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7 Must-Haves for Nonprofits Planning to Scale
Posted on June 26, 2012 by Steve

From Geri Stengel at The Huffington Post:

In a world where social needs are increasing and resources decreasing, it's critical to scale organizations that efficiently and effectively address social problems. For the last three years, the Social Impact Exchange has been convening leaders in the field to address this issue.
What is Collective Impact?
Posted on June 25, 2012 by Steve

According to the consulting firm FSG, there has been resounding agreement on the basic premise of the ideas behind collective impact: that no organization acting alone can solve large-scale issues. Collective impact is more than just collaboration. It is a rigorous approach with five conditions that, together, are a lever for deep and lasting social change. FSG created a series of three short videos, which describe the idea of collective impact and show two examples of collective impact in action: The Elizabeth River Project, and The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

By Eliminating the Arts We Are Undermining Our Founders Vision of America
Posted on June 22, 2012 by Steve

From Nicholas Ferroni at The Huffington Post:

In 1780, during some of the most crucial years of the Revolution, John and Sam Adams, and John Hancock felt it necessary to charter an academy in Cambridge, even before America won its independence. It seems obvious that only a military academy would be that important to create in the midst of a war, but it was not a military academy. In fact, they founded the American Academy of the Arts and Sciences, one of the most prestigious societies of research and study in the United States. Adams penned the Academy's motto himself; it read “To cultivate every art and science which may tend to advance the interest, honour, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people.”
Indiana University Approves School Of Philanthropy
Posted on June 22, 2012 by Steve

The Board of Trustees of Indiana University has approved a plan to establish the nation’s first School of Philanthropy. The degree will carry the same weight as a degree from one of the university’s other schools, such as liberal arts. The School of Philanthropy will combine under one umbrella academic and research on the philanthropic sector. The research arm will be the Center on Philanthropy (CoP), which was established in 1987 and has been the university’s hub for philanthropic studies.

Reviews of Early Exhibitions of (Now) Famous Artists
Posted on June 22, 2012 by Steve

From Alison Nastasi, at Flavorwire:

This Sunday marks the 111th anniversary of Picasso’s [first] Paris exhibition. The few critics that did attend the show gave him favorable reviews. Years later, the painter’s exhibit in Switzerland drew enormous crowds and the criticisms of some very prominent figures. Find out who after the break, and see what other reviewers had to say about famous artists throughout history during the early part of their careers.
Can science put a value on art?
Posted on June 15, 2012 by Steve

From BBC, brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder affect tens of thousands of US veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is known that art therapies can help with the psychological effects of these invisible wounds, but can they promote physical healing? A top military hospital near Washington is conducting the first comprehensive clinical tests to find out how art works. The National Intrepid Center of Excellence is carrying out the study as part of a broader effort to measure the value of creative endeavours in all stages of human development.

Watch the video piece.

GFEM Highlights Public Media in Democracy
Posted on June 14, 2012 by Steve

Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media (GFEM) will host its annual funder conversation on June 27-28 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Special guests include vocalist Renée Fleming; Frontline executive producer David Fanning; NPR's Terry Gross; and Gary Knell, president of National Public Radio. Further details and registration information is available at www.gfem.org.

How We Access Art and Information in Era of Big Data
Posted on June 13, 2012 by Steve

From Patrick Hussey at The Guardian:

Let's end with the big picture of what New Curation and this Open Art movement could achieve, breaking down the silos of human knowledge and uniting art with sciences like sociology, archaeology – heck, even chemistry. Imagine you are a scientist researching a project that could be informed by hidden gems from our thousands of years of culture, like the researchers who used Thoreau's journals to track climate change. That connection was spotted by a well-read human brain. With Open Art we could create insights like this more often, more easily, creating a kind of meta-criticism.
Getty Education and Community Investment Grants Program Will Help Orchestras Strengthen Education, Communities
Posted on June 12, 2012 by Steve

The League of American Orchestras announced yesterday the receipt of a three-year, $1.5 million grant from the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation to administer a re-granting program that supports orchestras in deepening their involvement with their communities. The Getty Education and Community Investment Grants Program will fund orchestras’ educational and community engagement work, helping to fuel new practices or support longstanding model programs.

Takeaways: Arts Administration Educators Conference
Posted on June 3, 2012 by Steve

Linda Essig, director of the Arizona State University arts entrepreneurship program, posts to her blog Creative Infrastructure:

I attended the annual conference of the Association of Arts Administration Educators for the first time, having now taught arts entrepreneurship for three semesters and seeing a course in arts management and another on arts policy on the not-too-distant horizon. This was not only an opportunity for me to share the work we’ve been doing on arts entrepreneurship in the Pave Program, but a far larger opportunity to learn what colleagues across the country (and some internationally) think about what is important to teach, learn, and research in arts management and administration and cultural policy. Here are some highlights from the formal programming.