Digest: Studies, Books, Web Sites, and Other Publications

In the spirit of our purported "national dialogue on race," it is appropriate to consider Faces at the Bottom of the Well, long one of my favorites on the topic. We, as grantmakers, certainly need to face this topic along with the rest of the nation. Although women have found a comfortable niche among grantmakers, there is still a considerable shortage of ethnicities in our ranks. As arts grantmakers, we also need to remember that the American arts first recognized in Europe and worldwide were the myriad arts forms of black America.

2006, available online. Center for Arts Policy, Columbia College Chicago, 600 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60605, 312-344-7985

What do Cirque du Soliel and acid mine drainage have in common? And how do they relate to arts and democracy? You can explore these questions and learn about many other surprising combinations in this mind-expanding new "cyber series" now being distributed free of charge by the Center for Arts Policy at Columbia College Chicago.

2006, 27 pages. Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, 2324 University Avenue West, Suite 114, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55114, 651-645-0402, www.mrac.org

Download pdf at The Bush Foundation website

"Harmony is not an arts destination. We seek the arts at the core of everyday lives. We simply want a more solid community, a well-rounded community, beauty in our lives." — Paula Michel, Harmony Arts Council

Download pdf: http://artspolicy.colum.edu/DVProfiles.html

This unusual literary series of profiles about artists and art leaders explores how their work exists at the "interstices of the arts and democratic life." Featured in the series so far are T. Allan Comp, Umberto Crenca, Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, Franco Dragone, and Jay Allison. Coming soon is "Nonconforming Uses: Architect Teddy Cruz on the Border of Tomorrow" by Rebecca Solnit.

2005, 197 pages plus CD. Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, 1413 K Street, 2nd floor, Washington, DC 20005, 202-898-1840

Everything you wanted to know about organizational assessment but were afraid to ask. This guidebook is written for grantmakers and grantees alike. Each chapter includes practical advice, success stories, and lessons learned.

September2005, 17 pages. The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development, Malcolm Weiner Center for Social Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 617-495-1480

PDF available at The Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development

2004. Freepress, 100 Main St, P.O. Box 28, Northampton, MA 01061, 877-888-1533

Download PDF here

2005, 17 pages. Heritage Preservation, 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20005, 202-233-0800

Go here to download PDF

National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts, 520 8th Avenue, Suite 302, New York, NY 10018, (212) 268-3337

This handbook outlines best practices that arose from the Partners in Excellence Initiative to promote arts education partnerships between community and public schools. The guide begins by defining a partnership, continues with how to build and sustain one, and concludes with a chapter on evaluation and assessment. PDF available for download at website.

2005, 158 pages. Arts Education Partnership , One Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001-1431, 202-336-7016, aep@ccsso.org

The Arts Education Partnership's new book, Third Space: when learning matters, should be required reading for anyone involved in what promises to be a lively and contentious debate around the 2007 reauthorization of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.