Tidewater Arts Outreach to Host Community Events

- Founded in 2004 by artist MaryAnn Toboz, Tidewater Arts Outreach was started with the goal of sharing music and arts with people who have limited access due to health, economic, or social reasons. - The organization serves a wide range of individuals in isolating circumstances, including older adults, people with disabilities, those in hospitals, homeless shelters, and low-income communities. - Since its founding, the organization has delivered over 7,800 hours of arts programming through partnerships with more than 280 agencies in the Hampton Roads area, reaching over 187,000 participants. - Programs are always free for participants and are led by professional artists who are compensated for their work. The organization maintains a roster of over 90 artists and groups from various disciplines. - The programming is diverse, including interactive music, visual arts, performing arts like dance and comedy, and literary arts such as poetry and storytelling workshops. - In 2022, the organization provided 99 program hours in December alone, with music and visual arts being the most in-demand services. - To ensure accessibility, the organization operates on a sliding scale cost-share model with its partners, which include senior living communities, hospitals, libraries, and shelters. - Research indicates that arts engagement can combat the negative health effects of loneliness and social isolation, which can be as detrimental as smoking.