A Collaborative Approach to Supporting Cross-Sector Work

Monday, October 22, 10:00am – 11:30am

Organized and moderated by Gary Steuer, president and CEO, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation.

Presented by Louise Martorano, executive director, RedLine; Tash Mitchell, community organizer, Project Belay; and Michael Seman, director of Creative Industries Research and Policy, College of Arts & Media, University of Colorado Denver.

More than ever, the arts are playing a critical role in society: serving as interventions, heightening awareness of issues, and strengthening communities. As funders, how do we best support this important social practice work to advance authentic community engagement and demonstrated impact, all while also striving for artistic rigor? How do we build capacity for those artists and organizations working in this field, and broaden the understanding of the role the arts play in society? Arts in Society is a collaborative funding initiative that is designed to foster and support cross-sector work through the arts across the state of Colorado. It is a comprehensive program that pools funding (total of $1 million), engages community experts, offers evaluation support, provides opportunities for peer learning through a learning community, and offers a platform for sharing stories. This session will explore the collaborative funding model, how it is administered, the selection criteria, and some case studies of funded projects. We will also share how AFTA’s Animating Democracy Aesthetic Perspectives: Attributes of excellence in arts for change, informed both the selection process and the development and implementation of evaluation tools for grantees and their constituents.