Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Blog

Four Years Later, Alcoa Foundation Leadership Grants Show Big Impact

2009-12-21T12:00:00.004-05:00

by David Seals

Four years after the Alcoa Foundation launched a pilot re-granting program through the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, we’re asking grantees to reevaluate the professional growth experiences made possible by this funding stream—and the initial results indicate strong impact.
Of those surveyed, one hundred percent agreed or strongly agreed that the experience gave them valuable connections with peers that they have utilized or will utilize in the future. All respondents also agreed or strongly agreed that they were able to step outside of the day-to-day and consider some big issues/challenges in their work. When asked if they would have been able to participate in this opportunity if it weren’t for the Alcoa funds, eighty-three percent indicated no.

Some grantees in their own words:

“I raise my entire budget, including my salary, from grants. I definitely did not have a professional development budget.... The Alcoa Grant meant a great deal to me. It's almost a year later and I have been able to establish a network of colleagues from all over the U.S.”
“By broadening organizational capacity...and increasing the professional skills of the administrators...the Alcoa Grant is strengthening the cultural landscape of the region in a very real way.”

“It was invaluable being able to connect with others in my field and keep that communication going; knowing what is going on in other theaters around the country helps us to keep production costs down and give/receive help from other organizations. It would have been difficult/not possible for me to attend the conference without the generous funds received from the Alcoa Grant—thank you.”

“Professional development opportunities allow staff to gain perspective and inspiration.... The Alcoa grants remove one of the barriers for participation in these valuable programs.”
“What a wonderful opportunity! I was able to attend an international conference to learn from others and benchmark our own success! A great way to gain perspective on the impact of our programs and operations while discovering some new idea, technology and colleagues! This would NEVER have been possible without the grant. We couldn't have even thought about being able to attend without your valuable financial support and I thank you so much! It means quite a lot to our small -but growing- organization!”

“The Alcoa Leadership grant provided assistance at a time of great economic turmoil. It is extremely important to continue this funding as the leadership and staffs of arts organizations struggle to sustain themselves over the next several years.”
“This was an excellent first opportunity for me to interact with colleagues on a national scale. Thank you so much!”

We extend a special thanks to the Alcoa Foundation for making these grants possible.

Republished from the 2009 Update newsletter.

Programs that Encourage a Thoughtful Pause

2009-12-20T12:00:00.002-05:00

by David Seals

I’m standing at the whiteboard, marker in hand. It’s filled with text to the edges. Colors. Arrows. Boxes. It is an a-ha! moment. It is the moment of freedom where nothing is sacred except mission—where the methods are merely expendable means to an end. “What is the best method,” I ask myself, “to cultivate an effective arts community?”

Programs that Cultivate Innovation
Perhaps the most sobering anecdote to cross my desk recently was the discovery that, in the time since we distributed last year’s PA Partners funding, three of our forty-six grantee organizations have ceased operations—each for its own complex reasons. Clearly, one of the greatest needs in the current climate is funding, and we will continue to pursue current and new ways to re-grant funds directly to artists and arts organizations. Having said that, I wonder if our grant funding would return a much greater mission ROI if coupled with a powerful counterpart: the a-ha! moment.

Nearly all of the Arts Council’s programs are designed for this moment. Our audience development grants ask you to step back and imagine what new people might fall in love with your theatre or museum. Our artist grants ask you to imagine what’s next in your career as a working artist. Our leadership grants ask you to find a context in which you can explore a new perspective on your administrative work. Our business volunteers are available to help you think bigger about where you are going—whether it’s the way you talk to your audiences or the goals for your organization.

Our Changes in the Current Year
Like many of you, Arts Council leadership has had to make some difficult choices about where to focus staff time and resources. For the year to come, our professional development initiatives will favor more need-specific consulting through Business Volunteers for the Arts (BVA) and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA). For example, in-depth arts marketing guidance can be found by applying for a BVA consultant to review your current marketing efforts, help with audience research, etc. For intellectual property law issues, we encourage you to apply for a VLA attorney to advise you on legal issues in your work. Our workshops and events will be fewer, but also more collaborative, making the most of community partners such as the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management and the Emerging Leaders Network. The idea here is to give you direct exposure to best practices in arts management while utilizing our vast network of expert, arts-passionate professionals.

Also this year, you will see a streamlined schedule of grant deadlines that will allow our staff to give you the focused help you need to write applications that have a better chance of doing well before each grant panel. To that end, the Artist Opportunity Grants and the Alcoa Foundation Leadership Grants for Arts Managers will be accepted twice per year, instead of quarterly. (The complete list of 2010 deadlines is listed below.) Finally, beginning in the spring of 2010, you will see us begin to develop a stronger partnership with the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, whose nonprofit management workshops will begin to include some arts components. Also this spring, we’ll be unveiling a new education program designed to help arts organizations collaborate and share resources. Stay tuned for details!

Use the Arts Council to Rejuvenate and Rethink This Year
It’s hard to pause. There’s a tendency to turn-to, working harder with fewer staff to accomplish the same mission in the same way. This year, the Arts Council invites you not to lose the forest for the trees. Take time to step up to the white board and rethink things. Open yourself up and imagine how you might accomplish your mission in new ways, and take advantage of our programs to make that happen. In the end, your thoughtful participation in the Arts Council’s programs will grow your effectiveness—which is, after all, the reason we exist.

Republished from the Fall 2009 Update newsletter.

Membership Keeps Pace with Evolving Needs

2009-12-19T12:00:00.002-05:00

by Dek Ingraham

Whether anticipating change or responding to it, the Membership Department of the Arts Council evolves to support its members. The past year has proven to be a great challenge to individual artists and arts organizations. Though arts groups are used to a certain amount of fluidity, the recession has brought fast changes that have challenged even the most adept. The Arts Council has restructured its membership accordingly, and has helped many of its members navigate this shifting landscape to accomplish their mission, despite some difficult situations.

When the economic crisis began to unfold, the Arts Council reviewed and revised its member-ship dues schedule to smooth out the “jumps” in price from one level to the next. This resulted in savings for many of our member organizations, allowing some to continue membership when it otherwise would not have been affordable. Our flexible payment options and “open door” communication policy are designed to help our members continue to receive the benefits of membership when they need it most.

When the Brew House Association was told by the city that it had to vacate its Southside facility, the Arts Council stepped in to help the artists who were left without living and work space to find alternate spaces across the city. Similarly, the small, independent theatre company, The Rage of the Stage Players, lost their performance venue at the Brew House the week that they were scheduled to open Dorothy in Oz. Though they located a new space on their own, they needed liability insurance right away. The Arts Council was able to help them get low-cost insurance within forty-eight hours through its partnership with Fractured Atlas.

Not only does the Arts Council respond to the changing economic climate, we also respond directly to the administrative needs and concerns of our membership. Our members told us that they didn’t want to fill out complete renewal forms, so we created a new system to save them time and increase the accuracy of our information. We were told that our old events listing was too cluttered and too difficult to navigate, so we introduced the new Arts Pittsburgh Events Listing powered by the Helios Calendar system. When our members told us that they wanted additional health coverage options, the Arts Council partnered with Fractured Atlas to provide access to a menu of traditional insurance options through their Open Arts Network.

The Membership Department has a variety of quality of life changes in store for our members as we make our move to a new data management system. We’ll have more details about these soon! We are also interested in what our members think about what we do and how we do it. Watch your inbox for a comprehensive membership survey to help us become even more responsive to your needs. Change can sometimes be a scary thing, but with your Arts Council to support you, change can become opportunity.

Republished from the Fall 2009 Update newsletter.

Pittsburgh’s Changing View

2009-12-18T12:00:00.002-05:00

by Maggie Johnson

For many leaders in the arts community, The Pittsburgh Summit (G-20) was an unparalleled opportunity to promote our amazing arts and culture community while all the world looked on. To this end, the arts community instigated Pittsburgh is Art, a highly collaborative initiative that brought together artists and arts organizations in a unique, productive way.

Like other misunderstood sectors of the local economy (i.e. technology and environmental initiatives), arts and culture often suffers simply from being overlooked. President Obama claimed to choose Pittsburgh as his G-20 host city because of its innovative transformation “from an aging industrial town into a tech-heavy, eco-friendly metropolis” (Time Magazine, 09/23/09). Arts and culture are part of that story. Given a short timeline, the challenge for Pittsburgh is Art was to mobilize and coordinate the interests of many independent groups quickly and proactively.

The Arts Council’s first proactive response was to employ the use of its comprehensive regional events listing. With easy access by email and the internet, Arts Pittsburgh Events could serve as a prime resource for media reps, G-20 delegates and local citizens interested in events happening before, during and after the Summit. However, the format was in need of an upgrade and the Summit presented the perfect impetus for the change. Through hours of hard work and ingenuity, Arts Pittsburgh Events was moved to the Helios Calendar open source platform, which provided several enhancements including more interesting user-generated content, greatly enhanced search and email subscription capabilities for users and the potential for mobile applications.

Then in mid-July, board member Hilary Robinson, Dean of Carnegie Mellon’s College of Fine Arts, convened a meeting of arts leaders who were interested in promoting the arts sector during G-20. From that gathering, the Pittsburgh is Art campaign ultimately emerged. By September, clear messaging had been crafted to tell the story of the how “Art transforms Pittsburgh.” The message spread in numerous ways, from a jointly composed editorial signed by over 30 local organizations, to groovy t-shirts emblazoned with a new logo created by Landesburg Design.

By the time the actual Summit swept over our fair city, the results of this collaboration proved fruitful. The arts enjoyed significant media attention, from articles in Forbes Magazine and The Washington Post to surprise visits at cultural venues from international media. Pleased by its collaborative nature, several funders also committed funding to the project. Relationships with potential partners, such as VisitPittsburgh and the Mayor’s Office were strengthened on behalf of the entire arts community, and a successful guerilla marketing campaign was established that continues now.

Not to be taken for granted is also the “esprit de corps” that was formed among all involved—and we’re not done yet! In the August 24 issue of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Hilary Robinson said, "I very much hope—and the people involved hope—that the momentum we've got going here will continue long after the G-20, and that the wider Pittsburgh community know about the opportunities and benefits that the arts in this town give to them." To move the campaign forward will require even more participation from Arts Council members and partners. We hope you’ll get involved!

To learn more about this initiative, please visit www.PittsburghIsArt.org or email Maggie at mjohnson@pittsburghartscouncil.org.

Republished from the Fall 2009 Update newsletter.

Stemming the Tide of State Budget Cuts to the Arts

2009-12-17T12:00:00.003-05:00

by Ryan Freytag

The 2010 Pennsylvania state budget crisis significantly expanded the Arts Council’s capacity to advocate for the cultural community. While advocacy has always been part of our mission, we had not yet been tested to the extent that we were when state funds for programs that support arts and culture were threatened with elimination. The challenge was to lead the best possible effort with the limited time, resources and connections available. Led by the Arts Council, the cultural community rose to the occasion to “learn by doing.” Through collaboration at both the local and state level, we presented a unified front that strengthened our ability to deliver an effective message.

Help on the Home Front
Our local efforts were bolstered significantly by a number of individuals, especially Marilyn Coleman (Colman Consulting) and John Federico (City Theatre). With Marilyn’s help, we were able to acquire a Pittsburgh City Council Proclamation in support of state funding for the PA Council on the Arts (PCA) that was sent to both the Governor and every member of the legislature. Soon after, John helped us broaden the picture of state arts funding to include the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, on which a number of local organizations depend as a significant source of revenue. Expanding our advocacy agenda to include funding for the PCA, EITC and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC), we were able to convince Mayor Ravenstahl to write a letter to the Governor calling for state support for all three of those programs.
Taking the Message to Harrisburg
The Arts Council and a number of arts and cultural organizations across Pennsylvania participated in statewide advocacy phone calls led by Citizens for the Arts. In addition to keeping us informed about the advocacy work being done across the state, these weekly teleconferences were the planning ground for larger efforts such as the July 14 Save the Arts in PA rally in Harrisburg. The 400-person rally was a huge success, with more than fifty participating individuals from the Pittsburgh region including artists, educators, arts managers and the heads of local cultural organizations who met with their legislators to discuss the issues at hand. This marked the first of several visits to Harrisburg by members of the Arts Council staff during the budget process.

An Unpleasant Surprise
In a further test of our mettle, statewide arts advocates were blindsided by a last minute proposal to lift the sales tax exemption on admissions to arts and cultural events. This unexpected addition led to our second and third visits to Harrisburg, where we were joined by our counterparts from the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance for more than twenty meetings with elected officials and staffers, including Governor Rendell, Senator Pileggi, Representative Eachus and others. The combined efforts of the Arts Council and the Cultural Alliance enabled us to access to the offices of legislators outside of the districts in our respective regions, expanding the reach and power of our message. These meetings helped convince legislators that the tax was bad public policy and would not raise the funds that they had projected. In the end, the tax exemption was preserved, and although they were funded at lower levels, the PCA, PHMC and EITC programs remained in the budget—a significant victory for the cultural sector as a whole. By speaking in a unified voice, we were heard above the other interests competing for state funding.

Looking Ahead
This year the budget challenges will be even greater, but the Arts Council will be better prepared for the fight. Building on what we learned during the last six months, we have already begun to meet with legislators and plan our efforts with partners across the state. We have shown what we can accomplish when we work together, and it is important that we maintain this level of interest and participation in the community moving forward.

Republished from the Fall 2009 Update newsletter.

Staff Leadership in Difficult Times

2009-12-16T09:59:00.000-05:00

This summer, I had the opportunity to sit down with Maura Walker, Chief Operating Officer of Americans for the Arts. She gave me some thoughts on the subject of staff leadership in difficult times, and reading over my notes last night, I thought it might be a good time to share them. They are short, practical and digestible...and I hope you find them helpful as you wind down the calendar year, looking toward 2010.

David

Leadership = helping people break from the status quo, out of their ruts. It doesn’t have to come just from your CEO. Some thoughts:

Take care of yourself. Eat properly and exercise. All reactions to change are emotional—you have to be in a good emotional place to help others through it. Have a good, safe place to vent that is not your spouse.
Communicate like crazy. This avoids rumors. Get (and act on) good info, build a team that shares info well, and address rumors directly.
Get out of the office and meet with people face-to-face. Management by walk-about. Get out in the organization and have conversations where people are--or get out of the office building altogether.
Harness the power of collaboration. Be willing to share quality information and staff with other organizations. Trust in yourself to be a good collaboration—go in with confidence that you have a lot to offer. Build trust with your leadership.

Some qualities to cultivate:

Integrity – consistency in the way you treat people; follow through with what you say.
Decisiveness – Be quick, speedy, know what you’re doing and do it.
Vision – Know where you want to go, and draw people into it.
Be Unselfish – Shut up and listen. Be generous with your praise.

Art for August … August Forever

2009-10-21T16:09:00.001-04:00

At the August Wilson Center, more than 50 musicians and dancers from around the world performed at Drum Talk during October 15-18, providing an eclectic mix of lively concerts emphasizing rhythm traditions from Africa, Japan, Middle East, Latin America as well as U.S. jazz roots. Drum Talk was organized by Pittsburgh-based Afrika Yetu, and audiences – adults and kids alike – were clearly struck in seeing how drums and percussion have been so instrumental (despite differences in the availability of native materials) in cultural development across the continents.

In keeping with the festival theme - Many Rhythms, One Heart - Afrika Yetu members remind us that perhaps the human heart, the rhythm of the heartbeat itself, might be the source of this fascination and celebration of drums throughout history in building this sense of community and celebration of the human spirit. Perhaps we all have music inside us, which also innately connects us. Rhythm that makes us know we are alive.

With such diverse performances and engaged audiences at Drum Talk, Afrika Yetu also remarked that the event itself could be viewed as its own G20 onstage. Comments like that made me smile, and while nearly a month has passed since the G20 Summit, at least we still have the fun “Pittsburgh is Art” t-shirts campaign as a reminder. Arts bringing people together – a simple message throughout the ages as well as today.

Sure, 2009 has been some year for Pittsburgh, with many favorable articles (e.g., The Economist) and media outlets touting the region’s strengths. Of course, the G20 Summit provided unprecedented global exposure that over time may help further stimulate the region in attracting new people and companies that might seek to re-locate here with considerable economic benefits.

While the summer of 2009 went by entirely too fast, Pittsburgh did land some prestigious national and international conferences as well as interesting events, including the world’s richest professional bass tournament, the Forrest Wood Cup, attracting fishing enthusiasts from across the country. It is pretty incredible considering the large number of visitors coming to Pittsburgh for the very first time. And just as significant, what they experience first-hand once they arrive as compared to what they might have expected as far as scenery and the environment given the region’s heavy industrial past. This nexus of cleaner air, cleaner watersheds, brownfield development, river trails, and others successes in boosting recreational opportunities while Pittsburgh emerges as a leader in high tech and green technologies has certainly enhanced Pittsburgh’s image with its impressive skyline and unique mix of historic and modern architecture in many neighborhoods. The region has certainly made huge strides in becoming recognized as a desirable place to live, work, and play.

Pittsburgh celebrates some important cultural milestones in 2009, including the 50th Anniversary of the Three Rivers Arts Festival, the 40th Season of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre now underway, and 25th Anniversary of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust which has helped lead the remarkable re-vitalization of downtown.

But perhaps the most visible and longlasting milestone of 2009 is the opening of the August Wilson Center. The feeling of heartfelt pride and excitement was so evident back on the May 30 AWC Open House where over 10,000 people gathered on a beautiful Saturday afternoon full of festivities. And since that time, with incredible evenings such as the AWC Grand Opening Gala (perhaps the best party of the year) and other performances, including Lalah Hathaway, modern dance company Philadanco, the return of the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra (led by Sean Jones), Multicultural Arts Initiative, and last weekend’s Drum Talk.

The AWC has also been the site of some unique fundraisers, including the First Annual Women ROCK! on October 2 where over 35 artists and performers gathered for an evening of poetry, dance, theatre, jazz, and rock, as well as an inspirational “I Am Your Sister” photojournalistic tribute to women that have overcome adversity through Dress for Success Pittsburgh programs that have collectively helped over 3,000 women obtain professional clothing, prepare for job interviews, and support to meaningful new careers -- ultimately achieving economic independence for themselves and their families.

I’m not African-American. And I’m not from Pittsburgh. But one of my most memorable experiences were two trips to South Africa where I spent over 4 weeks, much of which were in the townships of Kutlwanong, Qalabotjha, and Soweto for a project to support the introduction of energy-efficient housing and capacity building aimed at eliminating the use of high-polluting residential cookstoves inside shacks, where we often found levels of dangerous carbon monoxide and other pollutants that are especially so harmful to the vulnerable elderly and small children most susceptible to respiratory disease. Air pollution in these townships can be 4-10+ times higher than World Health Organization standards while many township residents spend 40% or more of their income on high-polluting coal, paraffin, and other fuels. Thus, finding practical affordable ways to reduce these high-polluting fuels can dramatically improve public health while helping break the cycle of poverty.

I had some amazing experiences in South Africa, and can recall being the only white person inside township establishments called shebeens (many of which began during apartheid), where many people would come up and thank me knowing I was from the USA. I met many unforgettable people on those projects, including a Soweto health official who once told us that while many South Africans may be very poor, they can still afford a smile. Now that’s culture.

As an engineer who loves the arts, I’m sometimes asked about experiences that have helped transform me along the way from once being an occasional theatre person living in the suburbs to the more avid arts patron today. Cultural experiences abroad certainly broaden one’s perspective, and sometimes friends laugh when I mention ‘Living Like a Tourist in Your Own City’ and how lucky we are to have such a vibrant cultural scene. And awe-inspiring events like the Million Ripples Gala when Archbishop Desmond Tutu came to Pittsburgh during October, 2007.

As I reflect on this article, I’m reminded of other experiences, like once being a volunteer stationed at 707 Gallery on Penn Avenue on a Gallery Crawl night in February 2006 for an exhibit called “Art for August” featuring beautiful artists like Leslie Ansley and Monique Luck along with many others whose art had been inspired by August Wilson. It was very cold, but still over 1,300 people came through that gallery in one night.

Soon, the August Wilson Center will become a treasure not just for Pittsburgh, but for the nation. I hope many Pittsburghers will experience its stunning design and many performance events coming up. I’m particularly looking forward to the Aunt Ester Cycle being planned in November to showcase four of August Wilson’s remarkable plays. In a society where there seems to be so much division, arts is something we can all feel passionate about. Many rhythms, one heart. Arts bringing people together. August forever.

Pittsburgh is ART

2009-08-24T14:44:00.007-04:00

In case you've been under a rock recently, the message is out: "Pittsburgh is ART" and we want the whole world to know.

A collaboration of Arts Council members and other local arts organizations have gathered to develop a collective voice to share our story with visitors of the Pittsburgh Summit and beyond. It's the "Pittsburgh is ART" initiative and basically, the message breaks down like this:

Art transforms Pittsburgh

Art employs Pittsburgh

Art "greens" Pittsburgh

Art inspires Pittsburgh

Those are the basics, but you can read even more detail over at the Community E-Forum, hosted by our friends at the Pittsburgh Foundation who have outlined it on their blog quite well.

Visit http://www.pittsburghisart.org/ to learn about the bounty of arts events taking place in and around Pittsburgh through the G20 Summit and beyond. Also check out http://www.myg20.org/, an excellent "crowd-sourced" site to the best of Pittsburgh.

Want to get your arts organization directly involved in the "Pittsburgh is ART" initiative? Contact Maggie at mjohnson@pittsburghartscouncil.org for an invite.

Arts Funding in SERIOUS Jeopardy

2009-07-09T17:05:00.002-04:00

The situation is dire!

All reports are that Senate Bill 850 (which eliminates state funding for arts and culture and the Educational Imporvement Tax Credit (EITC) program) is back in consideration plus another $1.7 billion in cuts to other remaining appropriations. This proposal would abandon the Governor's recommendation for an increase in the personal income tax. The strongest possible message of support for state funding for arts and culture must be sent to your elected officials without delay.

- Attend the Rally in Harrisburg on Tuesday, July 14th. If at all possible, you need to come. The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council has chartered a bus and some seats still remain. Reserve your seat at http://www.proartstickets.org/events/view/369. If you plan on driving to Harrisburg on your own, please let us know so that we can provide you with all of the information about the rally and the legislative visits that will follow.

- Sign the petition to save the arts in Pennsylvania, if you have not done so already.

-Contact your legislators and let them know that you would like the state to include funding for arts and culture in the budget at http://www.capwiz.com/artsusa/pa/state/main/?state=PA

- Heed the calls to action that you receive from us in the coming weeks.

If the budget in Senate Bill 850 is passed in the House we will lose the PCA, grants to arts and cultural institutions, the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program and much of the outstanding arts and culture that they bring to residents of Pennsylvania. As a result, we will lose jobs, tax revenue, tourism dollars, and a whole lot more.

For more information or ideas on ways that you can assist in efforts to save funding for arts and culture visit out website or contact rfreytag@pittsburghartscouncil.org.

Temporary Art Exhibition: Showcase G‐20, Pittsburgh International Airport

2009-07-09T14:42:00.004-04:00

Announcing a Request for Proposals for a Temporary Art Exhibition: Showcase G‐20 at the Pittsburgh International Airport.

The Pittsburgh International Airport is committed to promoting the rich culture and arts of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Region. The Airport is seeking proposals from regional museums, cultural institutions, galleries, and others to develop one temporary art exhibition in the terminal to welcome guests to the G‐20 Summit.

This Request for Proposals is open to organizations, groups and individuals engaged in the arts and culture of the Pittsburgh region who are interested in developing a temporary exhibition for the Temporary Art Exhibition: Showcase G‐20. Pittsburgh International Airport is the front door to our region, and The Allegheny County Airport Authority wishes to make the facility welcoming to world leaders, international guests, and news media. Submissions for Temporary Art Exhibition: Showcase G‐20 should address this audience in a creative and welcoming manner.

For the complete RFP click this link:

http://www.pittsburghartscouncil.org/pdf_files/Pittsburgh_International_Airport_RFP_Showcase_G-20.pdf.

Contact opa@pittsburghartscouncil.org with any questions.

NOW is the Time

2009-05-27T15:27:00.007-04:00

Please watch and pass along this video produced by Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.

Arts and Citizenship from Pittsburgh Filmmakers on Vimeo.

From Ryan Freytag, Manager of Cultural Policy and Research:

The Pennsylvania FY09-10 budget process is in full swing and state funding for arts and culture is in real jeopardy. I urge you, as a leader in the local cultural community, to take action. As you know, on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 the State Senate passed their version of the budget bill (SB 850) which eliminated funding for arts and culture. The House is still considering their version of the budget bill (HB 1416) which does include funding for both the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC).

The budget process is far from over. Revenue projections are down and the economic crisis still looms over us. As arts and culture advocates, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to insure a place for the PCA and PHMC in the FY09-10 budget. This is what you can do to help:

1) Contact your state legislators today. If you’ve already sent them a fax or email in the last few weeks, send them another one and follow it up with a phone call. Even though the State Senate has already passed their version of the budget bill, they can still assist us in the fight for arts and culture funding when the two budget bills are discussed in conference committee (likely in June).

2) Rally others to action. Ask your staff, board of directors, donors, funders and others associated with your organization to take immediate action on this issue. Distribute the call to action through your email lists, web site and social networking ventures. Engage your audiences through curtain speeches, program inserts, gallery cards and other means. Harrisburg needs to hear from more than just the employees of arts and cultural organizations.

3) Submit written testimony to the House Committee on Appropriations public hearing on Senate Bill 850. Testimony will be accepted through Tuesday, May 26, 2009. (learn more)

For facts and figures about the economic impact of the arts, samples of letters and testimony, tips for communicating with legislators and other information visit the Save Arts and Culture in Pennsylvania! page of the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council website.

THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW. Unless we keep up the pressure on the legislature, we may lose the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Please alert the Arts Council about any action you decide to take by sending an email to rfreytag@pittsburghartscouncil.org.

What does ART mean to you?

2009-05-15T13:44:00.001-04:00

Check out this preview of Chris Ivey's video for the 2009 Work of Art Awards, June 1. Get your tickets now! ProArtsTickets.org, keyword: awards

Social Media Guidelines: The Good, the Bad, but not the Ugly

2009-05-11T10:09:00.003-04:00

At the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, we struggle sometimes with the question "To Post or Not to Post." We each have different voices and individual passions; this is what makes blogging interesting and adds a personal touch to the organizational persona (which tends to be clean, dry and sometimes starched).

But we also have immediate reactions that should clearly be caught in our "professional arts manager" filter, whether they are a bit outrageous (reflecting too much rage?) or too accurately reveal our individual vernacular. Take for instance the following repost of an entry by Scarlett Swerdlow for the Americans for the Arts' blog:

All you have to do is google “FedEx Twitter” to understand why some organizations are freaked out about social media.

For those who don’t know, an ad agency rep was on his way to FedEx HQ to discuss social media with the corporation’s worldwide communications division. (FedEx was already a client of this ad agency.) Upon the rep’s arrival in Memphis, Tennessee, he tweeted:
True confession but I'm in one of those towns where I scratch my head and say "I would die if I had to live here!"

A viral poop-storm quickly erupted on the Web.

All this goes to show a lot of organizations are (rightfully) concerned that staff, volunteers, or other representatives will make the organization look like a fool by misrepresenting the brand or sharing too much information.

Recently, Intel released its guidelines for “Intel employees or contractors creating or contributing to blogs, wikis, social networks, virtual worlds, or any other kind of social media both on and off intel.com.” I love them, and I encourage nonprofits considering social media, but afraid to take the plunge to read them.

My personal favorite:

If it gives you pause, pause. If you’re about to publish something that makes you even the slightest bit uncomfortable, don’t shrug it off and hit ’send.’ Take a minute to review these guidelines and try to figure out what’s bothering you, then fix it. If you’re still unsure, you might want to discuss it with your manager or legal representative. Ultimately, the decision about what you publish is yours—as is the responsibility. So be sure.

Swerdlow ends her post with the question: "Does your organization use social media? If so, do you have guidelines governing their use? What are they? Please let me know what you think."

We also want to know what you think. We all face the social-media-in-the-context-of-professional-communication conundrum. Whether it paralyzes us or inadvertantly encourages us to spill our metaphorical guts depends on how deliberately we enter the blurry new world of the permeable personal/professional membrane.

s. blackman

Senate Votes to Eliminate Arts & Culture Funding

2009-05-07T09:10:00.006-04:00

Yesterday afternoon the Pennsylvania Senate passed its version of the FY 2010 state budget (SB 850) with a 30-20 vote. The bill, introduced on May 4, eliminates all arts and culture grants in the state through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC). While this is an unfortunate occurrence, the budget process isn’t complete yet. The Senate bill now goes with the House of Representatives' proposal into what will likely be a contentious conference committee before its final passage in the General Assembly. The House Bill (HB1416) includes funding for both the PCA and the PHMC, so it is important for anyone who cares about arts and culture to continue to communicate with their legislators about this issue.

The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council would like to thank everyone who took the time to contact their legislators over the last few days. Your efforts did not go unnoticed. We would also like to thank everyone who assisted us in disseminating the call-to-action through their listservs, personal contacts, and other means. We urge you to keep up the pressure. If you have already sent a fax, send an email. If you have already sent an email follow it up with a phone call. We hope that we can count on all of you to respond in a similar fashion to future calls-to-action.

If you have yet to contact your legislators about ensuring that funding for arts and culture is included in the FY09-10 Pennsylvania State budget, we urge you to do so today, before it is too late. To locate your legislators please visit the Citizens for the Arts in Pennsylvania website.

We have shown our local legislators that the arts and culture sector are a force to be reckoned with, but advocacy is about more than contacting your legislators’ offices when there is a crisis. It is about building a relationship through personal contacts, regular updates on you or your organizations success and letting them know not only that you exist, but that you are watching what they are doing. Be sure to thanks them when the vote favorably for issues that are of importance to you. At the same time, it is equally important to let them know when they vote in a manner that is not representative of your views.

While many of our local Senators voted against SB 850, Senators Pippy and Orie voted for the bill. If you reside in either of their districts I encourage you to call their offices. In addition to expressing your disappointment in their vote, ask them why they voted the way that they did. See how your State Senator voted on SB 850.

The battle for arts and culture funding in the FY09-10 Pennsylvania State Budget is far from over. If you or your organization would like to assist the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council in future advocacy efforts on this or other issues, please contact Ryan Freytag, Manager of Cultural Policy and Research, at rfreytag@pittsburghartscouncil.org.

Save PA Arts & Culture Funding

2009-05-04T16:38:00.011-04:00

The Pennsylvania Senate is calling for ZERO funding for arts and culture in the FY 09-10 state budget. If the Senate version of the budget (SB 850) prevails, there will be no arts and culture grants in the state of Pennsylvania starting on July 1 of this year (Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC)). The Pennsylvania House version of the budget (HB 1416) includes funding for both.

Background: In February, Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell presented his proposed budget. The allocation for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts' Grants for the Arts (the line item that includes familiar programs such as AOAP, Preserving Diverse Cultures, Program Stream, and Project Stream) has been proposed at an 8% cut for fiscal year 2009-2010. That would bring the funding level from $15.225 million to $14 million.

Unfortunately, this proposal has been met with rising financial challenges. When the Governor proposed the budget, he anticipated a revenue shortfall of $2.3 billion for the current fiscal year. Over the past 3 months, that anticipated shortfall has grown more than $700 million. What does that mean? It means that both the Pennsylvania Senate and House of Representatives are looking for things to cut in order to close the shortfall gap.

Action: Please write your representatives and senators today. If you have taken action recently, send a follow-up letter using the form, or give your legislators a call. Our message is simple: restore funding for PCA and PHMC. As always, be sure to add your own stories. How does your organization's work impact the community? How have you been impacted by a performance or cultural organization? Would your organization be forced to close without this funding?

Take action today! You can find out contact information for your senator by visiting the Citizens for the Arts Legislative Action Center at http://capwiz.com/artsusa/pa/state/main/?state=PA. Type your zip code in the box at the top of the page and you will be taken to a page with information for all of your elected officials.

Please let the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council know that you have made contacts by CC’ing us on your email to legislators or by sending a separate email notification about your phone calls to rfreytag@pittsburghartscouncil.org.

(Thanks to the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance for their clear and concise background and action information above.)

Cultivating Demand for the Arts

2009-04-30T12:13:00.003-04:00

Once again, Bill O'Driscoll showed up, thought critically, and responded intelligently to our recent public forum based on a RAND corporation report entitled Cultivating Demand for the Arts. Through her research, author Laura Zakaras developed a model that looks at two forces ultimately impacting our relationship to arts and culture: Supply (e.g. the works of art) and Demand (e.g. the audience). Together, they create the "aesthetic experience" through Access. Her research brief shows the relationship graphically.

Zakaras pointed out that the most reliable indicator of adult participation in the arts is based on the arts education that we receive as children and students, which allows us to develop:

the ability to see, hear, and feel what works of art have to offer;
the ability to create within an art form;
historical and cultural knowledge that enriches the understanding of works of art; and
the ability to draw meaning from works of art through reflection and discussion with others.

A community can develop, create and support a great array of artistic supply, and the Greater Pittsburgh region has certainly done that. But without a citizenry that possesses the abilities above and a deep sense that "learning" is not something we do just because it is good for us (and happens primarily in our student years), we will come less and less often to the richness of the aesthetic experience.

We all recognize the greying or our audiences--but do we really understand that they are the people who consistently had arts education in their schools, or, like me, religiolusly watched Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts on Saturday morning TV?

The solution will not be an easy one, and will involve the leadership of funders, policymakers, educators, and arts organizations.

A New Museum Strategy (Get Your Writer On)

2009-04-29T14:35:00.004-04:00

I’ve heard that your average museum patron looks at each painting for less than 2 seconds, a fact I cannot verify but which has held up anectdotally in nearly every gallery I’ve frequented…until recently. I found the Arts Experience Initiative.

The research brief is actually quite entertaining as it weaves through history, painting a picture of engaged patrons that looks more like a sports bar than an arts event: “People came to the…gallery, and they talked to each other–before the show began, while the show was on and after the show ended. This was because the function of interpretation was understood as a cultural duty and a cultural right.” Every person on a Pittsburgh City bus feels entitled to an opinion about the Steelers; when did the everyman lose interpretive authority w/ art?

As with all things theoretical, this whole idea didn’t sink in until I found myself smack in the middle of a practical application: an exhibit of egg pictures, to be precise. For six weeks, I slipped down to a Southside gallery every Saturday morning for two hours w/ 8 other people, charged with the task of writing fiction in response the photographs. The idea was, if you’re comfortable in one artistic genre (writing), then you’ll feel authorized to interpret another (photography) using the first.

The results? You can judge the fiction for yourself. As to my persective on visual art, I can’t believe I ever looked at it any other way. In the past few months, I’ve sat on the cement floor of the ICA in Boston, scribbling furiously in shock at the detail of Shepard Fairey. I’ve kneeled on the marbel of the National Portrait Gallery, struck by th haunting masks of Lincoln.

Just a few weeks ago, I spent two hours at the Carnegie Museum of Art with just two Hoppers, a Van Gogh and an installation. From Two seconds to thirty minutes per piece: it’s changed the way I look at art. And the best part is, the rest of the paintings will always be there…I can go back any time. My only complaint after all this cross-legged writing through museum halls is, please, can I get a bench?

My question to you: what intersections do you see between genres of art that might provide a deeper engagement for your patrons?

David Seals is a guest blogger for Americans for the Arts. The blog was first posted on Artsblog earlier this week.

SEA announces Construction as Canvas Call for Artists

2009-03-23T12:10:00.006-04:00

Call for Artists

Construction as Canvas

Application Deadline: April 17, 2009 at 5pm

When is a fence not just a fence? When it is a WORK OF ART! As part of the Public Art Master Plan for the New Pittsburgh Arena, the Sports and Exhibition Authority will commission three community organizations and three artists to work together to develop temporary works of art for the construction fence on three sides of the arena. Stipends available for participating organizations and artists. Download the RFQ.

Artist Information Session: The Office of Public Art is working with art consultants Christine Bethea and Brenda Brown of Passports Art Diversity Project to host two artist information sessions. The purpose of the meetings is to give potential applicants the opportunity to discuss the project, discuss the application process, and ask questions. It is recommended, but not required, that applicants attend a session.

SESSION #1 March 23, 2009 5:30 – 7:00 pm Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, 2177 Centre Avenue at Kirkpatrick Street, Hill District

SESSION #2 March 30, 2009 5:30 – 7:00 pm Amani Café, 507 Foreland Street, Northside

If you have questions regarding this RFQ, please contact Renee Piechocki or Lea Donatelli, Office of Public Art, 412-391-2060 x 233 or opa@pittsburghartscouncil.org.

The Office of Public Art is a partnership of the City of Pittsburgh and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. For more information, visit http://www.publicartpittsburgh.org/.

Information About NEA Recovery Funds

2009-03-09T11:03:00.004-04:00

Many of you have seen this, but just in case you haven't.

A Message from Americans for the Arts:

Last week, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) was one of the first agencies in the federal government to release grant guidelines for applying for economic stimulus and job recovery arts funds. As you may recall, the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009 provided $50 million to support jobs in the arts through NEA grants.

This recovery funding is a direct outcome of the hard work of arts advocates across the country. It is a major accomplishment that Congress included direct support for the arts along with increased funding for several other federal programs that can indirectly support the arts, such as Community Development Block grants, the Rural Development program and Transportation Enhancements.

The arts community is undergoing enormous challenges right now - like much of the workforce. The USAToday ran a front-page story titled, "Fine Arts Are In Survival Mode As Funds Dry Up." These recovery funds are intended "to focus on projects that preserve jobs in the arts."

On the NEA Recovery webpage, the new guidelines provide application dates, eligibility criteria and potential project outlines. In order to get money out to the arts field as quickly as possible, the NEA is fast-tracking the process. The deadline for applying for the direct grants is April 2, 2009, with grants being awarded as early as July 1, 2009. These direct grants will be available to arts organizations as non-matching one-time grants of $25,000 or $50,000. Local arts agencies are provided $100,000 or $250,000 for re-granting activities.

The NEA is requiring that any applicant for the direct grants must have received an NEA grant within the last four years. The agency has set this requirement as a result of direction from the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB). OMB has recommended obligating funds to existing award recipients as a method of ensuring that the applicant pool can be considered quickly and to ensure quality. Complete details on applicant eligibility and the rest of the recovery grant program are available on the NEA's Recovery website.

Maggie's Marketing Minute

2009-03-06T17:14:00.004-05:00

Filtched this directly from a recent newsletter from the Nonprofit Marketing Guide. Thought it was a compelling, I dare say, refreshingly easy and low-key approach to effective marketing planning...that could actually work. Your thoughts?

"Call a relatively new, but committed supporter. You want to talk to someone who is already bought into what you do, but who isn't necessarily a die-hard fan yet. Ask her how often she'd like to hear from your organization, what she wants to hear about, and how she'd like to receive each kind of information (e.g. email, print, phone call). If what she says is significantly different from what you are doing now, call a few more people for their input too.

This tip may not save you money right away, but by giving your supporters what they want, you'll be much more cost-effective. Don't believe me? Think about the number of print newsletters from organizations that go straight into your recycling bin or tossed in a reading pile never to be seen again . . . if none of your supporters want a print newsletter, why do it?"

Nurture Young Talent Even During Tough Times

2009-03-04T21:18:00.005-05:00

It feels almost inappropriate to write about anything other than the uncertain economic climate. With the decline of local foundation endowments and threatened cuts in government funding for cultural institutions, it might not seem like the right time for a discussion of staff development. But I'd like to suggest that periods of retrenchment and belt-tightening are exactly when we need to be thinking about workplace morale and leadership development - because they are the main things that will carry us through the storm.

And herein lies the challenge for all organizations, but particularly for arts nonprofits that are perpetually underfunded and understaffed, even in the best of times. With limited resources and a mountain of work to do, how can we make sure that our organizations - and our sector as a whole - are developing the leadership talent that will take us to the future?

Encourage young workers to take responsibility for their own development
It's a plain fact that most supervisors simply don't have enough hours in the day to devote to developing their employees. So instead, encourage your reports to take control of their own career paths.

"I suggest that people take charge of their own development and figure out what experiences they need and who they should approach to mentor them," says Leslie Bonner, senior consultant at Dewey & Kaye and co-author of Nonprofit Leadership Development: A model for identifying and growing leaders in the nonprofit sector. "When an employee can approach his or her supervisor with a thought-out plan, it can help to solve the problem and make clear an area of development that can be beneficial for both the organization and the individual."

Then, use that energy
Does your organization have "special projects" lying around - important but not urgent initiatives that don't clearly fit in one person's job description or a single department? Consider using this project as a development tool for emerging leaders in your organization. After all, members of the Millennial generation thrive on teamwork, so tapping a 20- or 30-something might be exactly what you need to get a team-focused project off the ground. And it's probably safe to bet that we're itching for a really juicy project that will help us develop our skills - so it's a win for both sides.

For example, one of the best opportunities I was ever given as an executive assistant was the charge to manage the development of a new team training program. It was completely outside the normal scope of my job but made me feel as though I was learning valuable skills and making a difference for my company. I didn't stop doing my assistant work; if anything, having an exciting project to work on made me more efficient at my normal duties.

And if you really, really have no time...

Invite aspiring leaders to be in the room
This is probably the easiest, cheapest thing an organization can do. Expose aspiring leaders to your board of directors and/or senior management, if your organization is large. Taking notes at Board meetings gave me a perspective on my organization that I never would have achieved from my desk. I got to see how decisions were made, but more importantly, I could understand how my slice of the business fit into the whole, which gave me more nuanced decision-making abilities. Particularly in times like these, when difficult issues are being addressed, there is so much to learn just by observing.

Lauren Bracey blogs at Burghilicious when she's not working.

Watch the Conversation

2009-03-02T22:25:00.004-05:00

Registration for our forum, Pittsburgh Arts in Tough Economic Times, is full. But never fear. If you are not signed up or cannot attend, you can read attendee thoughts and ideas in realtime or after the event. We will be using a Twitter "hashtag" and text messages to gather responses from the audience. Watch the conversation here.

Arts Council Seeks Guest Bloggers!

2009-02-26T13:56:00.001-05:00

Some people seem to be natural bloggers and some do not. Me for example, I'm better at microblogging on Twitter (follow me! @Tiffany_GPAC).

As you can plainly see, we haven't been doing a very good job of posting to our blog. And really, our blog SHOULD include voices from all parts of the arts community. So if you have some interesting thoughts about anything related to Pittsburgh arts and culture and have been looking for a good venue to share them, get in touch with us. twilhelm (at) pittsburghartscouncil.org

Arts Included in House-Proposed Economic Recovery Package

2009-01-16T16:11:00.003-05:00

This just in from Americans for the Arts...

House Appropriations Committee yesterday released an $825 billion economic recovery package and the arts are included in package.

Included is an infusion of $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (in addition to its annual appropriations) to specifically preserve jobs in the nonprofit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support. The House plan proposes additional opportunities throughout other parts of the federal government that could also help the nonprofit arts sector and individual artists. Here’s a summary analysis of how the Americans for the Arts recommendations compare to the related provisions currently in the House bill:

*Americans for the Arts Recommendations

*Include artists in the proposal for Unemployment & Healthcare Benefits for Part-Time Employees
Bill: Proposes to extend unemployment insurance coverage for low-wage, part-time, and other jobless workers

*Boost arts projects in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)
Bill: $1 billion in additional funding for CDBG

*Provide economic recovery support to the National Endowment for the Arts to be administered by local arts agencies
Bill: $50 million in additional appropriations for the National Endowment for the Arts

*Include cultural planning through Economic Development Administration program (Department of Commerce)
Bill: $250 million for Economic Development Assistance

*Increase community cultural facilities support in Rural Development Program (Department of Agriculture)
Bill: $200 million for critical rural community facilities

*Provide more support for arts projects in Transportation Enhancements (Department of Transportation)
Bill: $31 billion to modernize federal and other public infrastructure

*Fulfill the Obama pledge for an “Artist Corps”
Bill: $200 million to put approximately 16,000 additional AmeriCorps members to work doing national service

*Make Human Capital Investments in Arts Job Training (U.S. Department of Labor)
Bill: $5 billion for working training and employment services

Get involved at http://www.artsusa.org/go/recovery

Your Seat at Obama's Arts Table

2009-01-08T09:56:00.002-05:00

A document on arts policy recommendations was submitted to the Obama team by a number of arts organizations, including:

American Association of Museums
Americans for the Arts
Association of Art Museum Directors
Association of Performing Arts Presenters
Chamber Music America
Chorus America
Dance/USA
League of American Orchestras Literary Network
National Alliance for Musical Theatre
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
National Council for Traditional Arts
National Performance Network
National Network for Folk Arts in Education
OPERA America
Theatre Communications Group

The document has now been posted on the Obama/Biden transition website - http://change.gov/open_government/entry/performing_arts_alliance/ If you have any opinions, messages of support, or comments you can leave them here. Show your love!