Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Blog

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!

From Rust Belt to Artist Belt

2009-01-05T13:04:00.000-05:00

The Community Partnership for Arts and Culture in Cleveland just puplished a 78-page white paper entitled From Rust Belt to Artist Belt. According to the organization, the report demonstrates "the strategy between artists and neighborhoods in revitalizing the Rust Belt. This report contains information relevant to public policy leaders, funders, artists, community development professionals, arts and culture organizations, and all who are interested in renewing Rust Belt communities. It not only details the unique issues faced by the region, but offers a plan of attack for capitalizing on its assets, including a discussion on Artist-Based Community Development efforts already underway."

You can download the full paper at the link above, or download the Executive Summary. If the in-text links aren't working, I've listed URLs below. Enjoy!

Full Report: http://www.cpacbiz.org/ftp_file/08-09/From%20Rust%20Belt%20to%20Artist%20Belt--White%20Paper.pdf

Executive Summary: http://www.cpacbiz.org/ftp_file/08-09/RB2AB--exec%20sum.pdf

Artists: Get Your Taxes Done for Free!

2008-12-19T15:14:00.002-05:00

This just came to me through my Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts network, and I wanted to let the arts community know about it! Save yourself some money this year...

I-CAN!™ E-File is a free, computerized tax-return preparation program created to assist low-income workers. This service is completely free! The IRS estimates that low-wage workers in Allegheny County spent $7 million on tax preparation fees and fees for loans in anticipation of refunds in 2007. This is money that you can save by taking advantage of free tax preparation help like I-CAN!™ E-File. Volunteers from the Allegheny County Bar Association will assist individuals in preparing their tax returns using I-CAN!™ E-File at three events during the upcoming tax-filing season:

Friday, Feb. 6, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., at the Allegheny County Law Library on the 9th Floor of the City-County Building.
Saturday, Feb. 7, 12 - 2:00 p.m., at the Allegheny County Law Library on the 9th Floor of the City-County Building.
Saturday, Feb. 7, 10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., at the East Liberty Branch of the Carnegie Library.

Make an appointment to do your taxes by calling 1-888-443-4615.

Inside the Arts Council

2008-11-07T13:02:00.006-05:00

This is our second installment of notes from our wacky biweekly staff meetings. Hope you enjoy the insiders view!

Advocacy / Culture Policy
Ryan reported that we recently submitted a summary of results from a survey we conducted of Allegheny Regional Asset District funded organizations and our members. The arts and culture community felt strongly that a move to a multi-year funding strategy would be beneficial to all interested parties, so that’s what we reported!

If you think (as we do!) that Pittsburgh is a great arts city, American Style Magazine is conducting a poll for its annual Top 25 Arts Destinations list. Log on and vote here... http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=o6LmU4UfNo_2b34D01peuiRg_3d_3d. Tell your friends to do the same!

Update on health coverage – the next open enrollment period starts November 17 and runs through December 15 for coverage that will begin on January 1. Spread the word!

Arts Programs
Professional Development
David and Susan recently met with Daniel Friedson, who runs Art Dimensions which is associated with the Community Economic Development Clinic at University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He is doing some great work with artists and spaces including an upcoming workshop, “The Musician's Briefcase: Making a Living as a Working Artist” Saturday, November 15, 12-4 pm at the former PNC Bank Building, 6000 Penn Avenue in East Liberty.

Susan and David are refocusing our professional development programs on (1) the basics, (2) expansion our 501c3 workshop to include other options for incorporation, and (3) advanced workshops centered on marketing which continues to emerge as the art community’s greatest need. Let us know your thoughts about our past, current and future offerings!

Consulting
David has created a list of 40+ Business Volunteer for the Arts prospects and will be recruiting those people to revitalize that consulting program. Check out the revised webpage to learn more about how you can utilize this service.

Susan is working the Multicultural Arts Initiative on various projects to support the full diversity of our arts community.

Grantmaking
Susan is working on reading the many, many applications to the BNY Mellon grant program; a panel for the Artist Opportunity Grant will be meeting on Friday; photos from the PPA Awards Ceremony are now posted!

Marketing / Ticketing
Maggie talked about the Arts Council’s rebranding process that will be starting soon. She will be meeting with John Elliott to talk about the expanded shared database program we will be starting. ProArtsTickets will have their second working group meeting tomorrow.

Tanaz talked about how ProArtsTickets will be very busy with the Three Rivers Film Festival and many other exciting events. Don’t bother the ticket reps, Arts Council staffers!

Membership / Development
Welcome to Dek, our new Membership and Development Coordinator (pic above). Mitch reminded Ryan (our former Membership and Development Coordinator, now Manager of Cultural Policy and Research) that he will no longer be getting the “glory” for our membership growth. (We have more members this year than ever before!) Ryan responded by saying, “I’m not here for the glory, Mitch. I’m here for the arts!”

Tiffany will be leading a roundtable discussion at the National Arts Marketing Project conference about individual giving to arts service organizations. She is excited to hear how other like organizations around the country are doing.

Office of Public Art
Lea reported that the recent Public Art 101 workshop went very well, resources from that session will be available on our website soon. OPA is working on conservation grant contracts for the City of Pittsburgh supported by the Richard King Mellon Foundation and continuing technical assistance projects with Point State Park, Ann Katharine Seamans Garden and a Wilkinsburg Public Art Plan

Administrative Issues / General
Sue will be having surgery on her shoulder next week. Recover quickly, Sue! The Arts Council is working toward an office move, considering the economic outlook, the timeline for the move will need to slow down significantly and we will need to think of some creative solutions to our current office challenges. So continue to look for us at 707 Penn Ave for now!

The Work of Art Awards
Tiffany reported that subcommittees who are planning the 2009 Work of Art Awards have been meeting and coming up with some very creative and exciting plans. We are engaging partner organizations including the Arts Education Collaborative and Gateway to the Arts to help us present the Arts Education Award; and the Center for Arts Management and Technology and the Pittsburgh Technology Council to assist with an Arts & Technology Award. Nomination forms for all awards will be posted on our website later this month.

Upcoming Events

Creativity in Practice

2008-10-31T01:09:00.004-04:00

I love my job. I really do. Without meaning to sound "religious," I sincerely feel that working in the arts, helping artists of all sorts build capacity around the many non-arts activities they need to attend to in order to make their work seen and experienced widely is my calling. I can honestly say it inspires me and brings out my own best creative self, and I am happy to go to work each day to tackle my challenges with openness.

But something happened to me this past Sunday that has turned my life upside down. My daughter's partner gave birth to the beautiful boy below. I never expected to be a grandmother at my age--I had my own children relatively late. Responsible planning aside, life has no reason of its own to meet MY expectations. I am floating on the endorphins of euphoria. I've never see my daughter so happy. As for her partner, whose belly we watched growing steadily over the past three seasons, I thank her for the most deeply creative act I can possibly imagine.

Inside the Arts Council

2008-10-22T14:42:00.007-04:00

This is the first in a series of posts that will come to you live from our bi-weekly staff meetings! A true look inside the Arts Council. Let us know your thoughts!

Advocacy / Culture Policy
- Ryan will be sending out more information about the Pittsburgh Opinion Exchange project (check out the “widget” on our homepage) and how the arts and culture sector can get involved.
- The latest news on the Port Authority is a shutdown could happen in December. The Arts Council will continue to monitor the situation.
- A huge voter turnout is expected for the election. Everyone VOTE!!
- The health coverage program will have a second enrollment period starting November 17 with a December 15 deadline for coverage that will begin in January.
- Mitch attended a meeting about the impact of the economic crisis. The information was sobering to say the least. We highly recommend several programs that are coming up for the nonprofit sector:
Dewey and Kaye Program
Bayer Center Programs

Arts Programs
Professional Development:
- Lots of great upcoming events. Because we have so much going on, we struggle to limit the amount of emails we send out. Do you feel like we flood your inbox? Do you find the information we send valuable? Let us know!
- Monday night was the Creative Conversation event. We're all in agreement - it rocked! Check out some pictures here.

Consulting:
- David shared, "Ladies & Gents, we have an Arts & Law Committee!" Yesterday, after a presentation by one of the Arts Council’s long-time VLAs, the Allegheny Bar Association voted to reinstate this committee. David will likely serve as an ex offico member of the committee in order to connect the committee directly to our VLA program. Exciting stuff!
- Last night Leadership Pittsburgh in partnership with Allegheny Conference and the Arts Council hosted an event called Champions Connections. It was designed to help us reach members of the business community, help them think more about the many many benefits of our region's arts and culture community and to get them involved with our BVA program. Mitch Swain is in the current Leadership Pittsburgh “class” and has already been able to make some valuable connections with business and community leaders

Grantmaking:
- The Arts Council received more applications than expected for the new BNY Mellon Audience Development Grant and will conduct the review in two stages.
- Pictures and follow-up information about the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts awards ceremony will be posted here by the end of the week.

Marketing / Ticketing
- Maggie attended a Visit Pittsburgh coop advertising meeting this morning and is working with that organization to identify more opportunities for the arts community.
- Arts Council will be starting a rebranding process. We are very excited about this!!

[A brief exchange about second floor staff vs. third floor staff (and how third "floorers" are generally better all around) ensued and almost resulted in several black eyes. Luckily, peace was quickly found.]

- Tanaz is currently interviewing candidates for the full-time ticketing associate position
- It's past time for us all to get our articles and information ready for the monthly Update newsletter! Hop to it, people!

Membership / Development
- We currently have 137 organization/business members and 53 individual artist members and growing all the time.
- We’ve been conducting final interviews for the Development and Membership Coordinator position.
- Lots of half-price offers have been coming in! Are you on our list? If you have not been receiving weekly half-price offers and you are a member, let Tiffany know! (twilhelm[at]pittsburghartscouncil[dot]org)

Office of Public Art
- The Public Art Manager position for the City of Pittsburgh as been posted! Hooray!
- A Public Art 101 workshop will be held this Saturday
- Lea and Renee are working on various technical assistance projects
- The updated downtown walking tour booklet has arrived!

Work of Art Awards
- Tiffany is working on simplifying and streamlining the nomination form. The form will be available on our website in mid November.

A Truly Creative Conversation

2008-10-21T16:23:00.003-04:00

Cozy couches with coffee tables. Cafe tables covered in butcher paper. Markers. Playdough. Sparkling pipe cleaners. Leadership development. Yes, the Pittsburgh Emerging Arts Leaders Network had our fifth event last night, and the brains were storming creative cats and dogs. Dewey and Kaye's Leslie Bonner set the night in motion, presenting a study called "Growing Nonprofit Leaders," which identifed core competencies common to the most successful leaders in the industry. The implications of the study were fleshed out in three, 30-minute sessions where groups of 4 individuals swapped ideas through dialogue, sketches, sculpture and more, in response to the questions of moderator Sean Fabich. I was delighted at the end of the evening when, having gathered together once more, the ideas that had been germinating in small conversation sprung into full color for everyone. Though it would be impossible to capture the content in summary, you can view the diagrams and sketches on our Flickr site--some fun, and some full of content. All you who participated, I encourage you to flesh out the pictures with content!

Create the Work of Art Awards Award Art Object!

2008-10-15T14:20:00.003-04:00

The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council is seeking to commission an artist to design and fabricate the award art objects that will be given to winners at the Work of Art Awards celebration June 1, 2009. The artist budget for the project is $2,500, which includes the artist design fee and all costs associated with fabrication of ten awards. The application deadline is October 27, 2008 (this is not a postmark deadline), so don't delay. Download the complete RFQ here.

If you have questions regarding this RFQ or are having problems downloading the document, please contact me at 412.391.2060 x 233 or opa@pittsburghartscouncil.org.

Online Fundraising

2008-10-10T14:01:00.004-04:00

I lunched, I watched some fantastic modern dance, and now I'm in a sunny (yay!) session, How to Build Relationships and Achieve Fundraising Success in a Web 2.0 World by Jono Smith from Network for Good. His slides are very handily available here. Click on the Oct. 3 slides. Later I'll check out all their other resources on that page which I am very glad to know about.

More soon!