The Oklahoma Arts Council (OAC) kicked off its new Arts and the Military Initiative in February when it deployed a survey to assess the existing connections between the state’s arts and military communities as well as to determine what it can do to multiply and strengthen them. According to the survey results, there is a…
The impact of Hurricane Sandy on New Jersey was devastating, and the state’s arts industry was not spared. The 2012 storm destroyed nonprofit arts venues as well as the homes, businesses and studios of artists, leaving in its wake the dual challenge of rebuilding structures and recovering business and revenue loss. With an eye toward…
Last year, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) conducted a gap analysis of arts education in the state and concluded that what arts teachers most need are basic supplies for their classroom. In response, MCACA launched its Art Equipment and Supplies Grant. Through this program, which is administered by MCACA’s partner, the…
The Ohio Arts Council (OAC) began its Arts & Autism Initiative in 2012 after a constituent asked about arts activities in Ohio geared toward young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Since then, OAC and VSA Ohio, the state organization on arts and disability, have partnered to better support this underserved community. By establishing an…
The California Arts Council (CAC), in partnership with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), is heading up a revived state commitment to bringing the arts into correctional facilities in effort to reduce inmate recidivism, improve inmate behavior, and foster the development of life skills such as self-discipline, patience and conflict resolution. Through its…
The California Arts Council (CAC) has created six new programs with an extra $2 million in one-time funds from the California State Assembly. The $2-million supplement, which was allocated from a discretionary fund via a budget bill passed in July, brought CAC’s total fiscal year 2014 budget to $7 million. With the boon of its…
New York’s Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) program, which began in 2011, is a “community-based, bottom up” effort to create jobs and grow the economy. Through the program, the state government provides funding in 10 regions through 26 programs run by various state agencies, including the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). Last…
In addition to incorporating diversity into their own policies and programming, state arts agencies can encourage their grantees and other stakeholders to commit to practices that foster cultural awareness and inclusiveness. A recent example of this can be found in the Mississippi Arts Commission’s (MAC) Diversity Toolkit, which offers guidance on how grantees can make…
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…
The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) has been making public meetings available through webcast since 2007. Constituents have the option of watching a meeting live or at a later time through the on-demand archive. Currently viewers can watch and listen to council meetings, various committee meetings and appeals panels. The on-demand archive…
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