Grantmakers in the Arts

(7-2-10) Responding to a recent trend in popular vote-decided, corporate giving campaigns, Chris Jones (Chicago Tribune) argues against taking decision-making out of the hands of grant program officers and makes a case for the unfavorable effect of vote programs on the organizations vying for support. He writes:

(7-1-10) Last week, the U.S. Departments of Transportation (DOT) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced $175 million in available "sustainable communities" grants. Arts organizations are eligible to partner with state and local governments, as well as planning, philanthropic, and nonprofit organizations, to develop consortia grant proposals.

(7-1-10) Today, the Guardian published a series of interviews with artists, arts administrators, and former BP CEO John Browne on the now thorny issue of BP's arts sponsorships: "The Tate is under fire for taking BP sponsorship money. Does corporate cash damage the arts—or is it a necessary compromise? We asked leading cultural figures their view." Read the rainbow of responses here.

(6-30-2010) From South Carolina Arts Commission website:

The (South Carolina state) Senate has overridden veto 105, saving $250,000 in grant funds for arts education and arts organizations. A list of grant awards will be posted on our website by mid-July. On behalf of the South Carolina Arts Commission board and staff, thank you for your overwhelming efforts in contacting your legislators to urge their support for arts funding. Be sure to thank your legislators for their work on your behalf.

On June 24th, Grantmakers in the Arts and Grantmakers for Education hosted a group of private and public foundations and corporations to discuss the barriers inhibiting arts learning in K-12 urban public schools. Cyrus Driver, Ford Foundation, set the stage with comments titled “Can the Arts Become Part of the “Basics” of our Public Education?”

(6-29-10) In a story for The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Brennen Jensen profiles the Atlanta Arts Recovery Initiative, a three-year, $25-million grantmaking program organized by the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund with support from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

(6-29-10) Trading Power—a new publication produced jointly by the Council on Foundations, 21/64, Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, and Resource Generation—examines themes of multigenerational leadership challenges in today's philanthropy, including the perceived lack of leadership opportunities for the next generation; what each generation can learn from the others while working together; and why and how to engage a new generation of philanthropic leaders.

(6-29-10) New York Times

"Mr. Kaiser attributes his multiple activities on several platforms — including the book, a Huffington Post blog as well as the road tour — not to any effort at self-promotion but simply to a full-octane passion for arts management.

“I’m trying to build a respect for the field,” he said in a black town car between West Hartford and New Haven."

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