Illinois: Charting the Future of Arts Organizations
With the assistance of the Illinois Arts Council (IAC), cultural organizations across the state of Illinois have come together to assess their needs and identify possible new pathways to success in a climate characterized by uncertain economics, new demographics and a rapid pace of change. The Arts & Business Council of Chicago, in collaboration with […]
Kentucky: Facilitating Fund-raising On-line
The Kentucky Arts Council (KAC) and the Fund for the Arts are helping arts organizations in Kentucky and southern Indiana develop contributed income through power2give.org. Power2give is an initiative of the Arts & Science Council in Charlotte, North Carolina, designed to address changing trends in philanthropic giving. The initiative provides a mechanism for securing on-line […]
West Virginia: Partnership with the VH1 Save The Music Foundation
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation are collaborating to provide musical instruments for qualified K-8 schools in every county in the state. As part of its goal of restoring instrumental music education to public schools, the Foundation has provided $48 million in new musical instruments to […]
Rhode Island: Raising Money through Crowdfunding
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) is offering a new workshop on crowdfunding for artists. Based on the idea that many small contributions can combine to provide significant capital for creative business endeavors, crowdfunding is a strategy in which artists and entrepreneurs mine their networks and audiences to raise funds and develop […]
Mississippi: Creative Economy
In collaboration with the Mississippi Development Authority, the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) recently unveiled the Mississippi’s Creative Economy website. Designed to educate business leaders, policymakers and the public about the importance of creativity to the state’s economy, the site contains resources about the role of the arts and culture in creating jobs and broadening economic […]
Georgia: Tourism Product Development Grants
Georgia Council for the Arts and Georgia Tourism, both divisions of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, have combined resources to offer Tourism Product Development (TPD) grants. TPD grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded in fiscal year 2012 to support the role of the arts in tourism by providing financial assistance to Georgia’s creative economies, […]
Oklahoma: Gang Prevention Partnership
An Oklahoma City Police Department program is using the arts to stop kids from joining gangs. Through a partnership with the Oklahoma Arts Council (OAC), the Oklahoma City Police Department’s gang prevention program—Family Awareness and Community Teamwork (FACT)—has added arts activities as positive alternatives for local youth at two Oklahoma City community centers. The program […]
North Carolina: SmART Cities / SmART Towns Initiative
The North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC) is spearheading a collaborative initiative for arts-driven economic development: SmART Cities/SmART Towns. SmART Cities/SmART Towns is about using the arts, design and culture to strengthen the economies of North Carolina’s communities. A task force comprised of business, civic, government and arts leaders recently released a draft framework for the […]
Mississippi: Moving toward the Art of Good Health
The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) recently received $125,000 to extend the reach of its Moving toward the Art of Good Health (MTAGH) initiative, which embeds ballroom dancing into 6th-grade health or physical education classes. In addition to teaching ballroom dance steps and social etiquette, the program teaches students about health and nutrition and provides experiences […]
Maine: Maine-New Brunswick Cultural Initiative
The state of Maine recently entered into an international agreement with its neighboring Canadian province of New Brunswick. Maine’s governor and New Brunswick’s premier signed a formal memorandum of understanding to establish a Maine-New Brunswick Cultural Initiative that will: encourage cultural business and tourism opportunities, enhance cultural information exchange, streamline the border-crossing process for artists, […]