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How Do We Get From Collective Conversation To Action To Impact?
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Beth Kanter reflects on past weekend's Mashable #sgsGLOBAL:

A theme I heard throughout the day on multiple panels was a call to action for people in the room to serve the world by following their passion. This was particularly true in Maria Bello’s story about her work in Haiti with creating a women’s network called We Advance. What better way to see this in action is to hear it and see it from the young people themselves. The audience got a performance by J.D. Malkin, known as jdviolinboy on YouTube. In addition to being gifted musically, Malkin is also the newest youth ambassador of Save the Children, an institution that serves children in need in around the world.
NEA Report Details Research Agenda, Measurement Model
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The new report How Art Works: The National Endowment for the Arts' Five-Year Research Agenda, with a System Map and Measurement Model is now available online and was discussed in a forum held at American University on September 20 (see the live-blogging of the event from Ian David Moss). From the report's preface, by NEA Director of Research & Analysis Sunil Iyengar:

This document sets forth the National Endowment for the Arts’ five-year agenda for research, but it does more than that. It provides a conceptual frame for planning and assessing research priorities so that the NEA can improve its ability to meet a core goal: To Promote Knowledge and Understanding about the Contributions of the Arts.

Why A Love Of The Arts Will Help Your Brain Age Better
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From Gary Drevitch at Next Avenue:

We know exercise helps strengthen our minds and our bodies. We know that taking on new challenges keeps the brain sharp through middle age and beyond. But now new research — and a new public television documentary — make a strong case that engagement with music, dance and other arts may be just as powerful for preserving mental health and acuity throughout our lives.
Nation’s First School of Philanthropy Gets Approval
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From The NonProfit Times:

Indiana University has received approval to establish a School of Philanthropy on the Indiana University-Purdue University campus in Indianapolis (IUPUI). The Indiana Commission for Higher Education approved the university’s proposal to create what is believed to be the world’s first school dedicated to the study and teaching of philanthropy. The School of Philanthropy will combine under one umbrella academic and research on the philanthropic sector.
South Arts, AFTA Bring Readiness Planning to Local Arts Agencies
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South Arts and Americans for the Arts have announced a partnership to bring the ArtsReady online planning tool to local arts organizations nationwide. September is National Preparedness Month, and this collaboration marks a significant step forward in the national arts readiness movement.

ArtsReady is a Web-based emergency preparedness platform designed to provide arts organizations with customized business continuity plans for post crisis sustainability. ArtsReady guides organizations through developing (or updating an existing) customized business continuity plan via four key steps

How Troubled Orchestras Can Bounce Back – And Flourish
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A podcast from (New York Public Radio) WQXR's Conducting Business program that aired Friday, September 14, features Jesse Rosen, president and chief executive of the League of American Orchestras; Drew McManus, an orchestra consultant and blogger at Adaptistration.com; and Graydon Royce, music critic at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Recently, WQXR.org polled listeners on what's needed to help troubled orchestras in several major American cities. Focusing on major symphonies in Atlanta, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, St. Paul and San Antonio — all of which face contract disputes and bulging deficits
Nine Years After Initial Grant, Carnegie Corporation Report Recounts StoryCorps Story
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A new report details how one grantmaking foundation’s early funding for StoryCorps helped initiate the project, giving it a “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” which in turn attracted the support of additional funders; a second grant some years later enabled the organization to help New Yorkers reflect on the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

CCA Federal Budget Analysis Next Week
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The Canadian Conference of the Arts will release its annual federal budget analysis on September 18, 2012. The report is regarded as an authoritative source of information on federal investments in arts and culture funding patterns in Canada. In the past, the report was made freely available online. This year CCA will charge $250 to non-members. CCA members will still receive the report without charge.

Hackathon Experiments with Arts
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From Nancy Dahlberg for The Miami Herald:

The LAB Miami, the Wynwood co-working space that stands for Love Art Business, says Miami’s first hackathon for the arts will take place Sept 14-16. Hack The Bass will be a weekend-long event in partnership with the Bass Museum of Art and Knight Foundation to develop a mobile app for Bass’ Temporary Contemporary art project, where various public art will begin surfacing starting Nov. 2 in Miami Beach — in parks, on the sides of buildings, in stores, etc.
Orchestras Locked Out Across The Country As Contract Disputes Continue
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From Lucas Kavner for Huffington Post:

This hasn't been a good month for concert musicians. As orchestras across the country continue to tighten their belts, players are being asked to make do with less. And if agreements aren't reached soon, mounting tensions could leave a handful of America's top orchestras without any actual players on their stages in the coming season.