The City of San Diego’s Post

I recently came across Alan Harrison's post, "The Mellon Foundation Did a Nice Thing. Next Time, Look at Where the Action Is." It sparked reflections on the state of philanthropy and the dynamics within the arts community. 🔹 It's evident that there's a tendency to gravitate towards established names and proven results (in the world of philanthropy). However, this often means smaller, innovative organizations miss out on much-needed support. We must recognize that every large organization started small, and the bootstrap mentality isn't always feasible when survival hinges on financial backing. 🔹 While the artistic elements of our organizations are vital, we can't ignore the pressing issues of our time. Arts organizations must be intersectional, addressing societal challenges like government, war, gun violence, and hate. As Atlanta's Out of Hand Theater realized, sometimes what a community truly needs is justice, not just another theater company. 🔹 I believe arts organizations should actively engage with and perform in the communities they serve. Why not take performances to local venues, festivals, or block parties? This fosters connections on the community's terms, moving beyond the notion of "build it, and they will come." 🔹 Scaling and sustainability are often discussed in broad terms, but what about thriving at the local level? There's immense value in being content with local impact and nurturing strong community ties. 🔹 We need to shift our support towards organizations where service work is integral, not just an add-on for funding purposes. Genuine community impact should drive our efforts, not just compliance with grant requirements. 🔹 Chris, a commenter, pointed out that grant-making processes often force organizations into a box, dictating programs and goals that may not align with their true mission, hindering genuine community engagement and innovation. Read Alan's post for more. #Arts #Culture #Philanthropy #Foundations #Leadership #Experimentation #Scale #Sustainability #Relevancy #AudienceEngagement #CommunityEngagement #Service #Education #Grantmaking #Intersectionality #Innovation

Ahead of #MiamiArtWeek, read more about the #CityOfMiamiBeach's economic impact of nonprofit art and cultural organizations: https://lnkd.in/ex2KQrSF

I appreciate Alex Freeman for sharing this article about the history of non-profits arts funding. https://lnkd.in/g6sdFuD7 The funding of non-profit performing arts continues to be a challenge across the US, precisely because of the spectrum of attitudes towards the arts, "declining leisure time, slippage in middle class prosperity, and the constant pressure of new entertainment technologies..." Not to mention, it is convenient to travel to other arts destinations like New York, Santa Fe, etc--places where the communities have invested heavily into their arts identity. In most US cities and communities, we are less that one generation from seeing our cultural, visual, and performing arts disappear. You see this in the ethnic European cultural arts first. Many communities have lost their cultural identity due to lack of interest, lack of participation, or replacement by something more contemporary--like sports or competitive dance culture. The entities that continue to thrive are those who established endowments to carry them through difficult times and that have individuals and groups that are dedicated to promoting and presenting the arts.

Take some time to read this brilliant article from folks doing some of the most important work there is, reweaving culture, politics and economics to build power for transformation.

"Too often, community organizing, and arts and cultural organizing are viewed as distinct and separate rather than inextricably intertwined. In philanthropy, foundations often put these efforts into different funding streams—and can sow division by fostering competition for resources. If we divorce governance from culture, we end up with institutions and developments that lack the context of our rich, meaningful history." In this piece for Nonprofit Quarterly, Jessica Norwood, Allen Kwabena Frimpong, Tia Oso, and Nwamaka Agbo, MPA collectively reflect on the essential role that art and culture play in reclaiming neighborhoods and communities. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gHdNyuHf

Philanthropy and Arts & Culture institutions have the power to bring about significant change by addressing funding inequalities. By examining the dynamics of donor relations, museum exhibitions, and the struggles faced by theaters, we can begin to shift cultural hierarchies and create a more equitable society. One example of how philanthropy can make a difference is by supporting underfunded arts programs in BIPOC communities. By providing financial resources and opportunities for artists and performers in these areas, we can help level the playing field and ensure that everyone has access to the arts. Read our Op-Ed by Monica Fernandez to learn about the internal assessment of upending cultural hierarchies in Arts and culture: https://buff.ly/3qPAyDZ

The Pathways Program is about sector change - to help make arts, culture, and heritage spaces safer for the humans who work, volunteer, and participate in the arts. From the people who are leading change within our sector, to the ones that want to spark change but don’t know where to begin, the Pathways Program offers a learning-to-action approach to support systems change within your organization’s specific context. In recent years, our sector has worked to become more equitable and just, but there is far more we need to do individually, in our organizations, and at a sector level. This work is ongoing and requires intentional steps to take statements and values into action. The Pathways Program seeks to bring together a community of learners to make a shared commitment to implementing principles of equity and access in arts, culture, and heritage organizations in BC. On June 25th we are excited to share more information about this program, guidelines for applying, and a timeline for the 2024/2025 program. Visit www.manypathways.ca to join our mailing list. —------ Image Description: A white square featuring the Pathways Program logo at the bottom. Text at the top reads: "Want to learn more? Register for our upcoming info session: June 25th, 2pm PDT." Behind the text is an image of a country path, with a green field on the left side, a row of trees on the right, and sun shining through a cloudy sky. BC Museums Association, Rural Arts Inclusion Lab, GVPTA Theatre and Arts BC’s logos are featured bottom right. #Pathways #ArtsBC #BCArtsCouncil #BCMuseumsAssociation #GVPTATheatre #RuralArtsInclusionLab #BCArts #BCNonprofit #NonprofitArts #CommunityArts #Equity #Accessibility #Nonprofit #NonprofitLeadership #ProfessionalDevelopment #SectorChange

📢 NYC cultural nonprofits: it’s time to apply for the next cycle of the Cultural Development Fund (CDF)! Open to eligible non-profit arts and cultural organizations, the CDF is the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs’ annual grantmaking process that supports a broad, multidisciplinary group of diverse non-profit cultural organizations for their public programming. Each year we receive hundreds of applications for programmatic funding from groups working across the five boroughs and convene panels of individuals with expertise in NYC’s cultural community to review all eligible applications. This public support for cultural activity is intended to reach New Yorkers in every corner of the city, so eligible groups are encouraged to apply. Potential applicants should attend a CDF application webinar, four of which will be offered on the following dates: Thursday, May 30, 10:30am Wednesday, June 5, 6:00pm Monday, June 10, 3:00pm Thursday, June 20, 12:30pm The Fiscal Year 2025 CDF application deadline is Thursday, June 27, 2024, at 5:00pm (ET)❗ Learn more at on.nyc.gov/CDFapply. NYC’s cultural sector is an economic engine that generates $110 billion in economic activity and strengthens communities in every corner of New York. The museums, performing arts centers, historical societies, galleries, and many other nonprofits we support are the backbone of this critical sector. The Adams administration knows that investing in culture means investing in New Yorkers, and in a safer, more vibrant city for everyone. #NYCulture #CulturalDevelopmentFund #NYC

Whenever Mandy Van Deven writes something, I'm eager to pour some tea and get to reading. Her latest piece written with Jody Myrum is a cogent amalgamation of collective wisdom about how to fund narrative ecosystems. It models the very guidance it uplifts – that narrative change is fundamentally a collective endeavor – by sharing insights from a wide range of narrative practitioners. Thank you both for sharing these learnings with us! "Philanthropy plays a critical role in the narrative ecosystem. Funders need to make sustained contributions to narrative power building across generations—because that is the time horizon on which narrative change takes place. In addition to making long-term, unrestricted grants—a practice that grantmakers can adopt immediately—funders need to provide resources in a way that centers the ecosystem rather than individual organizations." https://lnkd.in/eYaPtik8

For anyone not familiar with nonprofit arts budgets, please be clear: the price of your ticket typically covers 20-30% of the cost of your seat. And that’s for the show you choose to see. Grant funding covers the ability for arts organizations to take risks with the art many people don’t see. To create theater and dance and sculpture that challenges its viewer to think. To critique. To see the world differently. Make no mistake—what Florida has done is not purely a budget cut. It is state-sanctioned censorship masked as fiscal prudency. It’s Crappy Funding Practices without even pretending not to be.