2011 GIA Conference Call for Sessions

NOTE: The deadline for proposals is past and new proposals are no longer being accepted.

Funders are facing a landscape of unprecedented changes, and technology has accelerated both the pace and reach of these changes. At the same time, our philanthropic community is responding to critical questions of equity in funding programs and practices. The 2010 census is providing a look at the changing faces of our communities and the cultural forces that both bind and separate them. Artists, at the center of our work, continue to challenge and inspire us.

The 2011 GIA conference will meet at the intersection of art, technology, and social change. No surprise that intersection is in California.

Join your colleagues in the San Francisco Bay Area, crossroads of traditional cultures, contemporary art, technology, and innovation. The diverse cultural and artistic resources of the region will inform and challenge our investigations of current trends and directions in art and cultural philanthropy.

2011 GIA Conference Call for Sessions - Deadline April 14, 2011

Grantmakers in the Arts invites members to propose sessions for the 2011 annual conference. The following session types will be considered:

Presentation Sessions

These 90-minute sessions are intended to be expository in nature and include some time for interactive participation by attendees. While we encourage innovative session formats, sessions may include no more than three presenters. AV support is available on request. Presentation sessions can be in a number of formats:

Single Speaker
A thoughtful presentation by a single resource person can often frame a topic more effectively than can several short presentations by a group of presenters. The choice of presenter in this format is, of course, critical. Single speakers must have the ability to singlehandedly engage an audience for a full session.
90 minutes session: 45-60 minute presentation, 30-45 minute Q&A/response

Point/Counterpoint
In this format, two presenters alternate, providing different perspectives on the same topic. It is not necessary that the two present opposing views—although this format works well for that—just different information. Generally this format works best with presenters who know each other or are willing to invest time in rehearsing the session.
90 minutes session: 45-60 minute point/counterpoint, 30-45 minute Q&A/response

Interview/Cross Interview
Like Point/Counterpoint, this format requires some careful matchmaking. One presenter interviews another or the two interview each other. Journalists can be ideal participants for half of this team.
90 minutes session: 45-60 minute interview, 30-45 minute Q&A/response

Media Presentation Followed by Discussion
A film, video, or audio presentation can be used to provide content or to act as a reference point for an open discussion among participants. The artist, director, or producer of the work can serve as a facilitator, when appropriate.
90 minutes session: 30-45 minute presentation, 45-60 minute discussion

Hands on Work/Demonstration
An artist creating, performing, or demonstrating their work can serve as a starting point for addressing the broader topics informed by the work. This is a variation on the Single Speaker and Interview/Cross Interview session types described above.
90 minutes session: 45-60 minute demonstration, 30-45 minute Q&A/response

Salon Sessions

Salon Sessions are developed either by the conference committee, preconference committees, or from proposals received through the Open Call for Sessions. These 90-minute sessions are facilitated discussions on a specific topic and do not include speakers, panels, or AV support. Organizers may invite any number of registered conference participants with specific knowledge on the topic and who agree to take on the role of informed participants in the discussion. Organizers may serve as moderators for Salon Sessions, or request that GIA provide facilitators.

Offsite Sessions

Offsite Sessions may be either Presentation Sessions or Salon Sessions. They take place at arts venues outside the hotel that provide some clear link to the session content.

Breakfast Roundtable Conversation

A Breakfast Roundtable Conversation is a one-hour, informal conversation on a grantmaking topic held over a meal. Roundtables are discussions among registered conference participants and do not include presentations by speakers, AV, flipcharts, etc.

How to propose a Session or Breakfast Conversation

  1. Use the above listed conference session types to think of new ways to present your topic.
  2. Log in to the GIA Website and fill out the brief online session proposal form by Thursday, April 14, 2011. Although you may, you don’t need to provide details about presenters or costs at this time.  If you need assistance logging in, contact Heidi Norgaard at GIA 206-624-2312.
  3. Once the conference committee has identified sessions to schedule, we will contact you individually to ask you for more details and to identify specific presenters. The conference committee will work with session organizers, as appropriate, to identify local artists and other resource people who can contribute to conference sessions; serve as presenters, active audience members, or respondents; or design a complementary site visit.

2011 Conference Priorities

The conference committee will give high priority to sessions that:

  • Include presenters who are new grantmakers and/or who represent diverse ethnic, racial, and gender perspectives;
  • Include artists;
  • Showcase innovative or experimental approaches to grantmaking and/or creative responses to problems or opportunities facing the cultural community;
  • Demonstrate collaborations among funders or funders and other sectors;
  • Connect with non-arts grantmaking fields;
  • Stimulate discussion and debate, challenge conventional thinking, and/or offer differing points of view.

A Word on Session Costs

Travel funds for session presenters are limited. Generally, members proposing and organizing sessions are expected to pay the transportation and lodging expenses of presenters. The 2011 conference budget still relies heavily on member’s support of these costs, but allows us to provide financial support for some session costs.  Once sessions have been accepted, conference staff will work with each organizer to establish budgets and financial responsibilities.

Organizers are encouraged to take advantage of the tremendous wealth of knowledge of GIA members and conference participants. The greater San Francisco area provides a vast pool of expertise, and the local committee can help identify potential presenters and other resources for sessions. Every session need not depend on bringing outside experts to the table.

Again, the online session proposal form is available at this link: www.giarts.org/member-session-proposal-form

Remember: Proposal deadline is April 14, 2011.

Questions? Contact Abigail Guay at abigail@giarts.org or 206-624-2312.