Funding Research

A diverse group of grantmakers from Oregon and Western Washington who support arts and culture gathered in Seattle on February 25, hosted by the Pacific Northwest Grantmakers Forum and GIA. Participants represented large and small grantmakers and reflected the giving of families and corporations, as well as nonprofit and public grantmakers.

The Philadelphia arts sector has been a hotbed of activity recently, on both a political and civic level, with some exciting developments underway as well as some new challenges. Last November, the city elected a new mayor — John F. Street, former city council president during the Rendell administration. Philadelphians had enjoyed broad support of the arts from former Mayor Edward Rendell, who was especially tuned into its economic impact. Mr.

The need to better understand and articulate the broad societal value of arts and culture is at the heart of a discussion among a growing circle of arts grantmakers and scholars in the U.S.

I have had, with my friend Wes Jackson, a number of useful conversations about the necessity of getting out of movements — even movements that have seemed necessary and dear to us — when they have lapsed into self-righteousness and self-betrayal, as movements seem almost invariably to do. People in movements too readily learn to deny to others the rights and privileges they demand for themselves. They too easily become unable to mean their own language, as when a “peace movement” becomes violent.

Attending arts events is exhilarating, inspiring, and full of meaning. For years I've wished more people could have that experience. Why don't more people enjoy and appreciate the work that means so much to me? It's not just those who have different values, but people who are similar, with the same educational and demographic attributes — even members of my own family. If I can't convince them to become active participants, who can I convince?

1999, 316 pages, $22.50 (softcover); New York University Press, New York and London

One summer weekend several years ago, the psychiatrist husband of a dear friend of mine remarked over the dinner table how emotionally healthy his two weekend guests were. "We've taken you through all sorts of things you've never done before, and you've leaped into everything with no fear. You take risks and cope with whatever happens, whether good or bad. It's so impressive!" We looked at him over the tops of our wine glasses and said, "Oh, this is so sad. You've been with sick people for way too long."

November 1999, 98 pages, developed in cooperation with the Arts Education Partnership and the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, funded by the G.E. Fund and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

1999, 36 pages. A report on meetings of The American Assembly on November 13, 1998 at The Getty Center, California and on April 8-9, 1999 at Arden House, New York.

1998, 80 pages; Association of Performing Arts Presenters, 1112 16th Street N.W., Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20036.

This attractive handbook presents a study of documentation methods from The Arts Partners Program, an audience development initiative sponsored by the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund. The initiative funded performing artists' residencies during which presenting organizations used a variety of strategies to engage audiences with the resident artists' work.