One major premise that has persisted through the four decades since the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) jump-started the creation and funding of state arts agencies is that the primary vehicles through which government would provide access and excellence in the arts would be not-for-profit, tax exempt organizations. In a changing environment, even this…
NASAA has a working definition of collaboration that includes mutual identification of a priority, shared design of an approach, and joint contribution of resources. In collaborations between the NEA and the state arts agencies, we also look for federal and state roles that complement each other and provide what each can contribute uniquely toward a…
I find that using a few key terms as points of departure for discussion about the role of the public sector in any aspect of American life, including the arts, helps to keep the focus on a number of critical questions. It’s interesting to note how the meaning of “public” in each term is different…
Tough Choices or Tough Times: The Report of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce is the title of a report from the National Center on Education and the Economy, produced after a research project of almost two years was conducted in 14 countries by 19 staff. Dr. Susan Sclafani, a member…
The president’s budget request for NEA FY 2008 includes some new provisions of special interest to state arts agencies (SAAs). Chief of these is language that consolidates the Challenge America and American Masterpiece grant amounts within the Basic Plan and Underserved components of the Partnership Agreements. While the grant application narratives will still describe how…
There is new and compelling research about the health benefits deriving from participation in the arts by senior adults. This research has obvious and very significant implications for return on investment in both social and financial terms. I call your attention to the report entitled The Creativity and Aging Study: The Impact of Professionally Conducted…
Much is now being written about how the recent mid-term Congressional elections have changed the prospects for future policy. In his Legislative Memo of November 13, NASAA Legislative Counsel Tom Birch noted how some of the changes affect support for the arts and reminded us how important it is that the arts community establish and…
The NASAA Leadership Institute provided many memorable experiences. The challenging presentations, topical workshops, peer group dialogues, the approval of NASAA’s strategic plan, the unique Alaskan environment, and the remarkable performances and exhibitions arranged by the Alaska State Council on the Arts and their colleagues made for a great combination of learning, accomplishment and enjoyment. I…
During the upcoming NASAA Leadership Institute in Anchorage, Alaska, members will consider for approval the Strategic Plan that will guide the association’s activities for the next few years. I thank the many members who contributed their ideas and opinions to the strategic planning process. Only with your engagement can NASAA represent you accurately and effectively,…
Public policy makers and arts managers the world over are challenged to sustain those artists and arts organizations whose mission is grounded in live performance and actual objects, but not pop culture. This task is particularly problematic in the United States, where the values and beliefs that make up our national identity are not popularly…
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