Holly Sidford

Holly Sidford

by giarts-ts-admin

In spring 2009, GIA commissioned Helicon Collaborative to provide an overview of the recession’s effects on arts funders. We interviewed twenty-two diverse funders and reviewed results of electronic surveys of arts funders conducted by GIA and New York Grantmakers in the Arts. The findings were published in the summer 2009 Reader.

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by Steve
As funders we have three main challenges: first, getting a handle on the extent and impact of the recession; second, exerting leadership — being bold, positive, and opportunistic without being insensitive; and third — and most important — asking ourselves the same tough questions that we are asking grantees: how do we slip the vice-like grip of old mindsets and behaviors and adapt so we increase our relevance, resilience, and meaningful contributions to our community?
  — Foundation President
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by giarts-ts-admin
Historical data do not mean anything in this situation. There is no blueprint and there is no network. We are doing the best we can with a combination of hard facts and intuition. Every line item is up for grabs; every $1,000 is material. How we feel about it all depends on which newspaper we read that morning.
—Managing Director, large performing arts group

Introduction

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by giarts-ts-admin

Note: this text was updated on this site on January 9, 2009.

No matter your political persuasion, your age or background, place or country of residence, your professional role or disciplinary affiliation, if you work in the nonprofit cultural sector—the presidential campaign that brought Barack Obama to the White House holds lessons for you. The campaign marks a watershed in popular consciousness, and we will all do well to adapt—or evolve—accordingly.

Some things to ponder:

1. People want to be inspired.

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by giarts-ts-admin

We live in a world of "widespread hostility toward the United States and its policies."1 This antipathy is not limited to the countries and peoples that are directly affected by the U.S. "war on terror" and its attendant pol-icies, but includes many of our former allies and fellow democracies. A friend who just returned from a year in Spain reports that she spent a significant amount of time and energy convincing people she met there that the U.S.

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