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50+ years of backing away from the hazardous ledge of imagination
Posted on September 19, 2011 by Steve

Diane Ragsdale from her blog Jumper:

Luis A. Ubiñas, president of the Ford Foundation and chairman of the ArtPlace Presidents’ Council, is quoted saying: “The arts are inherently valuable, and they’re also part of what’s going to get us out of this economic problem we’re in.” I must admit I winced as I read this quote.
Quality of Place + Quality of Opportunity = ArtPlace
Posted on September 17, 2011 by Steve

Carol Coletta, Director, ArtPlace writes for the NEA's Art Works blog:

In record time, ArtPlace announced its first round of grants, investing $11.5 million in 34 locally initiated projects in cities from Honolulu to Miami.

ArtPlace will also be supported by a $12 million loan fund capitalized by six major financial institutions and managed by the Nonprofit Finance Fund. Participating institutions are Bank of America, Chase, Citi, Deutsche Bank, MetLife and Morgan Stanley.

To some, the timing of ArtPlace may seem counterintuitive. More money for art and design in a challenged economy?

November Convening to Address Racial Justice and Human Rights
Posted on September 17, 2011 by Steve

The U.S. Human Rights Fund—in collaboration with The Overbrook Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Just and Fair Schools Fund—invites you to a convening on human rights and racial justice. This gathering of advocates and funders will take place from November 7-9, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More than 125 social justice advocates working on a diverse range of issues including immigration, housing, education, criminal justice, and poverty alleviation plan to attend.

Grantmakers in Aging Names New CEO
Posted on September 17, 2011 by Steve

John Feather, PhD, will become CEO of Grantmakers in Aging effective October 1. He replaces Carol Farquhar, who served with GIA for more than a decade and is retiring.

Consortium Views Arts as Engines of Recovery
Posted on September 15, 2011 by Steve

From Robin Pogrebin at The New York Times:

In the two years since he became chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Rocco Landesman has been trying to make the case that art is an effective linchpin to economic development. Now in a broad effort to build on that thesis, he has helped to enlist an unusual consortium of foundations, corporations and federal agencies that will use cultural enterprises to anchor and enliven 34 projects around the country, from a struggling city block in Detroit to a vacant school in East Harlem.
ArtsReady Online Platform Prepares Arts Groups for Post-Crisis Business Continuity
Posted on September 15, 2011 by Steve

ArtsReady, a national initiative of South Arts, is a new readiness, response, and recovery Web-based platform designed to help ensure post-crisis business continuity for arts organizations. The online tool will be unveiled to the arts community nationwide via a free webcast on Thursday, September 15 at 1:00pm EST.

Vermonters Rebuild After Pummeling by Irene
Posted on September 14, 2011 by Steve

While the Northeast, Vermont in particular, picks up the pieces in the aftermath of tremendous flash floods brought on by the former tropical storm Irene, remember that CERF+ Artists' Emergency Resources, an organization dedicated to helping Artists recover from disasters (and an organization itself based in Vermont) continues its good work. You can see the CERF+ Irene response page here.

Likewise, here's a blog post from Stuart Comstock-Gay, president and CEO of Vermont Community Foundation:

The Special and Urgent Needs Fund: Irene Recovery will support nonprofit organizations that lost facilities and materials at a time when their services were needed most. Not only is Vermont’s nonprofit sector particularly large—it makes up 18 percent of our state’s gross product—it also supports our communities and basic infrastructure.
It’s Time to Get Serious About Using Social Media
Posted on September 14, 2011 by Steve

From Allison Fine in The Chronicle of Philanthropy:

Nonprofits must stop simply playing around with social media as if it were a pair of shimmering, five-inch Manolo Blahnik high heels and integrate the tools throughout their organizations like a pair of sturdy Timberland walking shoes.
Cultivating the Next Generation of Teaching Artists
Posted on September 14, 2011 by Steve

From Mark Slavkin at ARTSBlog:

When we consider careers in the arts, I would like to see more attention paid and resources assigned to cultivate the next generation of teaching artists.
CultureStrike Artists Coalition Kicks Off National Campaign
Posted on September 13, 2011 by Steve

From DA Morales at Tucson Citizen:

A delegation of more than 50 acclaimed writers, visual artists, and filmmakers will gather in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona September 10-16 to kick off a major national arts-based campaign challenging punitive, anti-immigrant laws and longstanding federal immigration policies.