GIA Blog

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Steve

The Next Gen Arts Leadership Initiative was jointly established by the James Irvine Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to promote the leadership development of younger arts professionals (aged 20 to 35) in California’s arts community. Initially planned in 2009, and launched in 2010, the initiative includes four formal emerging arts leader Networks in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Silicon Valley, as well as statewide regranting programs (managed by the Center for Cultural Innovation) to support professional development scholarships and innovative organizational practices. This assessment, The Faces of the Future: An Assessment of California’s Next Generation Arts Leadership Initiative, employed web-based surveys of participants in Network activities, as well as interviews with Network leaders, Innovation grantees, and outside experts in the area of nonprofit leadership development with a focus in the arts. It shows that the Initiative has been successful in achieving its early implementation goals.

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Steve

At the Americans for the Arts Action Fund reception held recently in Washington, D.C. for participants of Arts Advocacy Day, Sonia Tower, SVP of Corporate Relations for Ovation and President of the Ovation Foundation, announced the launch of a new national initiative called Stand For The Arts. Designed to raise awareness, protect access, and encourage action on behalf of the arts, the initiative is designed to be an online community. Stand For The Arts will periodically recognize publicly-funded arts organizations, agencies, and institutions as its official causes.

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Steve

Artivate: A journal of entrepreneurship in the arts has put out a call for submissions for the Summer 2014 issue of the biannual online publication. Deadline for submission is March 31. Artivate is a peer-reviewed online publication for an academic and practitioner audience. Editorial board members are affiliated with universities, foundations, and arts services organizations on three continents.

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Steve

The City of Boston is looking for an Arts and Cultural Affairs Commissioner, a position that would report directly to the Mayor. For the first time in twenty years, the Commissioner will be a Cabinet-level position. Boston residency is required. View the position details here.

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Steve

Heron Fellow Rodney Christopher asks philanthropists and nonprofits: Are we focusing enough on enterprise when we seek to increase the impact of evidence-based programs?

Critics argue that nonprofit health is not the point, social impact is. But in my work, I am finding that an opportunity—I dare say an imperative—exists for philanthropy and nonprofits to discuss proactively and openly the importance of enterprise success in addition to the importance of evidence of programmatic success.
Posted on March 20, 2014 by Tommer

On September 12, 2013 NOCD-NY convened “Valuing the intersection between arts, culture, and community: An exchange of research and practice.” The exchange brought together members of the NOCD-NY working group and our allies with leading researchers. The report from this convening is now available online. 

Posted on March 19, 2014 by Steve

From John Hanc, writing for the New York Times:

The idea of painters and sculptors working late into life is not new. “Artists don’t generally retire from the work,” said Gay Hanna, executive director of the National Center for Creative Aging in Washington, a nonprofit organization that promotes creative arts programs for older people and is affiliated with George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences. One example is Claude Monet, who painted some of his best-known works when he was in his 80s and had cataracts.
Posted on March 19, 2014 by Steve

Sphinx recently held its second annual SphinxCon, a convening on diversity in the performing arts, February 21-23. The event featured nearly 30 speakers who discussed solutions to different challenges to diversity in their field. Videos of the sessions are online at http://sphinxmusic.org/sphinxcon-video-archives.html.

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Tommer

The Kentucky Foundation for Women announced today that executive director Judi Jennings will retire at the end of this fiscal year. Her last day will be June 30. The organization, a private foundation which supports feminist art and social change, is currently searching for its next leader

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Steve

The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation announced today that long-time Vice President Sue Coliton is leaving her role effective March 26, 2014. During her 15-year tenure, the Foundation awarded more than $494 million to more than 1,400 nonprofit groups in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. She also played a significant role on the teams that created the Allen Institute for Brain Science, EMP Museum and Flying Heritage Collection.