GIA Blog

Racial Conversation as Long Table Performance
Posted on October 15, 2014 by Steve

Conference blogger Latoya Peterson turns in her first set of observations from Houston:

Can a conversation about race be a performance? What does that simple framework shift do to the conversation? The answer: everything. The long table conversation is a fascinating thing to watch unfold. Participants come in and out as they please. There is snacking and scribbling, mostly on topic. Some people were determined watchers, setting up camp on the chairs on the far edge of the perimeter. And others eagerly queued up in the seats closest to the table, waiting for the moment they could tap someone on the shoulder, sending that performer out and putting themselves into the conversation.
Sarah Lutman Posts from Conference: Zoom Out
Posted on October 15, 2014 by Steve

Days One and Two at the 2014 GIA conference in Houston have gone by quickly — jam packed days with sessions from early morning (8:00) through evening (9:00 or 10:00 + socializing) and almost no breaks... On Monday the very first session I attended was Art and Tech: Bending New Technologies to Native Traditions, organized by Wendy Red Star, Program Associate, and T. Lulani Arquette, President and CEO, of the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation, based in Vancouver, Washington.

Racial Conversation as Long Table Performance
Posted on October 15, 2014 by Latoya Peterson

Can a conversation about race be a performance? What does that simple framework shift do to the conversation? The answer: everything. The long table conversation is a fascinating thing to watch unfold. Participants come in and out as they please. There is snacking and scribbling, mostly on topic. Some people were determined watchers, setting up camp on the chairs on the far edge of the perimeter. And others eagerly queued up in the seats closest to the table, waiting for the moment they could tap someone on the shoulder, sending that performer out and putting themselves into the conversation.

Zoom Out
Posted on October 15, 2014 by Sarah Lutman

Days One and Two at the 2014 GIA conference in Houston have gone by quickly — jam packed days with sessions from early morning (8:00) through evening (9:00 or 10:00 + socializing) and almost no breaks. I have been Tweeting during several sessions @Lutman_Sarah and taking copious notes for future posts that will take some time to compose. So stay tuned.

Doing it Right
Posted on October 14, 2014 by Barry Hessenius

Day Two was long and full of sessions and content worth reporting on.  I have a very early flight, want to be thoughtful, and so I will be posting several blogs beginning tomorrow and through the weekend.  It was a very good conference and I feel fortunate to have been able to share it with so many smart people. Safe journeys home.

Conference Blog Underway
Posted on October 14, 2014 by Steve

With the GIA 2014 Conference well underway in Houston, you can follow the thoughts and observations of the three conference bloggers at blogs.giarts.org/gia2014/. Barry Hessenius has posted his day one experience:

Note: There is no way I can possibly cover all the material I absorbed in today’s sessions and do justice to it all tonight. So, I am going to hit a couple of highlights and then come back later in the week and cover the rest, together with some personal comments and insights. And that is likely to be my approach tomorrow as well. I also plan on a separate post on the GIA Preconference on the Unique Practice of Arts Grantmaking this weekend.
GIA – DAY ONE
Posted on October 14, 2014 by Barry Hessenius

There is no way I can possibly cover all the material I absorbed in today’s sessions and do justice to it all tonight.  So, I am going to hit a couple of highlights and then come back later in the week and cover the rest, together with some personal comments and insights. And that is likely to be my approach tomorrow as well. I also plan on a separate post on the GIA Preconference on the Unique Practice of Arts Grantmaking this weekend. I.  Session: Getting Beyond Breakeven 2.0: Exploring the Opportunities and the Limits of Making Investments Towards Change

Judi Jennings Receives Milner Award
Posted on October 13, 2014 by Steve

The Governor of Kentucky has announced that Judi Jennings, former executive director of the Kentucky Foundation for Women and a GIA Board Member, has been given the Milner Award. The Milner Award is presented for outstanding philanthropic, artistic or other contributions to the arts. The Milner Award is the most prestigious of the Governor’s Awards in the Arts, and was established in 1977 in honor of B. Hudson Milner, a Louisville utility executive and civic leader, whose contributions to the arts in Kentucky remain important to this day.

Chicago's 3Arts Increases Award Amounts for their Artists
Posted on October 7, 2014 by SuJ'n

Three Cheers! 3Arts has announced an increase in the amount of the organization's awards for Chicago’s women artists, artists of color, and artists with disabilities in the performing, teaching, and visual arts. 

We hear NO so much in this profession—no, no, no, no, no. There is no denying this yes. I have been resourced, financially and artistically, in such an amazingly generous way. There is no greater gift than that. - Kelli Simpkins, 2013 3Arts awardee

Study Finds Shifts in Charitable Giving After Recession
Posted on October 7, 2014 by Steve

From Jess Bidgood, writing for The New York Times:

Between 2006 and 2012, the wealthiest Americans became less generous with charitable donations, as a share of their total income, while lower- and middle-income Americans reached farther into their pockets as they witnessed the need for charity in their communities, a study says.