Outline of GIA’s Work in Equity, 2008–Present
GIA’s work in race and social justice began in 2008 with the creation of the Arts and Social Justice Working Group by Claudine Brown. Initially, GIA focused generally on equity across various identities which have been historically marginalized in philanthropy including race, gender, sexuality, socio-economic status. In 2011, GIA’s focus turned specifically to racial equity with a Thought Leader Forum and subsequent actions by the board of directors. At the end of 2014, the GIA Board of Directors established a racial equity board committee, which published GIA’s Racial Equity in Arts Funding Statement of Purpose in March 2015. The statement of purpose and accompanying calls to action continue to be updated regularly.
The following outline of GIA’s work is meant to provide highlights and may not be inclusive of every activity, article, session, or communication.
2017
Board action
The GIA board voted to add a racial equity statement to the organization’s guiding principles.
Racial Equity in Arts Philanthropy workshop
Development in partnership with the Center for Social Inclusion of a day-long workshop for funders, which will be available to communities in 2018 and piloted at the 2017 GIA conference.
ALAANA Project
In partnership with Doris Duke Foundation to support creation of a pilot project with local funders and a cohort of ALAANA organizations.
Webinars
Reader Articles
- I Once Was Blind: Acknowledging Race in Granting to Individuals, Caroline and Tony Grant
- A New Will to Confront Homogeneity in American Orchestras, Jesse Rosen
- Moving Dance Forward: Twenty Years of Grantmaking for a Changing Landscape, Cathy Edwards
- Seizing Opportunity amid Uncertainty: Lessons in Funder Collaboration, Michele Kumi Baer
2016
Audit
During the winter, GIA commissioned a research team to conduct a racial equity audit of its programs, policies, and communications. The audit findings and recommendations were delivered to and reviewed by staff and board in the spring and released publicly in September.
Board action
The racial equity board committee began developing a work plan based on audit findings and recommendations. The board subsequently released an update to its Racial Equity in Arts Philanthropy Statement of Purpose, including new recommendations to support members in engaging in racial equity work.
Research
During the summer, GIA commissioned a research team to survey GIA member organizations on their current policies and programs addressing racial equity and to identify case studies of successful programs to share with the membership.
Saint Paul Conference
Sessions
- Breaking Down Barriers, organized by Denise Brown and Tatiana Hernandez
- Creative Placemaking in the Racialized South, organized by F. Javier Torres
- The Enrich Switch: Breaking Down the Racial Equity Arts Movement, organized by Angelique Power
- Innocent Giving: Building Authentic and Functional Relationships with Communities of Color, organized by Vickie Benson and Glyn Northington
- Intersectional Philanthropy: Power, Privilege, and Practice, organized by Stanlyn Brevé and Sage Crump
- Looking at Racial Bias in the Panel Deliberation Process, organized by Moira Brennan and Emilya Cachapero
- Native America: A Fundamental Part of Who We Are, organized by Lulani Arquette
- The Practice of Racial Equity in Arts Philanthropy, organized by Grantmakers in the Arts
- Racial Equity Policies and Practices Define the Future of Local Arts Agencies, organized by Randy Engstrom
- The Role of Arts and Culture in Countering Islamophobia, organized by Sunita Iqbal
- Roots of Rondo: Black Artists Rising, organized by Erik Takeshita
- Three Funding Agencies Walk Into a Bar: Partnership for Equity, organized by Heather Dwyer and Irene Gómez
Preconferences
- Access to a Lifetime of Arts Education: Every Child, Every Adult
- Building Equity in Support for Individual Artists
Keynotes/Artists
Podcasts
- Aubrey Haberman and Sindhu Knotz, on creating the Momentum Fellowship program
- Justin Laing, on the GIA board service, racial equity, and his hopes for the field
- Dameun Strange, on being a fellow in the Ron McKinley Philanthropy Fellowship program
Web Conferences
- Building a Racially Diverse Organization: A Case Study on Recruiting and Retaining ALAANA Staff
- Practices for Advancing Racial Equity in Arts Grantmaking Series
Reader Articles
- Advancing Racial Equity, Racial Equity Funders Collaborative in Minnesota
- Spirit Car: Journey to a Dakota Past, Diane Wilson
- Building a Stronger ALAANA Arts Community: Keeping an Eye on Systems, Janet Brown and Angelique Power
- Expanding Cultural Family: Funders, Tools, and the Journey toward Equity, Jen Gilligan Cole
- A More Equitable World Because of Theatre, Teresa Eyring
- New York City Addresses Diversity in the Cultural Workforce, Edwin Torres
- The Risk of Hopelessness, Carlton Turner
2015
Board action
In March, GIA board of directors approves the proposed Racial Equity in Arts Phianthropy Statement of Purpose and GIA promotes and distributes the statement to its members and the public. Racial equity committee vets all sessions proposed for the GIA annual conference for purposes of integrating a racial equity lens into topics. New GIA board members attend the 2-day anti-racism training with the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond.
Los Angeles Conference
Sessions
- Along the Capitalization Spectrum, organized by Katie Steger
- Artists and Designers Working with Equitable Development Goals in Mind, organized by Jessica Garz
- Arts and Culture in Boyle Heights: Building Healthy Communities, organized by Amy Kitchener and Maria Rosario Jackson
- Chasing Equity: 50 States on the Map, 10 States in Motion, organized by Narric Rome
- The Courage to Engage, organized by June Wilson
- Equity and Demographic Data: A Question-Centered Approach for the Future, organized by Arin Sullivan and Beth Tuttle
- Evaluation Test Kitchen: Cooking Up Frameworks to Assess Aesthetics and Social Outcomes, organized by Pam Korza and Barbara Schaffer Bacon
- Funder, Transform Thyself, organized by Justin Laing
- People of Color and Arts Giving: A 360 Degree View, organized by Josephine Ramirez and John Kobara
- Sustaining Our Communities’ Wellbeing: The Arts to the Rescue, organized by Zeyba Rahman
- What’s Human Capital Got to Do, Got to Do with It?, organized by Angelique Power
Keynotes/Artists
Racial Equity Forum
- Supporting ALAANA Organizations, June, Atlanta: Grantmakers in the Arts hosted a national dialogue for sixty participants on increasing funding and access to funding for African, Latino(a), Asian, Arab and Native American (ALAANA) organizations. It was held at the Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. Videos and text available on the forum page.
Web Conference
- Advancing Racial Equity in Arts Philanthropy; August 18, 2015
Reader Articles
- An Exploratory Study of Demographic Diversity in the Arts Management Workforce, Antonio C. Cuyler
- What Does Culture Look Like When #BlackLivesMatter?, Justin Laing
- Building Equity and Inclusion by Assessing Demographic Data: Two Case Studies, Judi Jennings and Denise M. Brown
- Who We Be: The Colorization of America (book review), reviewed by Lynda Turet
- Seeing Beyond, Activating Ourselves, Roberta Uno
- US Cultural Engagement with Global Muslim Communities: Contours and Connections in an Emerging Field, Jennifer C. Lena and Erin F. Johnston
Blogs
2014
GIA Board Action GIA board creates the Racial Equity Board Committee, chaired by Maurine Knighton to plan, recommend and oversee racial equity in arts philanthropy programs and integration of a racial equity lens into other program areas. Proposed conference session on equity/racial equity are vetted by the Racial Equity Board Committee and recommended to the conference committee. New board members attend 2-day anti-racism training of People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. Racial Equity Board Committee begins work on a statement of purpose for GIA’s work in racial equity in arts philanthropy.
Houston Conference
Sessions
- Art and Tech: Bending New Technologies to Native Traditions, organized by Wendy Red Star and T. Luluni Arquette
- Resources at the Roots of Culture, organized by Kim Cook
- How Five Arts & Culture Funders are Smashing Silos, organized by Aaron Dorfman
- Applying Racial Justice Principles to Arts Education Grantmaking, organized by Justin Laing
- Transforming Culture/Creating Justice, organized by F. Javier Torres
- Leading the Charge: Theatre Communications Group’s Diversity & Inclusion Institute, organized by Kevin Bitterman
- Strategies to Increase Equity in Grantmaking & Empowerment, organized by Aaron Dworkin
- Advancing Racial Equity in Grantmaking: A Long Table Discussion, organized by Vickie Benson, Sharon DeMark, Glyn Northington, and Eleanor Savage
Keynotes/Artists
Thought Leader Forum
- Constructing Racial Equity, July, New York: Participants from the 2012 Thought Leader Forum came together to share case studies from within their own organizations and to discuss next steps to the process of sharing learning with the field. Facilitated by Lori Villarosa
Reader Articles
- Paying Attention to White Culture and Privilege: A Missing Link to Advancing Racial Equity, Gita Gulati-Partee and Maggie Potapchuk
- I Hate Classical Music: A Conversation on Race, Identity, and Transformative Arts Practice, Justin Laing and Alex Laing
- Placemaking and Placemakers: Lessons from Detroit, Appalachia, New Orleans, and Honolulu, Mark Valdez
- Inclusion in American Orchestras, Aaron P. Dworkin
- Policy, Prisons, and Pranks: Artists Collide with the World, Ruby Lerner
Blogs
- Racial Equity: The History and Purpose of our Work, Janet Brown
2013
GIA Board & Staff Workshop Understanding and Undoing Racism, July, Seattle: A two-day workshop led by The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond
GIA Board Action November: Based on recommendations from the Racial Equity Thought Leader Forum participants, the GIA board adopts the issue of constructing racial equity in arts grantmaking as “core field work”.
Philadelphia Conference
Preconference
Sessions
- Invisible >> Visible: New Native Voices on the Forefront of Change, organized by Reuben Roqueni
- Cultural Kitchens: Nurturing Creative Practice, organized by Mary-Kim Arnold
- Action Steps to Building Equity and Resisting Racism, organized by Judi Jennings and Justin Laing
- The Arts Next Door: Neighborhood-Based Community Arts Training Institute, organized by Roseann Weiss
- Growing to Reflect the Neighborhood: Community Engagement in an Evolving Community, organized by The Wallace Foundation
- Social Justice, Participatory Arts and Immigrant Experiences, organized by Amy Kitchener and Russell Rodriguez
Keynotes/Artists
Racial Equity in Arts Philanthropy Thought Leader Forum
- Constructing Racial Equity, December, Chicago: Participants from the 2012 Thought Leader Forum came together to share their work on racial equity within their own organizations and to discuss next steps to the process of sharing learning and best practices with the field. Facilitated by Melinda Weekes, Race Forward.
Reader Articles
- Placemaking and the Politics of Belonging and Dis-belonging, Roberto Bedoya
- Why Equity Matters: New Ideas and Action Steps, Judi Jennings, Angelique Power, F. Javier Torres and Holly Sidford
- Indigenous Perspectives on Equity in Philanthropy, various authors
- Dancing in the Streets Busts a South Bronx Move, Eva Yaa Asantewaa
- Arts and Social Change from an Artist’s Perspective, Byron Au Yong
- Opportunities Abound: Antiracism and Arts Philanthropy, Justin Laing
- Culturally Relevant Arts Education for Social Justice: A Way Out of No Way, reviewed by Mayumi Tsutakawa
Blogs
2012
Miami Conference
Preconference
Sessions
- Community Health and the Participatory Arts: Crucial Issues and Opportunities, organized by Maria Rosario Jackson and Amy Kitchener
- The Art of Investing in Immigrant Hubs, organized by Hoong Yee Lee Krakauer, F. Javier Torres and San San Wong
- Fusing Arts, Culture and Social Change: Update and Action Steps, organized by Judi Jennings, Ron Ragin and F. Javier Torres
- Are We Making a Difference? Evaluating the Impact of Arts and Social Justice Projects, organized by Judi Jennings, Maurine Knighton, and Lynn Stern
- What Real Change Looks Like: Diverse Expression and Philanthropic Cultural Competency, organized by Jonathon Freeman and Ted Russell
- Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts: Creating Equitable, Livable Communities through Grassroots Cultural Programs, organized by Caron Atlas, Melanie Cohn, Michael Spring and Edwin Torres
- Capitalization through a Cultural Equity Lens, organized by Ron Ragin, Tere Romo and San San Wong
- Immigrant Artists, Culture and Community Health, organized by Amy Kitchener and Russell Rodriguez
- Advocating for Equitable Access to Arts Education for Students in Poverty, organized by Laura Zucker
- “Understanding and Undoing Racism” and Its Effects on Grantmaking, organized by Grantmakers in the Arts
Keynotes/Artists
- Duck Soup: A Play on Equity, KJ Sanchez and Tommer Peterson, American Record Theater Company
- Robert Vijay Gupta
Thought Leader Forum
- Understanding and Undoing Racism, June, Pittsburgh: A two-day workshop led by The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond attended by 23 social justice funders, plus GIA staff.
- Deconstructing Racism, November, New York: Those who attended the Pittsburgh workshop were invited to debrief on their experience, identify ways to improve their own grantmaking and make recommendations to the field. Facilitated by Melinda Weekes, Race Forward.
Reader Articles
- Advancing Equity in Arts and Cultural Grantmaking: Perspectives from Five Funders, F. Javier Torres, John McGuirk, Edwin Torres, Carlton Turner and Consuella Brown
- Life is Living: A Case Study in Resourcing Collaboration and Creative Ecosystems, Marc Bamuthi Joseph
- A Night at the Opera, Tommer Peterson and KJ Sanchez, American Records Theater Company
- Tradition: Celebrating the Inevitability of Change, Eugene Rodriguez
- Working with Small Arts Organizations: How and Why It Matters, Amy Kitchener and Ann Markusen
- Weaving Traditional Arts into the Fabric of Community Health: A Briefing from the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, reviewed by Frances Phillips
- Revisiting Research: Art and Culture in Communities, Janet Sarbaugh
- Revisiting Research: Art and Culture in Communities: Unpacking Participation, response by F. Javier Torres
- Cultural Equity Dialogues: Artistic Marginalization, various authors
- Create Dangerously: The Immigrant Artist at Work, reviewed by Irene Borger
Web Conferences
- Demographics, Equity and the Arts, presented by Manuel Pastor
Blogs
- Talking about Race in America, Janet Brown
2011
San Francisco Conference
Preconference
Sessions
- Strategic Planning Towards Equitable Development: A Case Study, organized by Roberta Uno and Rise Wilson
- Redistricting the Arts: When Boundaries are Drawn, organized by Emiko Ono
- Americans and the Muslim World: Improving Understanding through the Arts, organized by Caitlin Strokosch
- Shift Happens: What do Demographic Shifts Mean for Grantmaker Policy and Practice?, organized by Ted Russell
- Equity in Private Foundation Support for Arts and Culture, organized by Grantmakers in the Arts
- Creation | Migration | Change: Innovation and Evolving Art Forms, organized by Timothy Dorsey, Amy Kitchener, Tia Oros Peters and Lori Pourier
- Networks of Color: Development of a New Collaborative Model, organized by Maria Lopez de Leon
- Grantmaking with a Racial Equity Lens, organized by Justin Laing
- Cultural Equity Grantmaking: How Far Have We Come? What’s Next?, organized by San San Wong
- Engaging Practice: Making Cultural Spaces for Local and Transnational Dialogues, organized by Amy Kitchener and Frances Phillips
- Queering the Arts: Aesthetics and Economies, organized by Kevin Seaman and Beatrice Thomas
- This is Not a Time for Protests: Relevance in Philanthropy and Artistic Practice, organized by Michelle Coffey, Tim Dorsey and Lori Pourier
Keynotes/Artists
Reader Articles
- Imagining New Ways to Support Arts and Culture, Judi Jennings
- Breaking Out of a Bifurcated World, edited by Caron Atlas
- Community Arts: A Little Historical Context, Maryo Gard Ewell
- The Unreported Arts Recession of 1997, Dudley Cocke
- The Power of Words: An Interview with Edwidge Dandicat, Michelle Coffey
- William Cleveland and Patricia Shifferd, Between Grace and Fear: The Role of the Arts in a Time of Change, reviewed by Judi Jennings
- Embracing Diversity in the Arts: Random Reflections on the Coming Tide of Change, Ron Chew
- The Color Line and United States Cultural Policy: An Essay with Dialogue, Roberto Bedoya
- La Causa Cantada: Singing to the Movement, Russell C. Rodríguez
- Alcatraz: A Metaphor for the Native Continuum, Jonathon Freeman
- Warmth from Other Fires: California Indian Cultural Revival, Malcolm Margolin
- It’s an Image of Sex. It’s Not about AIDS: The Legacy of the AIDS Crisis on American Art (It’s Never Not about HIV), Rock Hushka
- Building a National Art and Social Justice Alliance: ROOTS Fest 2011: Many Communities, One Voice; Baltimore, Maryland, June 22–26, 2011, Judi Jennings
Web Conferences
- Trend or Tipping Point: Arts & Social Change Grantmaking, presented by Barbara Schaffer Bacon and Pam Korza
- Cultural Participation in a Changing Society, presented by Salvador Acevedo
Blogs
- Talk Back Series: Four posts, Alexis McGill Johnson
- Forum on Equity in Arts Funding, a series of posts by GIA members
- The Reality of Federal Arts Education Policy, Janet Brown
- What Does Equity Mean to an Arts Funder, Janet Brown
- It’s A Complex Cultural Eco-System, Janet Brown
- There’s a Glitch in the Matrix, Janet Brown
- Stepping Up for Children Left Behind, Janet Brown
2010
Chicago Conference
Preconference
Sessions
- At the Intersection of Arts, Advocacy and Immigrant Justice, organized by Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees
- 21st Century Arts Spaces, organized by Roberta Uno and Rise Wilson
- Arts Philanthropy, Evaluation, Accountability & Social Change, organized by John Bare
- Arts Infusion Initiative: A Catalytic Approach to Restoring Peace for Chicago’s Youth, organized by Suzanne Connor
- Assuring Equitable Arts Learning in Urban K-12 Public Schools, organized by Grantmakers in the Arts and Grantmakers in Education
- Breaking out of a Bifurcated World: A Bridge Conversation on Philanthropy, organized by Caron Atlas and Tia Oros Peters
- Social Media as an Artform that Gives Voice to Under-represented Communities, organized by Arnold Aprill and Cindy Gehrig
- Serving Incarcerated Youth: An Alliance between Storycatchers Theatre and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, organized by Consuella Brown
- Creative Organizing in Chicago: Integrating Arts and Culture in Movements for Social Change, organized by Caron Atlas, Denise Brown and Naomi Jackson
- Community Artists Responding to Unnatural Disasters, organized by the Arts and Social Justice Preconference Committee
Keynotes/Artists
Reader Articles
- Learning and Legacy at the Fund for Folk Culture: An Interview with Betsy Peterson, Amy Kitchener
- An Interview with Carrie Mae Weems, Dawoud Bey
- Supporting Spirit through Bomba and Philanthropy, Vanessa Camarena-Arredondo
Blogs
- Hip Hop Arts in Education, Janet Brown
- Artists Changing the World, Janet Brown
- Interior and Exterior Landscapes: Art is Life, Tia Oros Peters
2009
Brooklyn Conference
Preconference
Sessions
- 110 in the ’Hood, organized by Mary Trudel
- Culture and Gentrification: A Visit to Williamsburg, organized by the Arts and Social Justice Preconference Committee
- Creative Stimulus and Community Recovery: A Cross-sector Roundtable, organized by Roberta Uno, Michelle Coffey, and Caron Atlas
- Cultural Collisions, organized by Tricia Mire
- Communities in Transition, organized by Judilee Reed
- Then & Now: An Examination of Gender and Race/Ethnicity in the Contexts of Art Creation and Production/Exhibition, organized by Cindy Gehrig
- How Do We Define Our Changing Communities? How Do We Serve Our Changing Communities?, organized by Stuart Post
- Voices from the Cultural Battlefront Reports: New Leveraging Points to Advance Social Justice and Cultural Equity, organized by Dudley Cocke
Keynotes/Artists
Reader Articles
- 2009: The Role of the Arts in a Nation that Has Called for CHANGE, Claudine Brown
- Arguments for Cultural Democracy and Community Cultural Development, Arlene Goldbard
- Structural Racism, Arts & Social Justice Workshop
- Open Dialogue XI: Global Connections to Cultural Democracy: Conference and Symposium Proceedings, WESTAF
- Just One Dress to Walk 800 Miles, Pamela J. Kingfisher
Blogs
2008
Atlanta Conference
Pre-conference
Sessions
- Diverse Approaches to Achieving Diversity, organized by Angie Kim
- Art, Philanthropy and Social Change, organized by John Bare
- Harnessing the Power of Art as a Force for Change: The Art and Social Change Funders Working Group Strategic Planning Session, organized by Claudine Brown
- Variations on a Theme: Achieving Diversity from the Inside Out, organized by Barbara Saunders
- Engaging Artists to be Agents of Social Change, organized by Cuong P. Hoang
Reader Articles
- Entering Cultural Communities: Diversity and Change in the Nonprofit Arts, Diane Ragsdale
- Art and Upheaval: Artists on the World’s Frontlines, William Cleveland
- Building Communities: Autonomous Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer People of Color Organizations, Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues
- Culture and Community Revitalization: A Collaboration: "From Creative Economy to Creative Society," Mark J. Stern and Susan C. Seifert; "Distressed Places and Creativity," Jeremy Nowak
- A Rural Perspective, Dee Davis and Tim Marema, Center for Rural Strategies
- Minding the Gaps: How Do We See beyond Our Limits?, Jaime Cortez