Steve's Blog

Posted on August 4, 2016 by Steve

In the latest issue of the GIA Reader, Maryo Gard Ewell — daughter of Robert Gard, a pioneer in rural arts development — describes how her father developed his influential work and publication, The Arts in the Small Community: A National Plan.

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Steve

From Gintautas Dumcius at MassLive.com:

Facing a midnight deadline, House and Senate lawmakers restored funding to the Massachusetts Cultural Council, reversing Gov. Charlie Baker’s state budget veto. The fiscal year 2017 budget lawmakers sent to the governor’s desk in July included $14 million for arts, humanities and sciences programs through the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. But Baker vetoed $7.7 million, bringing the total figure down to $6.5 million, a 55 percent cut the agency called “devastating.”
Posted on August 1, 2016 by Steve

A bevy of philanthropic leaders from over 30 organizations signed a letter, published in the New York Times and The Washington Post on Sunday, about the hope for dignity, equity and justice for all people. The ad launched the #ReasonsForHope campaign on social media.

Today, our nation needs more bridges of dialogue and fewer barriers of division. America’s foundations are proud to help courageous leaders build these bridges, neighbor to neighbor, community by community. Though we find ourselves at the crossroads of crisis, we are also in a moment of opportunity. In spite of anguish and uncertainty, ideas, inspiration and action abound. As presidents of America’s philanthropic foundations, the remarkable organizations we support give us all countless reasons for hope.

View the letter.

Posted on July 20, 2016 by Steve

In an article in the latest issue of the GIA Reader, “Remembering Claudine”, Maurine Knighton of Doris Duke Charitable Foundation shares memories of Claudine Brown, a beloved leader in the arts and culture field who passed away earlier this year.

Posted on July 6, 2016 by Steve

New on the GIA Podcast, we speak with author and educator Eric Booth about the field of teaching artistry and what the US can learn from abroad to increase arts education access for all children.

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Steve

Hundreds of orchestra administrators, musicians, trustees, and volunteers gathered in Baltimore for the League's 71st National Conference in June. A funder panel on supporting racial equity included Edwin Torres, deputy commissioner, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; Marian Godfrey, cultural advisor, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation; Susan Feder, program officer, performing arts, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; and Janet Brown, president & CEO, Grantmakers in the Arts. You can watch a video of the presentation below.

Posted on June 30, 2016 by Steve

From Michael Dale, writing for Broadway World:

[T]he educational program #EduHam, which makes select Wednesday afternoon performances of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway smash Hamilton available to New York City schools with a high concentration of students from low-income families for the ticket price of only $10, has been an extraordinary success. Originally funded by a $1.46 million grant by The Rockefeller Foundation...(the foundation) has announced an additional $6 million grant which will provide 100,000 students in select cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington D.C., the same opportunity. Additional cities will be announced as touring proceeds.
Posted on June 29, 2016 by Steve

Media Impact Funders (MIF) and Foundation Center have announced the launch of Foundation Maps for Media Funding, an interactive mapping and research tool that shows a broad scope of philanthropically-funded media projects worldwide since 2009. Developed by Foundation Center and hosted on the MIF website, this tool includes a wide array of search functions and data visualization features to explore funding trends, funder networks, types of grantmaking, populations served and much more. The project is a follow-up to an earlier data map, updated taxonomy, and a report, Growth in Foundation Support for Media in the United States, that was released in 2013.

Posted on June 29, 2016 by Steve

The California Arts Council has announced that Governor Brown has signed a state budget that includes a $10.8 million funding increase for programs of the Council. This investment will extend their capacity to meet the needs and demand for arts programs. The budget includes a $6.8 million one-time increase for the Arts Council and an additional $4 million ongoing allocation for the state’s Arts in Corrections program. The funding increase for the Arts Council will expand the reach of the agency’s competitive grant programs that serve California communities by funding nonprofit arts activities with a focus on arts learning and engagement; equity and access; cultural and community development; and technical support and resources for the arts field. The total fiscal year 2016-17 state support for the California Arts Council will reach approximately $21.1 million, inclusive of designated funding for Arts in Corrections.

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Steve

In an article in the latest issue of the GIA Reader entitled “Supporting Individual Artists: Translating Value, Evaluating Outcomes,” Ann Markusen summarizes a preconference session from the GIA 2015 Conference in Los Angeles.