GIA Blog

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Todd Young (R-IN) joined by U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01) today introduced legislation to test innovative portable benefits designs for the growing independent workforce. The Portable Benefits for Independent Workers Pilot Program Act seeks to provide workers with access to insurance protections typically provided through traditional full-time employment. This legislation would establish a $20 million grant fund within the U.S.

"It is understandable that Puerto Rico might be experiencing a strong case of déjà vu. Hurricane Fiona raging across the island in September 2022 was bound to bring back bad memories of the two-punch devastation of Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017, from which they were still recovering. Among the local governmental organizations to first start recovery efforts back then was the island’s arts agency, Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (ICP), or Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. “We were the first state agency issuing checks in Puerto Rico” after the 2017 hurricanes, stated Freddy E. Vélez, deputy director at ICP," said Brian Lusher in an interview with the National Endowment for the Arts.

From the Dodge Foundation: At the Dodge Foundation, we are committed to engaging with and learning about racial justice-focused organizations working across the state of New Jersey. We have been supporting these types of organizations through our Imagine a New Way initiative over the last several years, connecting with organizations through intentional outreach and relationship building, and through a community-engaged grantmaking process in our Momentum Fund. Today, we are excited to announce that we are creating a new pathway for connection with racial justice-focused organizations that have not previously had access to the Dodge Foundation through our first-ever “Open Call.”

The Culture & Community Power Fund seeks to invest in, connect, and amplify efforts to help build community power through arts and culture.

The Fund is a lab to broaden and deepen the understanding of how art and culture can contribute to community power building. We experiment with ways to support organizations, individuals, and networks doing this work. We’re committed to sharing our learning with practitioners, investors, public officials, researchers, and others to help advance art and culture as a critical tool to support community power building.

Join Define American for their webinar, Creativity is Boundless: An Inclusive Guide for Supporting Immigrant, Migrant, and Undocumented Artists with Fellowships, Grants, and Residencies, on Wednesday, May 24 at 2pm PT/5pm ET. Interest in the stories of immigrants, migrants, and undocumented individuals continues to grow in the U.S. art and media landscape. Unfortunately, immigrant artists, especially those who are undocumented, have far less access to both paid and unpaid fellowships, residencies, and project funding due to unnecessary eligibility requirements.

From Center for Artistic Inquiry and Reporting: Since the earliest days of print journalism, illustration has been used to elucidate and add perspective to stories. Even with the advent of photography in the 19th century, hand-drawn illustrations continued to have their place, both as a synthesis of the artist’s vision and the writer’s meaning. The illustrator’s art still speaks to something not just intimately connected to the news, but intrinsically human about story itself.

"How do we ensure that global philanthropy is not causing more harm?" said Kendra Nicolai, Director of Operations at Shadhika, for Community Centric Fundraising. "As a white woman in the US, working for gender justice in India, the key was discovering how my own power and privilege were getting in the way of our path to decolonization."

From SMU DataArts: Support for Local Arts Agencies (LAAs) gets called into question on an all-too-frequent basis. Just recently, the Charlotte, NC city council voted to make the Arts and Sciences Council (ASC) of Charlotte ineligible to receive operating dollars to support the personnel, technology and other resources necessary to do its work for the broader cultural sector. Last year in Philadelphia, Mayor Jim Kenney proposed a $1 million cut to funding for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, though funding levels were restored in the final budget after significant advocacy from local arts communities and their supporters. Do funding cuts have consequences for a community's arts vibrancy?

"A major shift is happening in which BIPOC leaders are reclaiming rest, and a newly established philanthropic fund seeks to support it," said Nineequa Blanding for Nonprofit Quarterly. "In Washington state, the BIPOC-ED Coalition—a multicultural, cross-sector collective of nonprofit leaders working to promote community wellness and restoration—has committed $1.37M to fund sabbaticals for BIPOC leaders. Recognizing that rest is essential for healing and social justice, the coalition established a fund, resourced by philanthropic partners, to launch the Sabbatical Leadership Program. This effort enables nonprofit leaders of color to take a break from work and create room for self-care—on their own terms."

From Arts Education Partnership: Arts Education Partnership is hosting our first virtual conversation bringing together arts, juvenile justice and education-based organizations! This event is for those interested in or currently doing work at the intersection of arts, education and juvenile justice across the country. We invite you to join a national conversation focused on fostering collaborations and information sharing among attendees. Together we will discuss several topic areas that can be leveraged to support youth involved in the justice system such as funding, community partnerships, family and custodial supports, engagement, and data collection and reporting.