Grantmakers in the Arts

In much of what I’m involved with these days from discussions of improving arts education and the under-capitalization of the nonprofit world to increasing the value of the arts for average Americans, the word consensus keeps coming up. Mostly it comes up and then, like a hot potato, it gets thrown out. It’s a word that we’re hesitant to use as funders. Why is that? I have a couple of theories. Firstly, we in the arts want to be pretty open to all voices and respectful of one another’s uniqueness. This is a good thing.

(7-6-10) On June 30, the Kresge Foundation announced $450,000 in fellowships to Detroit-area literary and performing artists. The fellowships were awarded through the Kresge Artist Fellowships program. From the foundation's press release:

(7-2-10) A June 2010 report on dramatic declines in arts education funding in New York public schools prompted a July 1 story in The NY Daily News that begins: "It is not a pretty picture."

(7-2-10) Responding to a recent trend in popular vote-decided, corporate giving campaigns, Chris Jones (Chicago Tribune) argues against taking decision-making out of the hands of grant program officers and makes a case for the unfavorable effect of vote programs on the organizations vying for support. He writes:

(7-1-10) Last week, the U.S. Departments of Transportation (DOT) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced $175 million in available "sustainable communities" grants. Arts organizations are eligible to partner with state and local governments, as well as planning, philanthropic, and nonprofit organizations, to develop consortia grant proposals.

(7-1-10) Today, the Guardian published a series of interviews with artists, arts administrators, and former BP CEO John Browne on the now thorny issue of BP's arts sponsorships: "The Tate is under fire for taking BP sponsorship money. Does corporate cash damage the arts—or is it a necessary compromise? We asked leading cultural figures their view." Read the rainbow of responses here.

(6-30-2010) From South Carolina Arts Commission website:

The (South Carolina state) Senate has overridden veto 105, saving $250,000 in grant funds for arts education and arts organizations. A list of grant awards will be posted on our website by mid-July. On behalf of the South Carolina Arts Commission board and staff, thank you for your overwhelming efforts in contacting your legislators to urge their support for arts funding. Be sure to thank your legislators for their work on your behalf.

On June 24th, Grantmakers in the Arts and Grantmakers for Education hosted a group of private and public foundations and corporations to discuss the barriers inhibiting arts learning in K-12 urban public schools. Cyrus Driver, Ford Foundation, set the stage with comments titled “Can the Arts Become Part of the “Basics” of our Public Education?”