WUSF has recently created a new way for the community to stay connected to local arts organizations during the pandemic. Arts Axis Florida will provide the community with a way to see, listen to and enjoy all kinds of arts performances, exhibitions and more.
JoAnn Urofsky, general manager for WUSF Public Media, said, “Early in the pandemic, we realized that our arts partners in the community were being devastated by being shut down. Mid-March in any year is jam-packed with performances of all kinds, fabulous art exhibits and endless cultural events. Arts Axis Florida was born out of a need to help our community by helping the nonprofit arts organizations and performers stay in the forefront and to provide them a space to share virtual and archive performances and information. We wanted to bridge the divide created by COVID-19 precautions and to help these organizations find new ways to reach their audiences and to find new audiences.”
Urofsky added, “WUSF has long appreciated the fortunate role we have in connecting people with the artistic treasures of our state, and that mission is more important now than ever. Arts Axis Florida is a free service that brings a welcome respite from the turmoil of our extraordinary year. It is a place where you can relax with incredible music and where you can find the intellectual stimulation of great performances.”
Arts Axis Florida is a free service and will help bring attention to local organizations. WUSF encourages organizations to promote the site to their audiences who can share it to create brand awareness. WUSF creates a profile for each organization, keeps the website updated and provides marketing materials. Additionally, WUSF is working with arts councils from each county to host webinar events in order to effectively train organizations on how to use the site.
Arts Axis Florida is funded by the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay. The funding will be used to provide more services, such as the launch of an Arts Axis podcast, educational engagement and alignment with good mental health.
Within the first two months of Arts Axis Florida launching in mid-November, there were more than 25,000 page views, 1,000 audio downloads and over 2,000 email subscribers. Urofsky said, “Arts Axis Florida is here to stay. We have created an arts hub that will continue to serve the community, to grow and to keep inspiring people.”
For more information and to sign up, please visit https://www.artsaxisfl.org.
