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How Data Can Help Create Better Communities: A Re-Cap
Posted on May 18, 2013 by Steve

From Natasha Isajlovic-Terry for the Foundation Center's Transparency Talk blog:

Data is used in many different ways in the social sector. We know that nonprofits collect and analyze their data to measure the effectiveness of their services, and that strategic nonprofits use open data to better position their outreach and services. The same is true for foundations, but these applications are often conducted within the silos of the organizations. Data espouses positive effects when it is shared, or, to put it in more familiar terms, when we are transparent with it.
Finding opportunities and addressing needs in Silicon Valley’s capital
Posted on May 18, 2013 by Steve

From Elizabeth R. Miller on Knight Blog:

Most of the world sees San José, Calif. as the capital of Silicon Valley, a creative tech hub drawing extraordinary talent to some of the world’s largest media companies like Google, Facebook and more. Yet the country’s 10th largest city faces significant challenges, including gaping economic disparity and a significant digital divide. Richard Florida, a leading intellectual on economic competitiveness, writes that wage inequality in San José, Calif. is the second largest in the country. We recently asked several of the community’s leaders from philanthropy, government and the arts what they see as their city’s greatest assets and biggest challenges.
Preparing Students for the Next America
Posted on May 14, 2013 by Steve

Arts Education Partnership, a national coalition of more than 100 education, arts, business, cultural, government, and philanthropic organizations, has recently released "Preparing Students for the Next America: The Benefits of an Arts Education." This research bulletin offers a snapshot of how the arts support achievement in school, bolster skills demanded of a 21st century workforce, and enrich the lives of young people and communities.

Valuable as Art, but Priceless as a Tool to Launder Money
Posted on May 14, 2013 by Steve

From Patricia Cohen at The New York Times:

It is hard to imagine a business more custom-made for money laundering, with million-dollar sales conducted in secrecy and with virtually no oversight. What this means in practical terms is that “you can have a transaction where the seller is listed as ‘private collection’ and the buyer is listed as ‘private collection,’ ” said Sharon Cohen Levin, chief of the asset forfeiture unit of the United States attorney’s office in Manhattan. “In any other business, no one would be able to get away with this.”
25 Things About Music Teaching and Education
Posted on May 14, 2013 by Steve

Brian Wis deep-dives into the practice of music education on the Teaching and Music blog:

It is unusual to be empowered to do great teaching. Good teaching is not only easier, but in many schools it is actually preferred. I think some leaders think great teaching is taking place when all the teachers are doing things in a consistent/compliant manner, and with minimal internal or external (parent) conflict. While that could be a trait of a productive teaching community, it's more often detached conformity. I think many school districts see conformity as the goal instead of empowering great teaching where the uniqueness of each teacher and content area is valued. And when I say "valued" I mean in action, not in words. All leaders will say they value the great teaching, but what we truly value is seen in what we do not what we say.
Gates and Knight Foundations Fund New Project to Improve Measuring Media Impact
Posted on May 14, 2013 by Steve

From Dan Green and Mayur Patel, writing for the Impatient Optimist blog to announce the new Media Impact Project that will be established at the Norman Lear Center, part of the USC Annenberg School of Communications:

Both (the) Knight and Gates Foundation share a belief in the power of informed and engaged communities for many reasons – from strengthening democracy and civil society to helping address some of the world’s most challenging social problems. In this context, the possibilities of learning how storytelling connects people and inspires action are more exciting than ever. There is now a wealth of data generated by people’s consumption and production of digital media that can be used to improve how we understand engagement and when that leads to greater awareness, knowledge and even changes in behavior.
How an Art Market Hustle Put a $45K Price-Tag on Prison Polaroids
Posted on May 14, 2013 by Steve

From the blog Prison Photography:

At Paris Photo: Los Angeles, this week, a collection of California prison polaroids were on display and up for sale. The asking price? $45,000. The price-tag is remarkable, but so too is the collection’s journey from street fair obscurity to the prestigious international art fair. It is a journey that took only two years.
How the Arts and Cultural Tourism Spur Economic Development
Posted on May 13, 2013 by Steve

From Craig Watson, director of the California Arts Council, writing for Western City:

It’s the question that all local officials ask themselves: How can we attract and retain profitable businesses and talented people? A key component of such efforts — and one that’s often mislabeled an “amenity” — is arts and culture.

Creative businesses play a huge part in the California economy. These businesses comprise the arts, design, digital media and other fields that utilize a creative workforce. More than 134,000 creative businesses employ 500,000 Californians, with another 100,000 freelance or part-time creative workers in the mix. In addition, the Golden State’s 4,553 arts organizations contribute $3.56 billion annually to its economy.

American orchestras: A time of crisis or rebirth?
Posted on May 12, 2013 by Steve

From Anne Midgette, writing for The Washington Post:

Carnegie Hall celebrated the American orchestra last week. Except that Spring for Music, the festival that ended Saturday, wasn’t actually a Carnegie Hall festival. It was sponsored by patrons and foundation grants. And given the turmoil across the country as orchestras battle financial duress and strikes and lockouts lead to concert cancellations, some might ask what exactly there is to celebrate.
Taking Note: Varieties of Research Networking
Posted on May 3, 2013 by Steve

From Sunil Iyengar for the NEA's ArtWorks blog:

Earlier this year, the ever-prolific Barry Hessenius asked some of us in arts research to take part in a weeklong round of interviews for his blog at WESTAF. Reading that exchange, I was struck by how many piquant observations were left hanging in mid-air, not owing to inarticulateness, but because there’s only so much space to devote to a particular issue or problem. After all, each day of Barry’s blog-a-thon began with a new question.