Supporting Individual Artists from Crises to Recovery: Survive to Thrive
Sunday, October 12
Spring Street Studios
Organized by GIA’s Support for Individual Artists Committee and the National Coalition for Arts’ Preparedness and Emergency Response.
This preconference is an examination of the readiness, response, and emergency support systems for artists.
Over the past 20 years, there have been significant advancements in public and private sector support of artists’ careers through the creation and expansion of fellowship programs, grant programs, residencies and other art-focused career development opportunities. However the support for artists in crises and recovery continues to be underserved by the grantmaking world. Most artists experience periods of income insecurity in the course of their careers. They are often underinsured for health and business losses. Even a seemingly small setback can result in a significant slowing, or sometimes the end, of an artist’s career.
This preconference will put a spotlight on the needs of artists and discuss ways that we, as a community of funders, can address them through our grantmaking work and partnerships with other sectors. Over the course of the day, we will hear directly from artists who have faced setbacks in their lives such as illness, injury, and natural disaster. We will learn what was in place for them and what wasn’t. We will get their thoughts about removing barriers to their recovery and shaping support that led to recovery and eventual transformation. We will also hear from veteran artist funders and responders who will share successes and lessons learned from the field. Together we will chart a course for strengthening our support for artists in the journey of crisis, recovery, and transformation.
This preconference is generously supported by 3Arts, the Joan Mitchell Foundation, and the Windgate Charitable Foundation.
Agenda
| 8:00 am | 8:00 am Breakfast at Hotel ZaZa |
| 8:45 am | 8:45 am Depart hotel for Spring Street Studios |
| 9:15 am | 9:15 am Welcome and details of the day |
| 9:45 am | 9:45 am Session I: Artists’ Stories
Moderated by Judith Jennings, Executive Director (retired), Kentucky Foundation for Women. Panelists: Diane Falkenhagen, jewelry artist; Paul Sanchez, musician; and Ginny Ruffner, sculptor & visual artist. Three outstanding artists will share their artwork and their personal stories of surviving life changing physical and natural challenges and finding new ways of thriving. Each of the artists will then respond to questions about what they learned about funding tools and strategies that worked or would have worked best for them. These case studies will inform and inspire collective discussion about what we, as funders, can do to strengthen support for the human needs of artists as they experience crisis, recovery, and transformation. |
| 11:15 am | 11:15 am Break & Artist Studio Visits |
| 11:45 pm | 11:45 pm Lunch & Artist Studio Visits |
| 12:45 pm | 12:45 pm Session II: Directly Addressing the Human Needs of Artists
Moderated by Julie Dalgleish, Executive Director, Charlotte Street Foundation. Panelists: Felicia Shaw, Director, Arts and the Creative Economy, San Diego Community Foundation; Allison Hawkins, Grants Program Director, Joan Mitchell Foundation; and Craig Nutt, Director of Programs, CERF+ (Craft Emergency Relief Fund + Artists' Emergency Resources). Funders are addressing the human needs of artists by providing direct support in a variety of ways. There is no one-size-fits-all model; a panel of experienced funders will present a range of possibilities. What role(s) can the philanthropic sector best play in providing support to artists recovering from setbacks? What types of programs and models have proved successful, and what has not? |
| 2:00 pm | 2:00 pm Break |
| 2:30 pm | 2:30 pm Session III: Partnership and Working with Existing Systems
Moderated by Michelle Coffey, Executive Director, Lambent Foundation. Panelists: Kristen Madsen, Senior Vice President, The Grammy Foundation/MusicCare; Barbara Davis, Chief Operating Officer, The Actors Fund; and Amy Schwartzman, educator, consultant, and attorney for arts organizations and artists. Building a strong sector-wide support system for artists depends on strengthening the relationship between existing artist support resources and the larger non-arts support network and human services options available from other sources. What are the barriers that prevent artists from being able to access these resources, and what are the opportunities? How might funders address the patchwork of support systems in place and better address the specific needs of artists? |
| 3:45 pm | 3:45 pm Session IV: Where Do We Go From Here? Facilitated by Barbara Schaffer Bacon, Co-Director, Animating Democracy, Americans for the Arts. Our moderators, facilitated by Barbara Schaffer Bacon, will provide a summary of the day, and identify opportunities and potential next steps for funders interested in pursuing these topics further. |
| 5:10 pm | 5:10 pm Return to Hotel |
Survive to Thrive Preconference Planning Committee
- Ted Berger, Treasurer, Joan Mitchell Foundation
- Cornelia Carey, CERF+ (Craft Emergency Relief Fund + Artists' Emergency Resources)
- Richard Graber, Houston Arts Alliance
- Julie Gordon Dalgleish, Charlotte Street Foundation
- Tommer Peterson, Grantmakers in the Arts
- SuJ'n Chon, Grantmakers in the Arts