Partnerships for Participation

Organized by Rory MacPherson, senior program officer, The Wallace Foundation; presented by Rory MacPherson; Robert Booker, executive director, Minnesota State Arts Board; Larry Coppard, Ph.D., senior consultant, Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan; Katherine Freshley, program officer, Meyer Foundation; Francie Ostrower, senior research associate, Urban Institute.

In pursuit of fostering participation in the arts, foundations often encourage and sometimes even require arts organizations to collaborate with other organizations in their communities. Yet, research shows that successful partnerships are a challenge to design and manage. As part of a recently concluded initiative, the Wallace Foundation enlisted the Urban Institute to gather lessons on the promise and perils of partnerships, resulting in a publication entitled “Cultural Collaborations: Building Partnerships for Arts Participation.” This session highlighted some of the synergies and challenges that were uncovered and reflected on how foundations can effectively support partnerships. Panelists provided insights on various programs such as Leadership and Excellence in Arts Participation (LEAP), Community Partnerships for Cultural Participation (CPCP), State Arts Partnerships for Cultural Participation (START), and other collaborative efforts that demonstrate lessons for effective partnerships.

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