Cultural Policy

Recent decades have seen rapid immigration into traditional gateway cities as well as rural and suburban communities throughout the United States. Craig McGarvey's thoughtful Pursuing Democracy's Promise speaks to the importance of new United States residents' fully participating in civic life alongside the native born.

To California's great Central Valley they have come from the highlands of Oaxaca, the cities of eastern Pakistan, the relocation camps of Thailand—political refugees and new immigrants from around the world aspiring to build a future for their children, grands, and greats.

For three days in October these new U.S. Americans gathered in Fresno's Tower District for their second Tamejavi Festival. Everyone was welcome; the historic Tower Theatre's marquis proclaimed, “Tamejavi: It's Still Free.”

The lines between arts and environmental grantmaking often are sharply drawn. However, in the life of thriving communities, the two are integrally linked. As part of a roundtable discussion at last October's GIA conference, it was heartening to share vivid examples of how GIA members are exploring the intersections of environment and art.

I believe it is time to begin a conversation about a new model for building a vibrant arts landscape. Since I left federal service in the fall of 2001, I have had an opportunity rare for former chairmen of the National Endowment for the Arts—the chance to create a research center engaging the very issues that fascinated me during my tenure with the endowment.

http://www.culturalpolicy.org/index.cfm

The Center provides a variety of publications on cultural policy, their own as well as others, news links and online discussion forums in the "cultural commons."

http://www.culturalpolicy.arts.gla.ac.uk/

The Center's own research and publications focus on the UK, but the searchable database of cultural policy resources and links is international in scope.

http://www.city.ac.uk/artspol/#lib

This casually indexed site will reward the user who enjoys browsing the bookstore more than searching the library catalogue. The collection of links is international and somewhat random in content.

http://www.cpanda.org/

April 2004, 102 pages. Published by California Arts Council, 1300 I Street, Sacramento, CA, 95814, 916-322-6555, www.cac.ca.gov

Download pdf: http://www.cac.ca.gov/artsinfo/econ.php

2003, Published by The Urban Institute, 2100 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20037, 202-833-7200, paffairs@ui.urban.org, http://www.urban.org

Download Reports:
Policy Brief No. 1, A Framework for Measurement
Policy Brief No. 2, Unpacking Participation