’s about care, communication, and culture change.

For additional inquiries on this series, please send an email to [email protected].

Past Presentations:

Past Workshop Recordings*

*Please note that information and best practices shared in the recordings below may be dated. Viewers are asked to exercise their judgment as to how applicable any recording is to the current day.

  • A Toast to the Boogie: Protecting Our Legacy
  • Accessibility and Inclusion in the Arts 
  • Arts Organizations and Resilience: Sustaining Staff in Times of Crisis
  • Becoming A Certified Business
  • Building Access to Public Art Placemaking
  • The Business of Public Art
  • The DC Permitting Process
  • The District's Landscape for Artists
  • How To Develop an Art Exhibition and Pop Up
  • How to Develop Your Next Public Art Project: From RFP to Completion
  • Keeping Community Connected: Virtual Technology Roundtable
  • Leadership Coaching: Become the Leader that You Want to Be
  • Legal Issues for Artist Live Streaming
  • Methods and Materials Workshop - An Arts Conservation Perspective
  • New Realities: Navigating E-Commerce in the Arts 
  • Public Art as Community Development
  • Tools for Entrepreneurs

Top banner: 
Bruce Willen with Neighborhood Design Center + Tim Scofield Studios, Chairs, 2020.
CAH Civic Commission, Playable Art In partnership with DC Office of Planning. This project was through an Art Place America Grant, and the DC Public Library. Anacostia Neighborhood Library, 1800 Good Hope Road SE.