GIA Blog

2011 GIA Conference Registration Now Open
Posted on July 7, 2011 by Steve

Registration for the 2011 GIA Conference in San Francisco is now open. Visit the conference website at conference.giarts.org for details and registration information.

You can follow online discussion of the 2011 conference on Twitter by following the hashtag #gia2011. The conference begins on Sunday, October 9 and runs through Wednesday, October 12.

GIA in San Francisco - Don't Miss It, Don't Even Be Late
Posted on July 6, 2011 by Janet

I’ve been to many conferences in my life. Too many really to even begin to count them. I am always astonished by how much energy they give me (and it’s not just the cookies and candy in the afternoon.) Just recently, I attended TCG in Los Angeles and Chorus America in San Francisco. There is something truly magical about being in a place filled with people who know what you know, speak what you speak and treasure what you treasure. It is a sense of community, of understanding and of empathy.

Challenge Seeks New Models for Arts Journalism
Posted on July 6, 2011 by Steve

Knight Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) today are launching an eight-city competition seeking new models for local arts journalism in the digital age. The initiative seeks to rethink how traditional media systems function, harnessing the latest tools and technology to make the transition to the new information environment. Winners of the Knight/NEA Community Arts Journalism Challenge will use the latest tools for storytelling and engaging readers to create model programs that could be replicated in other communities.

Kickstarter CEO: Can crowdsourced funding can save the arts?
Posted on July 6, 2011 by Steve

Perry Chen, co-founder and CEO of Kickstarter, the social website for fundraising, spoke at the 2011 Activate conference in London. In a video posted by The Guardian he speaks about using the platform for crowdsourcing funding for artistic projects.

Luis Cancel Announces Resignation from San Francisco Arts Commission
Posted on July 5, 2011 by Steve

San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced that he has accepted the resignation of Luis R. Cancel, the Director of Cultural Affairs and the head of the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC). Mr. Cancel’s last day will be Friday, July 8, 2011. The SFAC will select an Interim Director on Monday, July 11th and immediately commence a search for a permanent Director of Cultural Affairs.

Steve Gunderson to step down as CEO of Council on Foundations
Posted on July 5, 2011 by Tommer

Steve Gunderson has announced his resignation as president and CEO of the Council on Foundations today.

Young Creative Class Looks Forward in Detroit
Posted on July 3, 2011 by Steve

From Jennifer Conline in the New York Times:

These days the word “movement” is often heard to describe the influx of socially aware hipsters and artists now roaming the streets of Detroit. Not unlike Berlin, which was revitalized in the 1990s by young artists migrating there for the cheap studio space, Detroit may have this new generation of what city leaders are calling “creatives” to thank if it comes through its transition from a one-industry.
Creative returns on investment: Funding the arts grows the bottom line
Posted on July 2, 2011 by Steve

From Laura Eggertson at the Toronto Star:

When investment banker Robert Foster agreed to co-chair an advisory council early in January to update Toronto’s culture plan, he did so assuming everyone he spoke to shared his underlying philosophy: that a creative city drives the engine of economic growth.

For Foster, who has been profoundly influenced by the writings of culture guru Richard Florida, the evidence is overwhelming that investing in arts and culture produces healthier, more prosperous and more livable world-class cities.

The Kresge Foundation awards $300,000 in fellowships to Detroit area visual artists
Posted on June 30, 2011 by Steve

The Kresge Foundation has announced 12 Detroit-area visual artists as recipients of the 2011 Kresge Artis Fellowship. Each artist will receive the unrestricted prize of $25,000 along with customized professional practice opportunities.

The fellowships reward creative vision and a commitment to excellence, and represent Kresge’s desire to advance the artistic careers of Detroit artists living and working in its hometown

Still Kicking: Aging Performing Artists in NYC and LA Metro Areas
Posted on June 30, 2011 by Steve

Still Kicking: Aging Performing Artists in NYC and LA Metro Areas, a new study of aging performing artists 62+ in the metro areas of LA and NYC complements earlier studies of aging visual artists from Research Center for Arts & Culture. In New York City, 219—and in Lox Angeles, 51—professional actors, dancers, choreographers, musicians and singers were studied, with results showing their resilience, tenacity and lifelong engagement with their art and the public.