GIA Blog

(1-21-10) The study "Native Artists: Livelihoods, Resources, Space, Gifts" was published in December of 2009 and authored by Marcie Rendon and Ann Markusen. The report details a two-year study of the Ojibwe artists in Minnesota, focusing on artist training, access to resources and work-space, location, employment and self-employment, and other topics.

Listen to the MPR article here.

(1-20-10) Similar to reports such as The Conference Board’s tracking of consumer confidence, the Index views the arts as a dynamic system and provides reliable longitudinal information. It is unique when compared to other arts data systems in its scope, amount of data it presents, and annual publication. The Index is set to a base score of 100 in 2003. Every point difference represents one percent change.

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On January 12-13, some 100 artists, thinkers and advocates convened in Sacramento to a begin a conversation to help deeply understand and powerfully articulate the role of the arts in the lives of individuals and communities in today’s California; identify the key questions and ideas to include in a series of statewide community conversations later this year, clarifying what we need to learn; and determine an inclusive process for wide engagement in the inquiry process—and spark the process.

The Economic Turmoil and Change Blog was launched in January 2009, when the recession was at the heart of every day’s news. Since then, GIA has gradually expanded the content of this blog to include a range of non-recession topics. … Continue reading →

Arts organizations ARE businesses, so whatever they do is LIKE a business. Arts organizations are also ARTISTIC endeavors, so whatever they do is LIKE an artist. Whether they fulfill either of those explicit roles well is another question. Are they effective businesses? Do they offer a compelling artistic voice? These are the more focused questions that might actually get us somewhere.

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GFEM has launched an online Media Database, a searchable database of media projects-in-progress. GFEM believes that media play a vital role in shaping, framing and catalyzing public discourse and culture. The database is designed to servs as a hub where funders of all kinds can find a rich array of media-related projects that fit their funding priorities.

Animating Democracy has just released four new case studies that reflect on how to understand the social impact of these groups’ art-based civic engagement work. All were developed through the Field Lab of the Arts & Civic Engagement Impact Initiative supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Two-Way Mirror: Ethnography as a Way to Assess Civic Impact of Arts-Based Engagement in Tucson, AZ
By Maribel Alvarez

The Diversity in Philanthropy Project (diversityinphilanthropy.org) has published Arts & Culture: A Best Practice Case Study, DPP's first publication on arts and culture grantmaking and diversity and authored by Lydia D. Bell, former president of Princeton University’s International Music and Dance Performance Series.

A new decade is upon us and it begins with the hard tragedy unfolding in Haiti. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families as well as those who are on the front lines of the relief efforts there.

Washington, D.C. – The FBI today reminds Internet users who receive appeals to donate money in the aftermath of Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti to apply a critical eye and do their due diligence before responding to those requests. Past tragedies and natural disasters have prompted individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization and/or a good cause.

GIA suggests:

• UNICEF