Sphinx Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra at the GIA Conference

The final plenary at the 2017 GIA Conference will feature Detroit’s Sphinx Virtuosi, one of the nation’s most dynamic professional chamber orchestras. Comprised of 18 of the nation’s top Black and Latino classical soloists, these alumni of the internationally renowned Sphinx Competition come together each fall as cultural ambassadors to reach new audiences. In addition to a performance by the Sphinx Virtuosi, Tuesday’s plenary will also feature Sphinx Organization’s president and artistic director Afa Dworkin, who will discuss the organization’s work to advance diversity in the field of classical music.

Register now for the 2017 GIA Conference.

New from the GIA Reader: Acknowledging Race in Granting to Individual Artists

In the latest issue of the GIA Reader, Caroline and Tony Grant of Sustainable Arts Foundation write about their efforts to examine and change its grantmaking practices with a racial equity lens. In 2016, the foundation announced its commitment to award at least half of its grants to artists of color. Read “I Once Was Blind: Acknowledging Race in Granting to Individuals.”

An “Exit Interview” with Laura Zucker

This week on his blog, Barry Hessenius published an “Exit Interview” with GIA board member Laura Zucker, who ended her 25-year tenure as executive director of Los Angeles County Arts Commission on July 31. Read the interview on Barry’s Blog.

New GIA Members

GIA is pleased to introduce two new members that joined in July, Adeline Edwards Foundation (New Orleans) and Memphis Music Initiative. Welcome!

As major publications from The New York Times to the Wall Street Journal cut back on arts coverage, one little-known foundation is stepping up to help fund it…

GIA board member Jaime Dempsey has been honored with the 2017 Emerging Leader Award from the Center for the Future of Arizona in recognition of her work as a public servant…

The Vermont Arts Council has announced that Karen S. Mittelman, PhD, has accepted the position of executive director for the state arts agency. Mittelman is currently director of the Division of Public Programs at the National Endowment for the Humanities…

A recent Helicon Collaborative report examines continuing (and increasing) inequities in funding to culturally-specific arts organizations across the country…

GIA is pleased to announce the release of new research on the formula-based funding practices of public arts funders and united arts funds…