ARTSblog

Podcast: Download (Duration: 4:39 — 4.3MB)

Robert L. Lynch

Spring has brought a number of devastating natural disasters to our nation—from hundreds of tornadoes across the South in late April to the current flooding of the Mississippi Delta. Americans for the Arts board and staff ask that you keep your effected colleagues in your thoughts.

In our newest podcast, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts Robert L. Lynch addresses these disasters and steps you can take to prepare your organization and community.

You can help your colleagues today by supporting the Red Cross, but you can also help your community by taking what steps you can to prepare for crises that could affect your organization.

Two useful websites offer you both advice and guidance on crisis and disasters that may arise: ArtsReady and CERF+.

If you have tips or advice for handling a crisis or would like to share your thoughts with those affected by recent events, please post them below.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 5:28 — 5.0MB)

Last fall, 30 top-level decision makers and thought leaders from government, business, education, and the arts gathered at the Sundance Resort and Preserve for the Fifth Annual Americans for the Arts National Arts Policy Roundtable, to discuss this year’s theme – The Role of the Arts in Educating America for Great Leadership and Economic Strength.

Their conclusions are profiled in a new report issued this week by Americans for the Arts that calls for individuals across the public and private sector to recognize the arts as the transformational tools they are for making schools stronger and students more successful.

The recommendations offer insights from this cross-sector group on how we can better work together to ensure policies and practices are in place to increase arts in our schools.

The business and public policy communities are building consensus that if the nation is to succeed, an education steeped in the 4 “C’s” (Creativity, Collaboration, Communication and Critical Thinking) is not a luxury, but a necessity.   Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Download (Duration: 2:12 — 1.5MB)

This is the final Leo Berk post describing his experiences as an embedded artist with King County (WA) Bridge Division.

Have you heard the one about the biologist, geologist, engineer, and artist who hiked up a relic stream bed together?

I hadn’t either until last November when I headed to the Money Creek Bridge with King County Roads’ Erick Thompson (biologist), Julia Turney (geologist), and Rich Hovde (engineer).

These three were on their way to the Skykomish area to visit this bridge in order to solve a complicated problem together.

Put simply, bridges are made to stay put, and creeks, by nature, don’t.   Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Download (Duration: 6:23 — 4.4MB)

Earlier today, the Obama Administration released its Fiscal Year 2012 budget proposal. Included in the billions of dollars and thousands of programs, were lower allocations for both the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The two vital endowments for arts and culture organizations nationwide were both cut by $21 million when compared with the $167 million that Congress appropriated for FY 2010. In today’s podcast, Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert Lynch discusses the impact that this budget could have on arts organizations at every level. To view Bob’s full statement, visit our news section.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 2:59 — 2.7MB)

Vice President of Government and Public Affairs Nina Ozlu Tunceli has recorded a podcast detailing the possibilities for federal action on funding for the arts in the upcoming week. On the short recording, Ozlu Tunceli explains the confusing budget process we currently find ourselves in and calls arts advocates into action to help make sure funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and other essential arts institutions and mechanisms remains in place for 2011 and beyond.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 12:09 — 11.1MB)

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts recently launched an innovative Early Childhood STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Learning Through the Arts initiative that builds upon its 30-year history developing and delivering early childhood arts education programs.

In this podcast, Arts Education Program Manager Tim Mikulski interviews Wolf Trap Foundation Senior Director of Education Mimi Flaherty Willis about the program. Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Download (Duration: 7:43 — 7.1MB)

In Part II of our conversation, Jeanne Sakamoto, Senior Program Officer at the James Irvine Foundation, and Marc Vogl, Program Officer at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, speak about leadership development in California and how their two foundations have partnered to help support the next generation of arts leaders.  This is a follow-up to the recent blog salon, New Strategies to Support Next Generation Leaders.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 6:21 — 5.8MB)

Jeanne Sakamoto, Senior Program Officer at the James Irvine Foundation, and Marc Vogl, Program Officer at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, speak about leadership development in California and how their two foundations have partnered to help support the next generation of arts leaders.  This is a follow-up to the recent blog salon, New Strategies to Support Next Generation Leaders.  In Part I of this podcast, Jeanne and Marc expand on some of the themes discussed in this salon.  Stay tuned this week for Part II.

Podcast: Download (0.0KB)

Bob Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts, discusses his recent participation in a symposium at Princeton University entitled “The Arts and the Economic Crisis.”  The symposium hosted a number of well-known names like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Peter Sellers, and Toni Morrison among many others.  In this ArtCast, he focuses on the discussion of how different arts organizations, from nonprofit arts to for-profit arts organizations, are dealing with the downturn in the economy.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:26 — 3.9MB)

In this podcast Bob Lynch, President & CEO of Americans for the Arts, discusses the need for comprehensive healthcare reform as it specifically relates to artists and arts organizations. He also addresses the strength of the arts as a therapeutic tool for health and recovery.

Americans for the Arts and other national partners have signed on to a statement supporting comprehensive healthcare reform. Be sure to contact your member of Congress in support of healthcare reform which incorporates the arts.

Every Friday you’ll find a new ArtCast audio blog, featuring the leaders of Americans for the Arts as they focus on important and timely topics that affect you and your arts community.

Podcast: Download (Duration: 7:41 — 7.0MB)

Mitch Menchaca, Senior Director of Programs at the Arizona Commission on the Arts, and Chair of the Emerging Leader Council, and Teniqua Broughton, Program Director at Free Arts Arizona, and Vice-Chair of the Emerging Leader Council both discuss the past ten years of the Emerging Leader Council, their own personal career trajectories, and offer advice to Emerging Leaders navigating this tough economy.

Take a listen, and please comment!  What advice do you have for young arts leaders working in this economy?

Listen to part 1 of the interview.

World-renowned trumpeter, composer and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis dazzled and inspired his audience with a moving lecture mixed with performance titled The Ballad of the American Arts. The 22nd Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts & Public Policy was presented to a capacity crowd at the Kennedy Center on the eve of Arts Advocacy Day. Marsalis’s lecture addressed the essential value of culture in the recalibration of American identity. After two standing ovations Marsalis wrapped up the evening with a lively performance with members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (Chris Crenshaw, trombone; Victor Goines, saxophone; Carlos Henriquez, bass; Ali Jackson, drums; and Dan Nimmer, piano).

Wynton Marsalis:2009 Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy from Americans for the Arts on Vimeo.

If an artist sings deep enough, he takes you to the frontiers of your soul.
—Wynton Marsalis, 2009 Nancy Hanks Lecturer

Podcast: Download (3.4MB)

Bob Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts, discusses the economic stimulus package before Congress and how its support of the arts and creative jobs is crucial.

ArtCast related resources:

• Arts Action Center
• Arts and national economic recovery

Bob Lynch, President & CEO of Americans for the Arts, discusses the upcoming election and how the ArtsVote initiative can help you make an informed decision when you place your vote on November 4th.

ArtCast related resources:

• Summary of 2008 Presidential Candidates Arts Positions
• Candidate Arts Policy Links
• 2008 Congressional Arts Report Card
• ArtsVote Audio/Video Page
• Arts Action Fund Website

The event in St. Paul during the Republican National Convention took place at the Minnesota Children’s Museum. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee moderated the panel which included featured speakers: Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS), Executive Director and CEO U.S. Conference of Mayors Tom Cochran; Emmy-award winning actor, dancer, choreographer, producer, director, and author Debbie Allen; Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne; John Rich, acclaimed country music singer, songwriter, and producer; and Missouri Governor Matt Blunt.

Learn more at www.ArtsVote.org.