GIA Blog

In the midst of this year’s crisis, Forbes writes about companies born in the creative economy.

For the month of October, GIA’s photo banner features work supported by the Wallace Foundation.

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans Initiative will hold a roundtable titled "Connecting the Dots Between Academics, Broadband, and Culture for Communities of Color" on Tuesday, September 29, at 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST, that will addresses broadband access, education, and cultural competency.

After months of closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) announced recently $1.5 million in grants to help New York City’s cultural institutions build back a more equitable culture and experience.

The Ford Foundation announced last week "an unprecedented $160 million-and-growing initiative called America’s Cultural Treasures, with substantial grants going to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) organizations across the country," as The Washington Post reported.

The Ford Foundation asked 40 thinkers to reimagine the future of the creative industry in the midst of "the social, racial, and economic reckoning laid bare by COVID-19 and a growing movement for Black lives." Creative Futures: 40 Provocations to Reimagine the Arts, Documentary, and Journalism is the result of that inquiry, a series of short essays that will unfold through the fall of 2020.

"When it comes to racial bias, you either participate in it actively or through silence, or you use your power and privilege to dismantle it. Each day you make this choice – when you serve as a juror, when you call the police or see someone else call and when and for whom you vote. If oppression happens, then we are allowing it to happen and we are all in the position to stop it."

Six months into the pandemic, we are beginning to see evidence of how the grantmaking field is responding to this historic moment. I’m writing to reflect on the importance of capitalization and financing to our field.

The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project published recently a guide centered on the responsibilities of a trust-based project.

"The Movement for Black Lives and the broader conversation about the value of arts and culture in our society and its role in amplifying the voices of Black, Indigenous, and people of color is opening opportunities for profound change," states Shelley Trott, director of the Arts Strategy & Ventures at the Kenneth Rainin Foundation.