Monica's Blog

Posted on May 9, 2017 by Monica

From The New York Times:

Mayor Bill de Blasio and his lieutenants are deep into a re-examination of New York City’s $178 million arts budget and other cultural resources to try and give a higher profile — and perhaps more taxpayer money — to smaller institutions in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

The proposed new approach, with an emphasis on greater equity, has some major arts organizations fearful they will end up with less of the municipal-funding pie, while more marginalized groups are hopeful about finally receiving more.

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Monica

Congress has passed, and President Trump has signed into law, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, which funds the federal government through the end of the current fiscal year. Included in the spending bill is increased funding for the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, an additional $2 million more than the 2016 budget for … Continue reading Trump Signs FY2017 Spending Bill, Includes Additional NEA and NEH Funding

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Monica

Congress has passed, and President Trump has signed into law, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, which funds the federal government through the end of the current fiscal year. Included in the spending bill is increased funding for the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, an additional $2 million more than the 2016 budget for each agency.

From The Washington Post:

Republicans and Democrats who negotiated the measure Trump signed Friday had successfully defended other accounts Trump had targeted for spending cuts, such as foreign aid, the Environmental Protection Agency, support for the arts and economic development grants, among others.
Posted on May 5, 2017 by Monica

A recent article in Relix magazine outlines why the Affordable Care Act is important to the lives and livelihoods of musicians. “Most musicians rely on the ACA. Repealing it would affect everyone around me,” says Jon Dindas, producer of events such as Christmas Jam and Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival. “These musicians are not covered under … Continue reading Musicians Discuss the Importance of the Affordable Care Act

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Monica

Eloise Damrosch, the executive director of the Regional Arts & Culture Council (Portland, OR), has announced her plans to retire on June 30, 2017. Damrosch has earned a local and national reputation as a respected arts administrator while helping create one of the best-known public art collections in the country.

Posted on May 3, 2017 by Monica

In a recent letter address to the field of philanthropy, President & CEO Sharon Alpert of The Nathan Cummings Foundation writes about how the foundation is adapting its practices to serve grantees on the “front lines” of injustice: Our board was clear that this was no time for business as usual.  Gathered around our board table, … Continue reading Nathan Cummings Foundation Increases Grantmaking, Plans Policy Changes to Support Grantees on the ‘Front Lines’

Posted on May 2, 2017 by Monica

In an op-ed in Nashville Arts Magazine, Jennifer Cole, executive director of Metro Nashville Arts Commission, addresses questions and debunks some of the myths about federal arts funding such as: “The arts are only for ‘certain people’ and others shouldn’t subsidize programs for the wealthy.” “If artists can’t make it as a business, why should … Continue reading Op-ed: Jennifer Cole on Why We Need the NEA

Posted on May 2, 2017 by Monica

The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) conducted a survey of foundation leaders about how they are reacting to the new administration, and the degree to which they are making changes as a result. Based on survey responses from 162 CEOs of US independent and community foundations making at least $5 million in grants annually, CEP has … Continue reading Survey: Foundations Respond to a New Political Context

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Monica

From The Washington Post: The new federal spending bill would spare — and even slightly increase — funding for three arts-related agencies that President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating: the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities.The agreement announced Monday calls for the CPB’s budget to … Continue reading Federal Budget Agreement for FY 2017 Would Slightly Increase Funding for NEA, NEH

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Monica

From The Washington Post:

The new federal spending bill would spare — and even slightly increase — funding for three arts-related agencies that President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating: the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities.

The agreement announced Monday calls for the CPB’s budget to remain the same, at $445 million. Spending for fiscal 2017 would go up for the NEA and NEH, each from $148 million to $150 million.