GIA Blog

President Obama nominates Ranee Ramaswamy to National Council on the Arts
Posted on July 28, 2012 by Steve

From Marianne Combs at Minnesota Public Radio:

This week President Obama announced his intent to nominate Ranee Ramaswamy to the National Council on the Arts. The NCA advises the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (currently Rocco Landesman) on agency policies and programs.
Research by CEP Underscores Challenges of Social Media
Posted on July 26, 2012 by Steve

New research by the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) shows that when it comes to social media, nonprofits aren’t closely following their foundation funders or their funders’ staff. “While foundations and their grantees are both using social media—Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and blogs—the nonprofits simply are not following their funders,” said Ellie Buteau, vice president of research for CEP and co-author of the report.

After Cuts, States Use The Arts To Boost The Economy
Posted on July 25, 2012 by Steve

From Micheline Maynard at Forbes:

As the recession grew deeper, states across the country took aim at budgets for the arts. In Kansas, Gov. Sam Brownback used his line-item veto power to eliminate funding for the for the Kansas Arts Commission, making his state the first to eliminate arts money altogether. At the time, Brownback called the commission a luxury his state couldn’t afford. Now, Brownback has quietly changed course — but in a different guise.
Reality is Not Perception
Posted on July 24, 2012 by Janet

What do you think the general public thinks these days when they hear the words “the arts?” Does it conjure up images of what they do on a daily basis: listening to music, watching television, singing in church choir, reading a book, attending the theatre? Or do most people think of an elite special interest group for people with money? I’m thinking about language again because it gets us into so much trouble.

Major Research on Construction of Arts Facilities 1994-2008
Posted on July 24, 2012 by Tommer

The University of Chicago Cultural Policy Center has published Set in Stone: Building America's New Generation of Arts Facilities, 1994-2008. This study of cultural building began in 2006 as a response to inquiries from arts consultants who had for some time been working on dozens of building projects across the country and found themselves confronting the same sets of problems with each new client.

Inventive capitalization program reaping benefits for theater festival
Posted on July 24, 2012 by Tommer

The Great River Shakespeare Festival (GRSF) in Winona, Minnesota has created an inventive capitalization instrument that will interest the broader field. The Festival’s “Legacy Bond Investment Program,” launched in September, 2011 is a state-approved investment offer for Festival patrons that provides GRSF with significant working capital. 

New Report from Philanthropy Northwest
Posted on July 23, 2012 by Tommer

Philanthropy Northwest has published Journey Into Indian Country, a new report that chronicles five years of work to build and strengthen relationships between organized philanthropy and Native Americans and First Alaskans in the region. With pictures, poetry and stories, the report explores how Philanthropy Northwest members are seeking to better understand Native history and culture, and to expand opportunities for deeper, strategic philanthropic partnerships between Natives and non-Natives.

Making Cities Sing
Posted on July 23, 2012 by Steve

From the Aspen Ideas Festival, held recently in Aspen, Colorado, comes this session panel discussion with NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman, the Knight Foundation's Dennis Scholl, and the Ford Foundation's Darren Walker with facilitator Richard Florida. The 50-minute discussion titled “Making Cities Sing” focuses on urban development and the arts, the creative economy and placemaking. Video of the full discussion is now available.

Swiss Freeports Are Home for a Growing Treasury of Art
Posted on July 21, 2012 by Steve

From David Segal at The New York Times:

How much art is stockpiled in the 435,000 square feet of the Geneva Freeport? That’s a tough one. The canton of Geneva, which owns an 86 percent share of the Freeport, does not know, nor does Geneva Free Ports and Warehouses, the company that pays the canton for the right to serve as the Freeport’s landlord. Swiss customs officials presumably know, but they aren’t talking. Suffice it to say, there is wide belief among art dealers, advisers and insurers that there is enough art tucked away here to create one of the world’s great museums.
Center for preservation of protest art receives federal funding
Posted on July 18, 2012 by Steve

From Chris Barton at the Los Angeles Times:

In a move whose timing feels appropriate as we head into an election season sure to draw many voices to campaign rallies, the Center for the Study of Political Graphics announced that it received its first federal funding to present protest posters in exhibitions and online.