Quick Tasks Most Arts Organizations Need Help With Now
Not sure how to support local arts groups beyond grant funding? These are the things they’re asking for.
As a cultural council member, you already support arts organizations through grant funding. But there’s a whole universe of small, practical things that local arts groups struggle with—things that don’t require money, just a little know-how and a willingness to help.
If you have even an hour to spare, here are high-impact tasks that most small arts organizations would love help with:
Social media posts
Many small organizations know they should be posting but can barely keep up. Offering to draft a few Instagram or Facebook posts—even just captions and suggested images—can be a game changer. You don’t need to be a designer. Clear, warm, and timely beats polished every time.
Grant proofreading
Arts organizations apply for funding constantly, and a fresh pair of eyes on an application can catch errors, unclear language, or missing information. If you’ve reviewed grant applications from the council side, you have valuable perspective on what makes a strong submission.
Event promotion
Share their events in your networks. Post in local Facebook groups, mention it at the PTA meeting, put a flyer on the library bulletin board. Word-of-mouth is still the most powerful marketing tool in small towns, and council members are unusually well-connected.
Documentation and photography
Show up to an event with your phone and take decent photos. Many organizations are so busy running the event that no one captures it. Those photos become essential for future funding applications, annual reports, and community storytelling.
Introductions
You probably know people—venue managers, school administrators, business owners, other council members in neighboring towns. A thoughtful introduction can unlock partnerships that an organization might never find on its own.
Accessibility feedback
Offer to attend an event or visit a venue and provide honest feedback on accessibility: Is it easy to find? Is signage clear? Can someone with a mobility challenge participate fully? This kind of feedback is invaluable and rarely offered.
None of this is glamorous, and none of it requires a special skill set. But for a two-person arts nonprofit trying to run programming on a shoestring budget, it’s the kind of support that keeps the lights on.
