Grantmakers in the Arts

Createquity Reports on Beyond Dynamic Adaptability

November 6, 2011 by Steve

Ian David Moss follows his report on the GIA conference with a report on Beyond Dynamic Adaptability:

Beyond Dynamic Adaptability was all about the changing nature of cultural participation, a hot topic on just about everyone’s minds these days. In keeping with the theme, the conference itself was organized in such a way as to invite participation, especially towards the end of the day with two-hour “fishbowl” sessions in which “panelists sit in a circle in the center (the ‘fishbowl’) and discuss the topic, with an empty chair for interested audience members to jump in to the conversation.” In addition, artistic practice was more deeply infused into this conference than just about any other I’ve seen, even the performance-happy GIA conferences.

Can the Arts Save Struggling Cities?

November 5, 2011 by Steve

Greg Hanscom at Grist explores the philosophy of creative placemaking:

Something is stirring in Detroit. Here, in a city that in the past decade alone lost a quarter of its already dwindling population, plans are in the works to revive the manufacturing economy—at least on a small scale. The Detroit FAB Lab taps into the vibe of “maker” labs and hackerspaces around the globe. Its creators envision an incubator for artists, artisans, and entrepreneurs. Members will have access to equipment for woodworking, metalworking, digital fabrication, and media, as well as business coaching and networking.

November 4, 2011 by Abigail

The latest installment of GIA's Talk Back blog continues with a second post by Vilcek Foundation staff. Anne Schruth, event and programs assistant, writes about the foundation's alignment of organizational mission and goals with strategies for providing support to individual artists. She writes:

In our efforts to spotlight the contributions of immigrant artists and scientists to U.S. society, we have also found that the work produced by the artists is only a piece of the story. It is, in part, the personal experiences of the featured foreign-born individuals that leave a lasting impression on the audience.

November 4, 2011 by Abigail

In a post for Common Core, Lynne Munson addresses the ongoing lack of results from education reform, as evidenced by recent NAEP data, noting:

Maybe we need to give content a chance. What I mean by “content” is the actual knowledge that is imbedded in quality curricula. Knowledge of things like standard algorithms, poetry, America’s past, foreign languages, great painters, chemistry, our form of government, and much more.

DCASE Does a Do-over

November 4, 2011 by Steve

From Jonathan Abarbanel at WBEZ.org in Chicago:

Just a year after former Mayor Daley did a gut job on the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) over the strenuous objections of long-time Cultural Commish Lois Weisberg, the new mayor and his new Commish, Michelle T. Boone, are reversing those actions as much as they can.

As first reported last week by WBEZ's Lynette Kalsnes, Commissioner Boone revealed in budget hearings that the 2012 plan for her department calls for taking back responsibilities for planning and day-to-day execution of cultural programs, which had been contracted out to the Chicago Office of Tourism (renamed the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture in recognition of its expanded responsibilities).

November 4, 2011 by Steve

From Rick Cohen at The Nonprofit Quarterly:

While some museums are cleaning up with charitable donations (especially from the very wealthy), others are having a tough time piecing together sustainable budgets based on shaky blends of fees, sales, and charitable donations. That may have been the circumstance with two Austin, Texas museums—Arthouse and the Austin Museum of Art.

November 4, 2011 by Steve

From Hilary Howard at The New York Times:

Since he retired from Family Dollar in 2003, Leon Levine has transferred his man-on-the-scene approach in business to the foundation that bears his name.

“Leon’s gone after philanthropy in much the same way as he did making money,” said Hugh L. McColl Jr., former chief executive of Bank of America, which is based in Charlotte. “He sees donations as investments in worthwhile projects, he does a lot of due diligence when looking at potential recipients, and he’s diligent about holding their feet to the fire about doing what the money is supposed to do.”

November 2, 2011 by Tommer

The New York Times manages to mangle the NEA's recent report on Artists in the Workforce with the headline "Study Says Artists Have Higher Salaries" completely missing the point, and quoting the most misleading stat they could find in this useful research report.

Podcast #50: Black Arts Funding In 2023

Grantmakers in the Arts hosted the first GIA Black Arts Funding Summit in December of 2022. This virtual gathering of 113 artists, arts administrators, and funders allowed attendees to acknowledge and understand the long histories of exclusion, disenfranchisement, and disendowing in the philanthropic sector. One year later, we are continuing the conversation with two funders and elevating new considerations after one year. We are glad to have Rasu Jilani, executive director of Brooklyn Arts Council, and Anthony Simmons, senior director of Institutional Partnerships, Resilia, joining us to share their thoughts on what’s next for Black arts funding and what that means for equity and self-determination.

GIA · #50: Black Arts Funding In 2023

ALL PODCASTS

Black Arts Funding Summit

On December 13, the Black Arts Funding Summit featured experts across fields and industries who have directly shaped institutional policy and established new practices that support Black liberatory futures.

Explore the conference blog

Explore Solidarity Economy resources here

Videos from the GIA 2022 Conference are now available for streaming.