Monica's Blog

The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies has released the State Arts Agency Legislative Appropriations Preview, Fiscal Year 2018. This document summarizes how state arts agencies fared during this year's budget deliberations and includes information on the appropriations each state arts agency expects to receive for FY2018, which began July 1, 2017.

View the document.

In an article in Time magazine, Senator Tim Kaine recently co-authored an op-ed with artist Drue Kataoka in support of the NEA, arguing that participation in the arts sparks creativity and innovation in great scientists and thinkers. We see this trend of art spurring scientific innovation in the biographies of great scientists. Alexander Graham Bell was … Continue reading Tim Kaine: People Like Condi Rice and Albert Einstein Show Why We Need the Arts →

The CEO of Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform which is “arguably the largest arts funding organization in the private sector,” published an op-ed in support of the National Endowment for the Arts: When a Washington Post headline [in 2013] declared “Kickstarter raises more money for artists than the NEA,” I felt both humility and apprehension. We … Continue reading Starving the Arts: How the White House Budget Threatens Creativity →

From Pitchfork: As President Trump eyes abolishing federal arts funding in the U.S., a survey of tax-supported music from Australia to Iceland reveals a complex, shifting landscape. Read the article on Pitchfork.

Pam Breaux, CEO of National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, argues that public and private funding are both necessary to fund arts and culture in America: There is no question as to the public value of the arts and, to be clear, the ongoing debate is not whether the arts have a public benefit, but whether the responsibility … Continue reading Pam Breaux: Public & Private Arts Funding Are Better Together →

Beth Tuttle, president and CEO of DataArts, announced that she will resign from her leadership role in the organization. DataArts, formerly known as the Cultural Data Project, is the respected national resource for in-depth data about nonprofit arts and culture organizations. Tuttle, who has led the organization since March 2013, will remain in her role through October 6, 2017.

Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed a state budget that includes a $6.8 million permanent increased funding allocation for the California Arts Council.

The budget also includes an additional $750,000 ongoing allocation to directly support increased arts programming for youth engaged in California's juvenile justice system, as well as an additional $2 million increased allocation for California's Arts in Corrections program.

The National Organization for Arts and Health will hold its first annual conference, in conjunction with the Healthcare Facilities Symposium and Expo (HFSE), in Austin, Texas. The conference is open to anyone interested in the field of Arts in Health and will provide an opportunity to learn from best practice approaches around the nation, from individual artists to the major health care centers in America.

The Montana Arts Council (MAC) has announces Tatiana Gant as its new executive director. For the last four years, Gant has served as the executive director for the Illinois Arts Council (IAC). Prior to directing the IAC, she worked for more than a decade developing and leading arts education programs for the agency.

On Monday, June 26, GIA’s board of directors sent a letter to all members of Congress on behalf of GIA’s membership in support of continued funding of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services … Continue reading GIA’s Letter to Congress in Support of America’s Cultural Vitality →