On Saturday, June 20, 2020, RAW Artists is presenting The National Arts Drive, a nationwide local art fundraiser for creatives in all mediums, including local musicians. 
Artists are invited to perform, showcase, and display their work from front lawns, stoops, balconies, driveways, and/or the front of a local participating business.
Community “Drivers” are encouraged to drive through their city or suburban streets to catch performances and displays and donate to local artists via an interactive mobile website and map.
Artists and musicians can participate for free by placing a map marker @ www.NationalArtsDrive.com
Top 5 Things Every Artist & Musician Should Be Doing In Quarantine
Creating
This is a no-brainer. With our social lives at a standstill, and (perhaps and unfortunately) having less of a daily workload this is a perfect time to pour yourself into your creative work. The current uncertainty of the financial, health, and well being of our entire world should serve as inspiration. Crisis typically yields some of the best artistic expression. Artists and creators in any medium have the power and ability to reflect the voice of our time. Your music or creative expression is needed right now! Take this time to write, to riff, to create, to record uninterrupted. There has never been a generation in our lifetime that has gotten the opportunity to hibernate to this extent and focus solely on their work. Don’t squander this time.
Ramping up Digital Assets
Do you have a website? A dedicated Instagram for your band? Merch without a way to sell it online? Now is the time to hack away at all of the digital assets you need, but might have been putting off. Take this time to build, gather, and/or refine your digital assets. I cannot stress enough the importance of a dedicated website for your creative work. As algorithms constantly change and the social media flavor of the year is often abandoned for the next freshest platform, your website will likely outlive this shifting landscape. There are several tools that cost very little to upstart your own digital website. Get these things in order during this downtime. Pop-up your online shop. Create a social media posting schedule.
Social Networking
With everyone glued to their screens more than usual, this is a perfect time to network with an organization, brand, promoter, or another contact you might have been too timid to introduce yourself to before. People are a bit more compassionate at the moment. They’re a lot less “gatekeeper-esque” and more open to new connections, helping and engaging in new conversations. This is a good time to level up your LinkedIn connections.
Seek out a mentor, reach out for collaboration, ask for a listen or a critique, or perhaps strategize on what is next in your creative industry. Don’t forget to also be of service. While networking, also ask how you can be helpful to another during this unprecedented time. Reciprocal relationships usually yield the best results.
Self-Educating
There is an abundance of free online tools, resources, and education on an array of topics online. Consume all the free knowledge that exists at your fingertips. This is a great time to educate yourself on the business side of your industry. Especially now, while many artists and musicians will be left to their own devices while tours and showcases are on hold. Start digging into the aspects of the business that you are unsure about, or might want to learn about from different angles. Research what’s working for others. Sharpen your skills on topics that you don’t feel particularly knowledgeable about.
Soul Searching
It’s no secret that these are troubled times. There is a laundry list of things to worry about. The very platform that we’ve built our lives upon has shifted on its axis. There is no telling when this period will come to close and when we might be able to return to some semblance of normal. However, you’ve seen the memes; “make sure that what you’re rushing to get back to is indeed something you still want”. Life is easier to live when we have a routine and a roadmap.
While that foundation has been eliminated, again, I encourage you to take this time as a time to reflect. Get to the core of the creative life and career you want to lead when this comes to a halt. Reconsider what is important, what you are investing your time in, and whether or not anything on your “old normal way of life” list should be altered or perhaps entirely eradicated. After all, if there is anything that we’ve learned during this global pandemic, it’s what’s most important.