Why Arts? Making the Case

Autonomy, an independent think tank, published recently a report about ‘artist as-worker’ in the UK, emphasizing notions of "artistic labour, and highlighting the sector’s interaction with wider trends, such as the gig economy and marketization in education."

Artists at Work, "a pilot that launched last summer in Western Massachusetts to pay artists a living wage — including healthcare — to collaborate with cultural organizations and local initiatives in creating work that responds to issues such as youth mental health, food justice and COVID awareness campaigns in marginalized communities," is the center of a recent article in Next City.

United States Artists announced Lulani Arquette, GIA Board of Directors alumna, and Roberto Bedoya, current GIA Board Member, as recipients of the 2021 Berresford Prize, "an annual award that honors cultural practitioners who have contributed significantly to the advancement, wellbeing, and care of artists in society," details the announcement.

The National Performance Network (NPN) reached out to artists in New Orleans and nationally with a provocative question: "What do you need?" The responses were captured in videos and to keep that conversation alive, NPN asks artists to answer that question via social media with the hashtag #WhatArtistsNeed.

"All art is political. In tense, fractious times—like our current moment—all art is political. But even during those times when politics and the future of our country itself are not the source of constant worry and anxiety, art is still political."

Family Pictures USA, a new show on PBS, that highlights local history and heritage, has relevance for philanthropy, as a piece at The Chronicle of Philanthropy points out. "At a time when foundations are being urged to listen more keenly to grantees and their ultimate beneficiaries, show host Thomas Allen Harris offers a master class in the gracious way that he listens intently and draws out the most profound expression of the stories behind family photo albums," details the piece.

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.

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.

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.

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) will close for four months, from June 15 to October 21, "to reconfigure its galleries, rehang the entire collection and rethink the way that the story of modern and contemporary art is presented to the public," reported The New York Times.