The Biden administration signed the American Rescue Plan Act or ARP, which is a $1.9 trillion package in response to the COVID-19 crisis. How can funders and grantees use this opportunity to reimagine arts education? In this podcast we are joined by Jamie Kasper, director, Arts Education Partnership; Alex Nock, principal, Penn Hill Group; Aileen Ma, director, Penn Hill Group; and Nadia Elokdah, Grantmakers in the Arts vice president and director of Programs, to discuss the opportunity provided by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021. Click here to listen!
Referenced resource: tinyurl.com/ESSERtables

Podcast #32: The American Rescue Plan Act: A timely opportunity for arts education

In our recently released report, Solidary not Charity: Arts & Culture Grantmaking in the Solidarity Economy(https://www.giarts.org/solidarity-not-charity), we point out the importance of commitment to long-term work with multiyear grants, loans, and equity investments for solidarity economy institutions and networks. But how is this done with a racial equity and justice lens? Learn more from Anna Raginskaya, investment advisor, Morgan Stanley, and Quita Sullivan, senior program director for Theater, New England Foundation for the Arts and GIA board member.

Podcast #33: A Just Transition for Investing in Arts and Culture

As GIA reflects over the past year, we cannot help but look back at the work and recommendations that so many funders offered when we launched our coronavirus response programming in 2020. The conversation and insight that was shared with the GIA community ignited and energized funders to begin and continue their support for individual artists and arts organizations. But what has happened since then? We are glad to welcome back Laura Aden Packer, executive director, Howard Gillman Foundation, and James Hafferman, deputy director, CERF+, to the GIA podcast. They will share how things have been going since began our coronavirus response programming in Spring 2020.

Podcast #34: Coronavirus Response: Where are they now?

We’re circling back on the American Rescue Plan, and we are talking about progressive creative worker policies. Learn how these inspirational leaders are supporting arts organizations and individual artists. We are joined by Gonzalo Casals, commissioner, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; Deborah Cullinan, CEO, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA); Randy Engstrom, collaborative arts leader and board member of Grantmakers in the Arts; and Emil Kang, program director for Arts and Culture, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Podcast #35: The American Rescue Plan Act: All policy is cultural policy

Grantmakers continue to reckon with the difficulty of gathering accurate data around racial equity funding. To address this, Grantmakers in the Arts is participating in the Racial Equity Coding Project. In the first episode of this three-part podcast series, learn about the project from Susan Feder, program officer, Arts and Culture, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Adam Fong, program officer, Performing Arts, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; and Maurine Knighton, program director, Arts, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. They discuss why the project started, their experience with the earliest iterations of the coding measures, and how their reflections will inform steps forward. Stay tuned for an opportunity to get involved!

Podcast #36: The Racial Equity Coding Project: Unpacking The “Why”

In this podcast, the GIA Support for Individual Artist Committee co-chairs Ce Scott-Fitts, artist development director, South Carolina Arts Commission and Celeste Smith, senior program officer, Arts and Culture, The Pittsburgh Foundation will give you a snapshot of what the committee has been working on, and what you can look forward to for this year. You will also receive a sneak peak into the committee’s theme for 2022, mental health and health care for artists. We will also hear from special guest, Dr. David Fakunle, CEO, DiscoverMe/RecoverME; adjunct assistant professor, University of Florida. He will share his insights on the topic of health care for artists, and he will reinforce a much-needed perspective around how we value and support artists.

Podcast #37: The GIA Support for Individual Artist Committee: What’s New for 2022?

Grantmakers in the Arts is participating in the Racial Equity Coding Project, which was kicked off with a culmination of research led by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) with Callahan Consulting for the Arts (CCA). The project has given funders an opportunity to examine and refine their own coding practices and to consider new data collection measures for the future.
In the second episode of this three-part series, we are glad to be joined by Eleanor Savage, program director, Jerome Foundation and Tiffany Wilhelm, program officer/operations, Opportunity Fund. They discuss their experience with the Racial Equity Coding Project’s “By, For, and About” Framework, and the importance of including nuance in the process. Stay tuned for an opportunity to get involved!

Podcast #38: The Racial Equity Coding Project: The Necessity of Nuance

Grantmakers in the Arts is participating in the Racial Equity Coding Project, which was kicked off with a culmination of research led by Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF) with Callahan Consulting for the Arts (CCA). The project has given funders an opportunity to examine and refine their own coding practices and to consider new data collection measures for the future. In this third episode, we are glad to be joined by Eddie Torres, president and CEO, Grantmakers in the Arts. He closes our series with his reflections as the leader of a philanthropy-serving organization, and his hopes for the next steps of the project. He also offers a unique opportunity for you to get involved! Email Eddie at eddie@giarts.org for more information.

Podcast #39: The Racial Equity Coding Project: The Path Ahead

Grantmakers in the Arts continues discussions centered around arts and technology. The unique intersection between arts and technology has proven to be influential for all people (whether patron, funder, artist, or other) as we navigate the quickly evolving mediums for sharing information and shaping culture. Technology is not neutral, so how should funders target their dollars in order to advance the growth of arts and culture towards justice? 

We are glad to kick off a series of artist-led conversations around this topic. We asked all of the artists the question, “how can the intersection of arts and technology contribute to a racially just future, and what do funders need to know?” and we are glad to share this series of artist talks.

In our first episode of the series, we are joined by Stephanie Dinkins, artist and educator, who will speak to her perspective.

Podcast #42: Arts + Tech: Artists Respond ft. Stephanie Dinkins

Intermediary organizations hold a special role in the arts and culture sector. They are multifaceted partners with intimate connections to the artists they serve. However, as the sector continues to shift to meet the needs of artists, how can the sector respond in partnership and solidarity? 

We are glad to hear from Sage Crump, director of Racial Justice and Movement Building, National Performance Network (NPN), and Quita Sullivan, program director for Theater, New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA). They will discuss what is at stake and propose a shared vision for the future.

Podcast #48: Partnership and Solidarity with Intermediaries

GIA Reader 
“Soothing the Itch” 
November 2023 Issue
Edited by Conrhonda E. Baker
Founder & Chief Copy Editor, The Bese Saka

Soothing the Itch: Soothing the Itch

GIA Reader 
“Soothing the Itch” 
November 2023 Issue
Edited by Conrhonda E. Baker

What do we mean when we say community? 🤔 by Sarah Lewitus

Soothing the Itch: What do we mean when we say community? 🤔

GIA Reader 
“Soothing the Itch” 
November 2023 Issue
Edited by Conrhonda E. Baker

A Conversation Among Friends by Meena Malik and Quita Sullivan followed by Intention Setting Meditation with Meena Malik

Soothing the Itch: A Conversation Among Friends

GIA Reader 
“Soothing the Itch” 
November 2023 Issue
Edited by Conrhonda E. Baker

What You Need to Understand Is... by Aaron L. McKinney

Soothing the Itch: What You Need to Understand Is...

GIA Reader 
“Soothing the Itch” 
November 2023 Issue
Edited by Conrhonda E. Baker

Untethered Reflections: Artists Navigating Late-Stage Capitalism by Alejandra Duque Cifuentes, Brinda Guha, Gonzalo Casals, j, bouey, Yanira Castro

Soothing the Itch: Untethered Reflections: Artists Navigating Late-Stage Capitalism

Soothing the Itch: Epilogue

Grantmakers in the Arts hosted the first GIA Black Arts Funding Summit in December of 2022. This virtual gathering of 113 artists, arts administrators, and funders allowed attendees to acknowledge and understand the long histories of exclusion, disenfranchisement, and disendowing in the philanthropic sector. The event featured Black artists and funders who spoke about their personal and professional experiences and shared strategies and tips for reconciling harm. 

One year later, we are continuing the conversation with two funders and elevating new considerations after one year. We are glad to have Rasu Jilani, executive director of Brooklyn Arts Council, and Anthony Simmons, senior director of Institutional Partnerships, Resilia, joining us to share their thoughts on what’s next for Black arts funding and what that means for equity and self-determination.

#50: Black Arts Funding In 2023

In mid-March, a legal debrief publicized by Daniel Singh, the Executive Director of  Metro Arts Nashville was brought to the attention of GIA. The document outlined the ongoing battle between the arts council and the city’s government. When the Metro Council did not pass Metro Arts’ FY 2024 budget, they met to reassess their funding, during which the majority of the council supported their anticipated surplus of $2 million to be dedicated to Thrive artists. The Thrive program seeks to “connect artists and organizations with the community to create investments, cultural connections, and transformations,” and supports many artists of color. Five days following the Supreme Court’s decision barring affirmative action practices or considerations in university admissions, Metro Arts was challenged by Metro Legal that, “their actions violated the Equal Protection Clause, and, therefore, were unconstitutional,” as a result of the race-conscious data and discussion. This led to a revote which resulted in a decision to cut the already promised funding to Thrive program recipients. 

In this podcast, GIA program manager Jaime Sharp spoke with Metro Arts Nashville Executive Director Daniel Singh, and two grantees, Lydia Yousief, Elmahaba Center, Director, and Sangeetha Ekambaram, Multidisciplinary artist and Western classical singer. We explore how public funding can continue to center artists of color following the barring of affirmative action practices or considerations in university admissions, the importance of speaking up for your community and acknowledging artist labor, and how funders can hold themselves accountable and maintain awareness of their complicity.

Recorded on March 27, 2024

#51: Applying Anti-Racist Frameworks in Government Agencies Part 1

#52: Applying Anti-Racist Frameworks in Government Agencies Part 2

Disaster readiness may not be glamorous, but its significance becomes paramount in times of crisis. Just like our ongoing efforts to foster a sustainable and resilient cultural ecosystem, it demands our attention. As stated by Ruby Lopez Harper from Craft Emergency Relief Fund, "Disaster preparedness, encompassing readiness, relief, response, and recovery, is a vital yet frequently neglected practice."

In this podcast, Ruby Lopez Harper from Craft Emergency Relief Fund and Jan Newcomb and Mollie Quinlan-Hayes from National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response (NCAPER) spoke with GIA program manager Jaime Sharp on FEMA’s changing rules for artists and creative entrepreneurs. They discuss what drove FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to make these decisions and what the transition will look like as these changes go into effect. Tune in to discover how funders who support artists directly can help them build their resiliency and work collaboratively to incorporate crisis management as part of funder and artist practice.

This podcast was recorded on May 14, 2024.

#53: Unveiling Resiliency: Navigating FEMA’s Shifting Rules for Artists

We speak with Eric Booth with author and educator Eric Booth on the field of teaching artistry and what the US can learn from abroad to increase arts education access for all children. Read his article, The Time Has Come for a National Field of Teaching Artistry (http://www.giarts.org/article/time-has-come-national-field-teaching-artistry) published in the Fall 2015 edition of GIA Reader. Recorded June 23, 2016.

Podcast #5: Eric Booth

We speak with Wendy Hsu, PhD, Senior Project Coordinator and Digital Strategist at the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA). They share some of the innovative research projects that DCA has been embarking on to collect more meaningful data that is driven and used by staff in different city departments and Los Angeles community members. This includes the digital literacy incubator project, Lab at DCA (http://dcaredesign.org/lab/).

Podcast #8: Wendy Hsu

We kicked off our Arts Advocacy series last month and we are excited to provide more insight on how you can become an arts advocate. This podcast features Eddie Torres, Grantmakers in the Arts president & CEO, Kerry McCarthy, GIA board vice chair and New York Community Trust program director of Thriving Communities: Arts and Historic Preservation and, E. San San Wong, GIA board member and Barr Foundation director of Arts and Creativity. They take a deeper dive into a discussion about what foundations and funders can do to support advocacy and lobbying efforts, and strategies for funders in the current national landscape.

Podcast #12: Eddie Torres, Kerry McCarthy, and E. San San Wong on Arts Advocacy

In this podcast, Grantmakers in the Arts welcomes you to Oakland, home to vibrant creatives, diverse communities, a heritage of activism, and the home of the GIA’s 2018 annual conference Race, Space, Place. We speak with Nadia Elokdah, Grantmakers in the Arts deputy director and director of programs; Roberto Bedoya, Cultural Affairs manager for the City of Oakland, California; and Shelley Trott, director, Arts Strategy &amp; Ventures, Kenneth Rainin Foundation. They give us some background on the city of Oakland, tell us why this is the best city or “town” for the 2018 GIA Conference: Race, Space, and Place (http://conference.giarts.org), and what we can expect at the conference.

Podcast #14: Welcome to Oakland! Nadia Elokdah, Shelley Trott, and Roberto Bedoya

In this podcast, Grantmakers in the Arts gives you a front row seat into the Support for Individual Artist (SfIA) Committee. Never heard of the committee? Now is your chance to learn about it from the GIA Support for Individual Artist co-chairs, Adrianna Gallego, chief operating officer, National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures, and Eleanor Savage, program director, Jerome Foundation. They will discuss the committee’s latest data project, upcoming programming, and share what you can expect in the coming year. Continue reading for a few sentiments from exiting committee members.

 “In 2007 I was drafting a new mission and designing the inaugural programs for 3Arts, and I remember hunting and pecking on the Internet to try to find organizations that directly funded artists and from which I could draw inspiration. It wasn’t an easy task, to say the least. After locating a few of these rare birds, I was subsequently invited to join the SfIA committee and there, lo and behold, I discovered a determined group of iconoclasts who were advocating for the expansion of artist support. The committee was (and still is) an infusion of fuel for me and, of course, for 3Arts. By 2012, hooked on sharing ideas, practices, and dreams, I became a committee co-chair. As I exit stage left, I am enduringly inspired by the committee and our growing field and grateful that I won’t have to conduct random Internet searches to know where to find a hub of leaders who truly and deeply understand the value of supporting individual artists.”
Esther Grimm, 3Arts

“I first learned about the important work of the Support for Individual Artists committee when I attended my first GIA conference in Chicago in 2010 (the committee had a different name then). At that conference, GIA (through the leadership of the then SFIA committee members) shared a draft position paper on the value and importance of supporting individual artists. I was fortunate that my employer at Rasmuson Foundation was already established as a committed funder for individual artists, but this draft paper and stated commitment by the broader arts funding field was deeply influential on me. It provided a defining moment and clarity to reinforce the values I already held in my role in arts philanthropy, and as a strong case to engage others who expressed interest in the direct support of artists, but who may have been unsure how to pursue those interests further. Through subsequent years SFIA served as an anchor to consistently and unabashedly stake a claim in directing support to artists and to build a broader and even more just community to share in that claim and commitment. I consider myself extremely fortunate for the privilege of serving the arts funding field through my participation with the committee, and proud of what has been accomplished since my first encounter with this incredible group of colleagues, and the many connections made with artists throughout. I hope GIA will be able to carry on this ongoing commitment in perpetuity.”
Jayson Smart, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

“This group was a vital part of me being effective and thoughtful about the work I was doing locally. In my time since moving to a more national role, this group has maintained an on the ground practitioner connection that is so valuable. I appreciated the candid and honest conversations that were had for the way they made me feel not so alone and, on some days, finding that much needed validation that I wasn’t crazy for thinking of doing the work in the way I was doing it.”
Ruby Harper, Americans for the Arts

Podcast #15: What’s the Buzz with the GIA Support for Individual Artist Committee?

In this podcast, Jeff Chang, vice president of Narrative, Arts, and Culture at Race Forward is interviewed by Eddie Torres, president and CEO of Grantmakers in the Arts. He speaks about narrative change as strategy, cultural shifts and how these evolve to impact human behaviors, and his own critiques of pop culture. Chang wraps up with what funders can consider.

Podcast #16: Narrative Change and Unpacking Pop Culture

In this podcast, Zeyba Rahman, senior program officer for the Building Bridges Program, an extension of the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art; Josh Seftel, filmmaker and also creator of “The Secret Life of Muslims” series; Hussein Rashid, adjunct faculty member in the Department of Religion at Barnard College who focuses his research on Muslim and American pop culture; and Negin Farsad, Iranian-American writer and comedian who you can find on Netflix, HBO, and other media platforms, are interviewed by Nadia Elokdah, deputy director and director of programs of Grantmakers in the Arts. They discuss their recent film, The History of Muslims in the US (https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000006252817/muslim-united-states-history-islam.html), and share how they have used creative methods for shifting narratives and culture as a strategy towards equity.

Podcast #17: Narrative Change Through Satirical Storytelling

Welcome to Denver!
Grantmakers in the Arts welcomes you to Denver, where collaboration is a way of life and culture is found everywhere from small local breweries to the largest museums. The vibrancy of Denver’s cultural community is visible throughout its street art, the independent music scene, community theater, musical classrooms, a deep spoken word tradition, and eclectic arts districts. 

In this podcast, Nadia Elokdah, deputy director and director of programs at Grantmakers in the Arts, speaks with conference co-chairs Gary Steuer, president & CEO of Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, and Ginger White, executive director of Denver Arts and Venues of the City and County of Denver, about what you can expect at the conference. Click here to listen!

Podcast #19: Welcome to Denver, Ginger White Brunetti and Gary Steuer

As a part of the continued efforts of Grantmakers in the Arts to center racial equity, we are glad to introduce the first Grantmakers in the Arts Racial Equity Podcast Series! To kick us off, Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) president & CEO Eddie Torres discusses why GIA values and centers racial equity via a stroll through the history of arts funding, a review of ways that GIA is collaborating with others to continue centering racial equity in concrete ways both within the GIA and externally, and how GIA will continue this creative collaboration in order to continue the work across sectors.

Podcast #20: Centering Racial Equity in Arts Funding

This podcast is a part of the 2020 Grantmakers in the Arts Racial Equity Podcast Series. In this podcast, we hear from Adriana Rios, director of programs, National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC), and Luisa Martinez, socially-engaged artist, Artivistas in Residencia, Otros Dreams en Acción (ODA). They will discuss how funders can be more supportive to immigrant and migrant artists, and what to keep in mind when supporting artists of border communities in the US.

Podcast #21: Supporting Immigrant Artists and Border Communities

In this podcast episode, we are glad to have the Walidah Imarisha, a writer, educator, poet, and the artist who coined the term “visionary fiction.” We are also glad to have Lisa Yancey, an entrepreneurial strategist, president of Yancey Consulting, and author of the Thrivability Report which discusses sustainability versus thrivability for historically disinvested arts and culture organizations! We are glad to have them joining us. In this episode we will discuss ways to radically build towards a new normal, how to think differently about the future, and ways to put it these ideas into action.

Podcast #26: True Commitment to Radical Imagination

In this podcast episode, we are glad to have Denise Brown, executive director of Leeway Foundation, and A. Sparks, chief executive officer of the Masto Foundation! We are glad to hear from two foundation leaders on what it looks like to live a commitment to challenge power structures that are deeply rooted in the philanthropic sector and keeping community needs at the center.

Podcast # 27: Radical Practice: Turning Over Power in Foundations

In this podcast episode, we are glad to have Deborah Fisher, executive director, A Blade of Grass, and Shaun Leonardo, American artist and performer best known for his work exploring the relationships between masculinity, sports, race, and culture. They will discuss how funders can center racial equity and they will provide a frame for addressing issues of policing, mass incarceration, and criminal justice with an arts and culture lens.

Podcast # 28: The Role of The Arts in Criminal Justice and Policing

In this podcast episode, we are glad to have two guests from the John D. and Catherine T. MacAurthur Foundation. Listen to hear form Aisha Edwards, program officer, Criminal Justice Team and Lauren Pabst, senior program officer, Journalism and Media Team. Through this discussion we will dive into the ways MacArthur has prioritized criminal justice and incarceration justice efforts via media and narrative support and partnerships.

Podcast # 29: Strategic Communication for Justice

In this podcast, Activating Our Power After the Election, Eddie Torres, president & CEO of Grantmakers in the Arts, and Kristen Cambell, executive director of Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE), discuss the responsibility of funders to support advocacy, lobbing, and overall civic engagement after the election.

Podcast #30: Activating Our Power After the Election

In this podcast, Developing a Liberatory Consciousness in Funding, we’re glad to have Dr. Barbara J. Love, consultant, author, lecturer, and the founder of the framework, Liberatory Conscious, joining us. She will discuss how to develop a Liberatory Consciousness mindset that can lead us to more drastic change both within our institutions and outside of them. Intro music: "Barge" by Ketsa.

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