ARTSblog

Over the past few months, questions about the creative economy have lit up the phone lines at Americans for the Arts. Members are interested in learning of examples of communities where efforts are thriving; others want to build successful initiatives to engage their local community in the support and promotion of the creative economy; and some members are just wondering what the “creative economy” is all about.

The discussion on the the topic has taken on a high profile around the country (and around the globe) over the past decade. In 2002, Richard Florida’s The Rise of the Creative Class highlighted the need for creativity as an asset in the economy. Communities across the country face challenges in attracting and retaining highly skilled workers, developing creative industries, as well as expanding for creative products and services.

A creative economy is dependent on a creative workforce and the presence of creative industries—for-profit and nonprofit businesses involved in the creation or distribution of the arts. They are businesses that we participate in for enjoyment (seeing a movie, attending a concert, or reading a novel); engage in for business (architecture, design, musical instrument manufacturing); and invest in to enrich community livability (museums, public art, performing arts centers). Creative industries contribute to economic growth by attracting a dynamic workforce, serving as a destination for cultural tourism, and creating exportable cultural products. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 30%

Brian Reich

Brian Reich, managing director of little m media, is leading a Social Media 101 webinar this coming Wednesday, March 3 and he’d love to address any burning questions you may have on the topic. You can submit a question by adding a comment to this blog post.

• The webinar is free for Americans for the Arts members and Half-Century Summit registrants
• It takes place from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. EST on March 3
• Click here to register

Brian’s webinar will address how organizations can better understand ways people get and share information and how this can impact marketing and communications work. The webinar is meant as an introductory primer to deeper conversations about social media that will take place this June at the Half-Century Summit in Baltimore.

Popularity: 29%

This month is proving to be one heck of a roller coaster ride for arts education advocates. On the up side, a U.S. Department of Education “stakeholders” meeting on the reauthorization of the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was ground breaking in that it was the first time that the national arts education community had been invited to specifically address the reauthorization policy efforts. On the other hand, on the heels of that meeting, the White House unveiled an education budget that eliminated the 40 million that was allocated specifically to arts education.

While it will be argued that arts education is not eliminated from the budget, just reassigned under other programs, we cannot let this pass by without pause. Reassigning arts education to broader categories and taking the words “arts education” off the budget pages, effectively is a signal of importance–or rather lack of importance in the minds of the officials who have oversight of the budget. This is a terrible move, and one which cannot no go unaddressed. Arts education is core to NCLB, and thus must remain core to the budget and how the budget is outlined in print. But beyond rhetoric, arts education is truly core to how we are as a people in society and how our children will learn to be engaged citizens.  Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 25%

I’m crawling out from a mountain of artists-in-residence applications to post my very first Green Paper blog entry and further introduce myself and HUB-BUB.  If you’ve read my bio, you know that I’ve spent the last 3 blissful years running the AiR Program at HUB-BUB.  Blissful because each year I really get to know 4 of the most interesting and talented emerging artists/writers in the country who are in residence at HUB-BUB.  During their time here, it’s my job to accommodate their needs, get them connected in our community, learn from them, be their friend, and help them make the most of this awesome experience.  Blissful because my colleagues in the HUB-BUB office are not only the most passionate and talented people I’ve ever known, but they are good friends who are open to ideas and make working 50-60 hour work weeks fun.  Our volunteers and board members are a huge part of the happy HUB-BUB family that makes my world go round.  Blissful because Spartanburg is a town that encourages citizen involvement – it is possible to have a tremendous impact here.  And blissful because the field of artists-in-residence programs is full of good, capable, passionate people who make a difference everyday in the lives of the artists who they work with and the communities that they work in.  The residency field is fortunate to have the Alliance of Artists Communities and their dedicated staff and board who help connect us, educate us, and keep us happy.  Is what I am trying to say is – life is good. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 41%

Podcast: Download (Duration: 4:04 — 3.7MB)

In this ARTcast, Nina Ozlu Tunceli, Chief Counsel of Government and Public Affairs at Americans for the Arts, discusses President Obama’s proposed 2011 budget, the effects it could have on arts funding, and how arts advocates can help fight for increased funding for the arts. For more information on the president’s budget, click here.

Popularity: 19%

Welcome to the Green Paper discussion on The Future of the Public Voice in Arts Advocacy. We encourage you to read the full Green Paper available in the tab above and make general comments at this time. Be sure to keep your comments brief—Mike Latvis, the Ambassador for this Green Paper will soon begin deeper, threaded conversations around specific paragraphs, sections or themes that appear in this Green Paper. Follow this conversation thoroughly by adding the The Future of the Public Voice in Arts Advocacy feed to your RSS reader!

Popularity: 36%

Americans for the Arts announces a March 1 deadline for applications for its Professional Development Fund for Emerging Arts Leaders of Color. A total of five Joyce Fellows from the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) will be chosen to participate in this year-long program in 2010/11. Fellows will receive stipends of $3,000 to support their attendance at the 2010 Americans for the Arts Half Century Summit, the 2010 National Arts Marketing Project Conference, Arts Advocacy Day 2011. In addition, fellows will have special opportunities to meet field leaders, work alongside mentors, and receive individualized career coaching. The fellowships are made possible with support from the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation.

Visit Americans for the Arts website to download application materials and eligibility information.  Questions?  Contact Stephanie Evans, Local Arts Agency Services Coordinator, at sevans@artsusa.org or 202-371-2830.

Popularity: 22%

Welcome to the Green Paper discussion on Artists’ and Arts Organizations’ Preparedness and Emergency Response. We encourage you to read the full Green Paper available in the tab above and make general comments at this time. Be sure to keep your comments brief—Matthew Deleget, the Ambassador for this Green Paper will soon begin deeper, threaded conversations around specific paragraphs, sections or themes that appear in this Green Paper. Follow this conversation thoroughly by adding the Artists’ and Arts Organizations’ Preparedness and Emergency Response feed to your RSS reader!

Popularity: 39%

Although 2010 is just underway, most states are in the process of preparing budgets for FY 2011 (and beyond). Coming into this year it was known that the next few budget cycles would be difficult for a large portion of states, and arts advocates would be in for a battle in many cases.

Unfortunately, so far that is the case if proposed budgets by governors are taken at face value; however, experts agree that if states can hang on for another year or two, the recession’s impact will finally end, and recovery will begin to advance at a more rapid pace.

Here’s a quick look at current proposed state arts budgets:

One of the most drastic cuts proposed so far was in Rhode Island where Gov. Donald Carcieri offered to eliminate the state arts agency’s entire $700,000 grants budget. In Arizona, Gov. Jan Brewer has proposed a $2 million allocation for the Arizona Commission for the Arts, down from $4.9 million just a few years ago. Also, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal is not only proposing to cut the Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism’s general fund in half, but he also wants to eliminate the position of Lieutenant Governor, who oversees the department. Read the rest of this entry »

Popularity: 33%

Welcome to the Green Paper discussion on Artists’ Residency Programs. We encourage you to read the full Green Paper and make general comments at this time. Be sure to keep your comments brief—Alix Refshauge, the Ambassador for this Green Paper will soon begin deeper, threaded conversations around specific paragraphs, sections or themes that appear in this Green Paper. Follow this conversation thoroughly by adding the Artists’ Residency Programs feed to your RSS reader!

Popularity: 42%

Welcome to the Green Paper discussion on Arts Education. We encourage you to read the full Green Paper available in the tab above and make general comments at this time. Be sure to keep your comments brief—Rob Davidson, the Ambassador for this Green Paper will soon begin deeper, threaded conversations around specific paragraphs, sections or themes that appear in this Green Paper. Follow this conversation thoroughly by adding the Arts Education feed to your RSS reader!

Popularity: 51%

Welcome to the Green Paper discussion on Arts in Healthcare. We encourage you to read the full Green Paper available in the tab above and make general comments at this time. Be sure to keep your comments brief—Alie Wickham, the Ambassador for this Green Paper will soon begin deeper, threaded conversations around specific paragraphs, sections or themes that appear in this Green Paper. Follow this conversation thoroughly by adding the Arts in Healthcare feed to your RSS reader!

Popularity: 38%

Welcome to the Green Paper discussion on Arts Learning for Children/Youth. We encourage you to read the full Green Paper available in the tab above and make general comments at this time. Be sure to keep your comments brief—Sheila Womble, the Ambassador for this Green Paper will soon begin deeper, threaded conversations around specific paragraphs, sections or themes that appear in this Green Paper. Follow this conversation thoroughly by adding the Arts Learning for Children/Youth feed to your RSS reader!

Popularity: 43%

Welcome to the Green Paper discussion on Community Arts Education. We encourage you to read the full Green Paper available in the tab above and make general comments at this time. Be sure to keep your comments brief—José Ochoa, the Ambassador for this Green Paper will soon begin deeper, threaded conversations around specific paragraphs, sections or themes that appear in this Green Paper. Follow this conversation thoroughly by adding the Community Arts Education feed to your RSS reader!

Popularity: 43%

Welcome to the Green Paper discussion on Cultural Democracy. We encourage you to read the full Green Paper available in the tab above and make general comments at this time. Be sure to keep your comments brief—Leslie Ito, the Ambassador for this Green Paper will soon begin deeper, threaded conversations around specific paragraphs, sections or themes that appear in this Green Paper. Follow this conversation thoroughly by adding the Cultural Democracy feed to your RSS reader!

Popularity: 28%