Grantmakers in the Arts

**GIA WEBINAR** Local Power, Lasting Impact: Mobilizing Community Foundations Through Arts and Culture Meet our guest speaker, Dr. Leonard Brock! Dr. Leonard M. Brock is the Vice President at CFLeads, the national network of community foundations advancing economic mobility and racial equity. A seasoned executive, leadership coach, and scholar-practitioner, Dr. Brock has over a decade of experience in nonprofit, corporate, government, and academic sectors. He has worked nationally to drive systemic change in education, workforce development, and poverty reduction. He is a sought-after speaker and consultant, delivering impactful workshops on leadership, organizational change, and strategic planning. Dr. Brock’s leadership at CFLeads strengthens community foundations’ ability to create lasting change. Whether guiding national initiatives or mentoring emerging leaders, he remains dedicated to building pathways to opportunity and justice. Learn more about Dr. Brock and register for the upcoming webinar here: https://bit.ly/43BEskv

**COMMUNITY CALL TO ACTION** Your Story Matters — Help Us Illuminate the Power of Arts & Culture Grantmakers in the Arts is gathering powerful stories that show how the arts are creating real, lasting change in communities across the country. Whether it’s through healing, connection, or movement-building, your experiences can inspire others and help shift the narrative around what's possible through culture. ✨ Share your story. Spark change. Uplift the field. Learn more and submit your story today: https://bit.ly/45W97uc Artwork by: Pietro Soldi for Creative Commons The colors to this piece have been adapted for branding purposes.

A new report from the Kenneth Rainin Foundation and SMU DataArts reveals that Bay Area performing arts organizations are facing growing financial pressures despite increased programming and audience engagement. Rising costs, reduced federal funding, and uneven revenue recovery have particularly strained theater groups, while dance organizations and micro-groups have shown more resilience. The report highlights the critical role of smaller organizations in community engagement and calls for equity-centered funding strategies to support long-term sustainability. Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/43WvIUP

In this ALL ARTS episode of Flow with Dr. Durell Cooper, he sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, President of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, to delve into the Foundation's mission, vision, and goals for promoting justice and freedom in the 21st century and beyond. The conversation touches on critical issues such as racial equity, access to education, and the power of the arts to heal and unite communities. You’re invited once again to join Durell for an engaging and enlightening discussion on the paths toward justice and freedom in our rapidly evolving world. Cultural Innovation Group, LLC Watch the full interview on Justice and Freedom here: https://bit.ly/3FGeBi5

**NEWS FROM THE FIELD** Janet Newcomb, The outgoing Executive Director of NCAPER, reflects with gratitude on her tenure since January 2018, thanking staff and the steering committee, and announces Mollie Quinlan-Hayes as the new Executive Director effective July 1. The organization celebrates the appointment of Anna Lisa Escobedo as the Bay Area coordinator for BAARN and honors departing Steering Committee member Michael Orlove for his federal-level advocacy. GIA applauds and supports the vital work NCAPER is doing to uplift and strengthen the arts sector’s preparedness and growth. Learn more about this exciting shift and what NCAPER is doing next here: https://bit.ly/4kI9DAM

**GIA WEBINAR** Community foundations are uniquely positioned to catalyze change at the local level, even amidst shifting federal priorities and uncertainty. In partnership with CFLeads (Community Foundations Leading Change), this webinar will provide an overview of how community foundations organize to meet urgent needs and build long-term resilience. Through real-world examples, the session will highlight how arts and culture serve as powerful tools for civic engagement, connection, and community healing. Join Dr. Leonard Brock, Ed.D., MPA (CFLeads), Sharon DeMark (Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation), and Yuki Numata Resnick (Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo) on Tuesday, July 22 at 2pm ET / 11am PT to explore how funders can strengthen local infrastructure and uplift grassroots organizations responding to today’s challenges with creativity and care. This program was developed in partnership with CFLeads. Learn more and register for the webinar here: https://bit.ly/43BEskv

Grantmakers in the Arts is proud to announce the launch of FLOW with Dr. Dr. Durell Cooper, a new network series co-produced with PBS and ALL ARTS. In this groundbreaking series, Dr. Cooper is in conversation with influential leaders from the Global Majority who are shaping the future of the arts & philanthropy. Each episode investigates a central question: What narratives exist that harm us—and how are we building strategies to mitigate that harm and foster healing in communities of color? With brilliance and boldness, guests explore the deep waters of intersectional justice, equity, solidarity economies, and time machines as tools for cultural transformation and collective liberation. FLOW premiered this week with a powerful lineup of voices you won’t want to miss including George C. Wolfe, Misty Copeland, & Elizabeth Alexander among others. Join us in celebrating this collaboration and the visionary leaders it uplifts. Watch the first episode and learn more about the series here: https://bit.ly/3ZGeie3

We're heartened to hear that restoration plans for the iconic Clayborn Temple are moving forward—an inspiring step in honoring its powerful legacy and ensuring its future!

**ORGANIZATION NEWS** Grantmakers in the Arts is excited to co-sponsor this event hosted by Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, which invites participants to reflect on how artists and cultural workers can navigate—and transform—this moment of profound global instability. Often described as a “polycrisis,” our current era is shaped by intersecting environmental, social, technological, and economic disruptions that are accelerating at an unpredictable pace. Drawing inspiration from Zen master and Indigenous Hawaiian leader Norma Wong’s book, When No Thing Works, the event explores her framing of this time as one of collective acceleration. Wong challenges us not only to understand the forces of collapse, but to live into new stories—rooted in resilience, shared purpose, and ancestral wisdom—that move beyond crisis toward possibility. Register for this virtual conversation no later than 5pm PDT, Friday June 6 here: https://bit.ly/3FoW9ui