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Turning the August Wilson Center Into Hotel Would Be Grievous Loss
Posted on August 12, 2014 by Steve

An opinion piece from Grant Oliphant, at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:

Every time I hear someone describe the proposal to hand the August Wilson Center over to private hotel developers as a “win-win,” I think of that famous line from the Vietnam War: “We had to destroy the village in order to save it.”

Just to be clear, there is nothing “win-win” about this proposal, to the extent we know anything about it beyond vague outlines and promises. Here is what I believe we can safely say:

New Cultural Trust leader is Accomplished Artist
Posted on August 10, 2014 by Steve

From Tom Mayhall Rastrelli, writing for the Statesman Journal, Salem, Oregon:

Brian Rogers, the new executive director of the Oregon Arts Commission and the Oregon Cultural Trust, has been on a whirlwind ride since his arrival from Austin, Texas, one month ago. He’s been traveling the I-5 corridor between his Portland and Salem offices. He’s becoming acquainted with state, business, educational and nonprofit leaders in Oregon’s arts and culture community.
CCI Names Angie Kim as Interim President and CEO
Posted on August 7, 2014 by Steve

The Center for Cultural Innovation announced last month that Angie Kim will serve as Interim President and CEO as of July 15, 2014. Kim transitions to this position from her current role as Board Chair, and she will succeed Cora Mirikitani. Kim joined the CCI Board in 2009 and was elected Chair in 2010. She was Director of Programs at Southern California Grantmakers, where she served networking, knowledge, and public policy needs of independent, family, community, corporate, and operating foundations.

NEA Research: Art Works Guidelines Webinar Scheduled for September 3
Posted on August 7, 2014 by Steve

The National Endowment for the Arts has announced the latest Research: Art Works funding opportunity. This program supports research for projects that investigate the value and/or impact of the arts on individuals and communities. To assist potential applicants, the NEA will hold a grant guidelines webinar on September 3, 2014 at 3:00 PM ET. To join the webinar, you must register in advance. The NEA is interested in value-oriented research that will measure or clarify one or more factors, characteristics, and conditions of the U.S. arts ecosystem, as well as impact-oriented research that will investigate the direct and indirect benefits of arts participation on health and well-being, cognitive capacity, learning, creativity, community livability, or economic prosperity.

NNCG Seeks Project Director
Posted on August 7, 2014 by Steve

The National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers is looking for a new Project Director to work with a dedicated group of volunteer members to continue growing the organization and serving the organization’s mission. The project director will work with members and a virtual office staff to:

  • Expand the visibility and use of our Directory of Consultants as a vital resource to grantmakers
  • Achieve organizational growth by increasing membership, creating business partnerships and successful grant funding
  • Assist the professional consultant members in developing thought leadership via programs and networking
  • Work with a part-time administrative team (contracted firm) to manage routine financial processing and routine communications
San Diego County’s Unusual Approach to Arts Funding
Posted on August 6, 2014 by Steve

By Kinsee Morlan, at San Diego City Beat:

San Diego County’s approach to funding arts organizations is unusual, and some question whether it’s fair and yields the best results. Naturally, many arts advocates would prefer a process under which county funds are set aside specifically for the arts and then administered by an arts oversight panel designated by the county Board of Supervisors. That panel, often called an arts council, would be recognized by the California Arts Council through the State-Local Partnership Program, which provides modest annual funding and assistance.
Creative Work Fund Announces 13 New Awards in Literary and Performing Arts
Posted on August 1, 2014 by Steve

The Creative Work Fund is celebrating its 20th anniversary on September 1, 2014. The fund has announced the awarding of 13 grants totaling $518,000 to literary and performing artists throughout California’s Bay Area to create new works through collaborations with nonprofit organizations. The 2014 grantees, each receiving grants ranging from $30,000-$40,000, will create poetry installations, interactive websites, music, theatrical and dance performances, as well as books and multi-disciplinary works.

Ernest Tollerson Named Interim CEO at The Nathan Cummings Foundation
Posted on August 1, 2014 by Steve

Ernest Tollerson will serve as interim CEO at The Nathan Cummings Foundation, according to the foundation’s board chair Adam Cummings. He will formally begin his work with the Foundation on Monday, August 4. The board will launch a search for a permanent CEO later this year.

More than 53,000 Artists Apply for 89 Affordable Harlem Apartments
Posted on August 1, 2014 by Steve

From Emilia David, writing for DNAinfo New York:

More than 53,000 artists have applied for one of just 89 new units of subsidized living and working space in a former public school on E. 99th Street, organizers announced. Developers for the space, known as El Barrio’s Artspace PS 109 and located between Second and Third avenues, fielded 51,313 online applications via a city website by the July 14 deadline, officials said. That’s on top of more than 2,000 paper applications filed.
Lessons Learned from talking about the Nature of Creativity in the Brain
Posted on July 31, 2014 by Steve

Bill O'Brien, NEA Senior Adviser for Program Innovation, reports from the Santa Fe Institute:

Sunil Iyengar (NEA Director of Research and Analysis) and I had the privilege of attending a Nature of Creativity in the Brain working group at the Santa Fe Institute earlier this month. We co-organized the event with Jennifer Dunn, the Institute’s faculty chair. The purpose of the meeting was to “evaluate the legacy of creativity research and to look for ways to mine new knowledge at the intersections of cognitive psychology, neurobiology, neurotechnology, learning, and the arts.”