GIA Blog

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Steve

From NPR's Morning Edition comes this story about retirement institutions designed around arts:

Some famous writers, painters and musicians have done some of their best work in their later years — impressionist Claude Monet, for one. But at the North Hollywood Senior Arts Colony, older people are proving that you don't have to be famous — or even a professional artist — to live a creatively fulfilling life in old age.
Posted on July 4, 2013 by Steve

From Robin Pogrebin, writing for The New York Times:

With less than six months remaining in Mr. Bloomberg’s tenure, a cloud of unease has descended over arts executives, fund-raisers and artists. Over the last 12 years, they have grown accustomed to a City Hall that was receptive to their needs, as well as to a billionaire mayor who could privately bolster their budgets.

Now these organizations are facing two unknowns: Will a new mayor continue to support them? And, just as important, will Citizen Bloomberg?

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Tommer

On the heels of the Giving USA finding that arts and culture was America’s fastest-growing philanthropic cause in 2012, Americans for the Arts (AFTA) has reported an uptick in business support for the sector. The latest edition of Giving USAcites an estimated 7.8 percent increase in arts and culture funding to $14.44 billion in 2012, compared with 2011.

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Steve

Calgary Arts Development, in partnership with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, is working to assess the impact of a generational flood on the arts sector. Their website, www.calgaryartsdevelopment.com has lots of good information on their activities in the aftermath of last month's disaster.

Calgarians have witnessed a tremendous outpouring of offers to assist in recovery efforts. As The City’s arts development authority, Calgary Arts Development is assuming the role of an “arts responder hub,” playing three key roles:
Posted on July 2, 2013 by Steve

Diane Ravitch posts to her blog:

Arne Duncan has been vigorously defending the Common Core standards and vigorously insisting that they were created by the governors and the states. Of course, he must do this because it is illegal for the U.S. Department of Education to interfere in curriculum and instruction in the nation’s schools.

But his version of how the Common Core came to be adopted by nearly every state since 2009 is not accurate. It would be interesting to ask the nation’s governors what they know about the Common Core and even more interesting to ask them to take one of the two federally-funded tests of the Common Core. If that seems a stretch, how about having the nation’s chief state school officers–who are cheerleading for the Common Core–take the test?

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Steve

From Paul Sullivan, writing for The New York Times:

“We feel that people do start with this heartfelt desire to do good and they have all the good intentions in the world,” said Debra Treyz, global head of the philanthropy center at J. P. Morgan Private Bank. “But giving dollars does not always translate into results.”

She said she coached clients to focus on something they care about — that’s the heart part — and then gain expertise in the field to be able to make more intelligent decisions. “There are often ramp-up periods,” she said. “There’s a little bit of trial and error around that. We need to acknowledge what we need to do better, learn from mistakes and move on.”

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Abigail

During the months of July and August, the photo banner features grantees of GIA member the Colburn Foundation. Based in Los Angeles, the Foundation was established in 1999 by Richard D. Colburn. Below, in their own words, Colburn Foundation staff discuss their strategy of providing general operating support, as well as non-grant support through Foundation-organized grantee convenings.

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Steve

Robert Searle and Karim Al-Khafaji for The Chronicle of Philanthropy:

Philanthropy’s role in fighting climate change has focused mostly on supporting projects to mitigate the effects of greenhouse gases on global warming. But Hurricane Sandy’s unwelcome arrival last fall underscored the need to put front and center efforts to help people and communities adapt to the weather changes that are already putting lives and businesses in jeopardy.
Posted on June 25, 2013 by Tommer

After a 14 percent drop between 2006 and 2009, support for the arts by U.S. businesses increased 18 percent between 2009 and 2012, a survey by the Business Committee for the Arts, a division of Americans for the Arts, finds.

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Tommer

Three major groups that publish information about charities have started a campaign to persuade donors to look beyond overhead costs when deciding which groups to support.

“The percent of charity expenses that go to administrative and fundraising costs—commonly referred to as 'overhead’—is a poor measure of a charity’s performance,” says an open “letter to donors” drafted by GuideStar, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and Charity Navigator.