GIA Blog

The Congressional Arts Handbook, compiled annually to support the work of participants at Arts Advocacy Day, was recently released to support year-round advocacy efforts and this year's National Arts Action Summit, which brings together arts advocates and cultural and civic organizations from across the country on March 4-5 in Washington, DC.

For the month of March, GIA’s photo banner features organizations supported by The Field Foundation.

The Field Foundation, based in and focused on Chicago, is a longtime GIA member and its President, Angelique Power, has proudly served on the GIA board the last 5 years, two of those years serving as Chair of the board.

As we come to the close of February, and therefore the close of Black History Month, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the many posts sharing black stories. There have been calls reminding us to celebrate #blackgirlmagic, to speak out the truth that #BlackLivesMatter, and reminders that movements only succeed when we’re all active and engaged. For these reasons, we at GIA commit ourselves to racial equity in our work, our team, and in the field.

The New York Community Trust and the Jerome L. Greene Foundation established a fund to support accessible tickets at New York City theatres. Ranging from $100,000 to $250,000, the grants will support community access programs, discounted ticket outreach, young member programs, reported American Theatre.

Congressional leaders announced a proposal this week to better help low-income families pay for child care and expand high-quality state preschool options. The introduction of the Child Care for Working Families Act signals the intent of Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) to respond to the needs of families with young children.

Amid conversations of gentrification and affordable housing, the presence of Westbeth Artists Housing in New York City is a key reminder of the importance of spaces like this one. Artsy provides an inside look at the first federally subsidized artists’ colony in the US.

In honor of this year's Museum Advocacy Day, which takes place Feb. 25-26 in Washington, D.C., at Grantmakers in the Arts we look back at some of the museum contents we have published in our news feed and Reader. Some of the posts tackle diversity initiatives in both staff and boards while others explore the importance of integrating missing -or underrepresented- voices and artists.

A puppeteer’s show in Houston elementary and middle schools -part of Houston’s Arts Access Initiative- has improved students' scores on writing tests and has boosted students' compassion for their classmates, reported Chalkbeat.

Launched by the chef and restauranteur Rick Bayless, the Bayless Family Foundation selected three nonprofit Chicago theater companies with issues as the inaugural recipients of its Stepping Stone Grants. The $150,000 grant, as Nonprofit Quarterly reported, is intended to help the theaters overcome financial barriers to their growth and stability and help them achieve their artistic and administrative growth.

"Artists are used to dancing in the complexity. We like to make something where nothing exists; to explore new language around a struggle; to listen profoundly; to create new ways to see the world. Why not put artists in problem-solving roles?"