Grantmakers in the Arts

(10-29-10) This NEA report combines key results from two investigative efforts—an online, national survey of outdoor arts festivals and seven case studies—to examine the range and variety of arts festivals in the U.S., the artists they employ, the communities they serve, and the roles they play in our cities, towns, and neighborhoods. The survey collected, for the first time, comprehensive data on a large cross-section of U.S.

(10-28-10) Not only is it alive, it is innovative. Converse (the shoe manufacturer) is opening up a free community recording studio in Brooklyn where musicians can work with no strings attached. An example for their corporate peers.

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(10-26-10) The Nonprofit Operating Reserves Initiative Workgroup (organizers are Bill Levis and Bess Hamilton Foley) has compiled the Operating Reserves Policy Toolkit: First Edition to serve as a technical reference for nonprofit board and staff policy committees, as well as their financial consultants and professionals, as they respond to the message of the whitepaper “Maintaining Non

(10-25-10) Americans for the Arts has released its annual top-ten list of companies that support the arts. Local and regional utilities are in the majority, but banking, health care, and communications are also represented. The complete list (and David Ng's comments on the cited companies' corporate practices) here.

(10-22-10) In addition to the “official blogs” a few other attendees have posted commentary on the conference. Hoong Lee Yee Krakauer has a couple posts here and a longer piece here, complete with courtroom-style sketches! Ian David Moss also weighs in on his popular Createquity blog.

(10-22-10) Ontarians believe more passionately in the importance of the arts than they did 16 years ago, a survey suggests. The poll, conducted by Environics Research Group on behalf of the Ontario Arts Council, documents the attitudes of the province’s residents toward the arts as an issue of the quality of life, both for individuals and communities.

The conference in Chicago is being covered by an exceptional trio of bloggers, Andrew Taylor of The Artful Manager, Barry Hessenius of Barry's Blog, and Arlene Goldbard of Arlene Goldbard: Culture, Politics, and Spirituality. All three are posting daily, so check in now to keep up with what's happening in Chicago.

blogs.giarts.org/gia2010/

(10-13-10) Richard Kessler, Executive Director of The Center for Arts Education has a post in this afternoons Huffington Post making the case for Arts Education funding.

Read the post.

Kessler will be part of the conference session "Assuring Equitable Arts Learning in Urban K-12 Public Schools" on Monday afternoon, October 18, in Chicago.