In a recent article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Justin Laing writes about grantee inclusion as “a critical and important step toward mutual accountability; when implemented deeply, it lets us imagine even more far-reaching practices of accountability, transparency, and partnership between grantmakers and grantees.” The article highlights work that The Heinz Endowments has done to develop mutual accountability between the organization and its Transformative Arts Process advisory board.

Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) has announced that CEO Mary Kennedy, who has held the position since 2002, has resigned her position effective October 1, 2016. Kennedy’s decision to resign comes after 27 years of service to M-AAA. She will provide consulting services to M-AAA until a new CEO is in place.

Kindle Project, an experimental philanthropy lab, has announced a new grantmaking program called Boomerang which aims to give artist grantees the ability to help shape the distribution of philanthropic dollars. The recipients of the organization’s upcoming Makers Muse Artist Awards will each be offered a Flow Fund to recommend be reallocated to an organization or project of the artists’ choosing. The project aims to embolden artists and discover new unusual projects, creators, and ideas by placing decision-making power in the hands of grantees.

By Janet Brown, from her blog Better Together

In 1980, when I was living in New York City, I had a conversation with a man who at one time was general manager of Lincoln Center. We debated, rather heatedly, his premise that the National Endowment for the Arts should give money only to states that produce “good” art — in other words, New York. (He wasn’t sure other states should get any funding at all.) He believed the federal government should give funds to South Dakota, my home state, for what it does well — grow corn and beef. He believed the government should fund only what someone would decide was “good” art, and obviously, no “good” art came out of South Dakota. I was offended by that, and I can pinpoint that day as the beginning of my somewhat outspoken beliefs that all art has an element of excellence as long as it is authentic to a people and place. I delight in the fact that there are no rules of geography and environment in art making.

Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation (MAAF) announced that executive director Alan W. Cooper will retire effective May 2017. As executive director of the foundation since 1994, Cooper has been responsible for all aspects of leadership and oversight leading to substantial growth in programs and services that have had extensive impact for both audiences and artists in the mid-Atlantic region and beyond.

From Gintautas Dumcius at MassLive.com:

The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis/Community Arts Training (CAT) Institute and the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture will host a national convening of artists, activists, policy-makers, and community organizers on November 17–19 in St. Louis, Missouri. The CULTURE/SHIFT 2016 convening aims to generate and amplify creative strategies for social change.