Carmen Graciela Díaz's Blog

Arts are a key part of our emotional and intellectual life, and they also play a significant role in our economy. A recent report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), with support from the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA), found that arts and cultural economic activity in the United States contributed $763.6 billion, in one year.

In times when it feels necessary to reiterate the impact of the arts and arts education across peoples’ lives, arts advocates from across the United States will gather in Washington, D.C. on March 12 and 13, for Arts Advocacy Day.

The event is expected to bring together a broad representation of the nation’s cultural and civic organizations, along with grassroots advocates, to stress the “importance of developing strong public policies and appropriating increased public funding for the arts,” according to Americans for the Arts, the organization that hosts the annual convening.

Pam Breaux, president & CEO of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), addresses in a recent interview with Barry’s Blog some of the challenges state arts agency leaders face in the current arts funding climate and highlights that advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion is among the core issues facing these agencies.

In a recent Artsy article, “What’s Driving Nonprofits into the Art World’s Arms,” a piece that points to potentials for cross-sector philanthropy, Anna Louie Sussman tackles how the historic link between arts communities and the nonprofit sector have been solidifying as more people, including artists, seek political engagement following the 2016 presidential election.

For the month of March, GIA's photo banner features work supported by Denver Arts & Venues.

Arts & Venues is the City and County of Denver agency responsible for operating some of the region’s most renowned facilities, oversees the Denver Public Art Program, Create Denver, and Arts Education Fund, among other cultural grants and events. Their mission is to amplify Denver’s quality of life and economic vitality through premier public venues, the arts, and entertainment opportunities.

This week we publish the first in a series of blog posts that GIA President & CEO Eddie Torres will be writing on the field of arts philanthropy and principles like racial equity that drive GIA’s mission.

In a recent blog post, Barry Hessenius, author of the nonprofit arts Barry’s Blog, highlights the importance of increased diversity at the top as a step toward greater funding equity.

Racial diversity is not racial equity, but as Hessenius explores, enhancing racial diversity in leadership positions is a step toward increasing racial equity in arts philanthropy.

Following the Trump Administration’s 2019 budget request that proposes the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), among other cultural agencies, the foundation presidents who fund ArtPlace released a statement in support of cultural federal agencies and their role in strengthening communities. “If we lose federal agencies like the National Endowment for the Arts, we will … Continue reading ArtPlace Presidents Write a Joint Letter in Support of the NEA →

Much has been discussed of board diversity, but little is known about how increased the diversity on nonprofit boards affects their impact. A new report aims to understand what correlations exist and potential outcomes for leadership development and organizational growth by evaluating board member engagement, fundraising engagement, and advocacy engagement.

"For us, racial equity is about creating a society in which opportunities and outcomes for people are not defined on the basis of racial categories. But we go a little bit further than equity, in that we talk about dismantling anti-black racism, aka white supremacy, as an important step toward building a truly just and inclusive society."

Those are some of the thoughts of Kavitha Mediratta, founding executive director of Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity, a ten-year, $60 million initiative of Atlantic Philanthropies. In an interview in Philanthropy News Digest, she addresses racial equity's place in philanthropy and how this program supports creative leaders dedicated to dismantling racism in both the United States and South Africa.