The Vermont Arts Council contributed three questions to this year’s Vermonter Poll to learn how often its constituents participate in cultural activities, whether they support integrating the arts in K-12 public education and how much they value the arts as an important element of life in their community. The annual statewide telephone survey, first deployed…
The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts (NHSCA) is asking state residents to share stories—in 500 words or less—about the economic, educational and social benefits of the arts and culture in their communities. NHSCA is collecting these impact narratives as part of its contribution to the recently launched New Hampshire Commission to Study the Economic…
The Iowa Arts Council (IAC) marked the 35th anniversary of its Art in State Buildings (AiSB) program with a multifaceted, year-long commemoration centered on an exhibit about the history and evolution of Iowa’s public art. IAC developed the show, as well as its educators’ guide, in partnership with the State Historical Museum of Iowa. To…
This summer, the Minnesota State Arts Board (MSAB) supported a series of eight evaluation workshops to help artists and arts leaders leverage the power of analysis in support of their creative and organizational goals. The workshops focused on evaluation methods and practices that artists and arts organizations can use independently of grantee-reporting requirements to reflect…
To better understand and leverage the role of the arts in economic development and other public policies, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) recently launched the Arts & Culture Research Network. The primary goal of the new initiative, which RISCA is coleading with The Collaborative—a research- and policy-focused partnership of Rhode Island’s…
CREATE CA, a statewide arts education coalition, recently published a summary report of its work to improve California’s public schools through arts education. A Blueprint for Creative Schools distills CREATE CA’s findings and lays the foundation of a 21st-century model of education based on the pedagogical value of the arts and creativity. When CREATE CA…
The tradition of community dialogue and personal expression runs deep in Iowa, as Americans witness every four years when the state begins the nationwide presidential nomination process. Dynamic conversations about the future of the arts and culture are just as important to Iowans, which is why the Iowa Arts Council (IAC) has held the Iowan…
New Jersey recently marked a national milestone when it became the first state to include arts education in its annual assessment of public schools. While the State of New Jersey Department of Education’s comprehensive evaluation—its second ever—does not measure students’ grades or test scores in the arts, it does report on the percentage of high…
State arts agencies are always thinking about how best to communicate with the many constituencies they serve—including artists, legislators, other state officials and taxpayers. Developing and disseminating publications, such as annual reports, strategic plans and performance evaluations, can engender particular communication challenges. Lately, NASAA has noticed interesting examples of how state arts agencies have packaged…
In December, the Texas Cultural Trust published a report quantifying the economic impact of the state’s creative sector, its arts and culture industries, and its cultural tourism. Update 2012: The Impact of Arts and Culture Industries on the Texas Economy is the latest addition to a suite of materials—shared with state arts agencies at an…
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