Field at a Glance: Artists Residencies in the US
Alliance of Artists Communities | April 2009
A report on the field of artists' communities and residency programs in the US, conducted July-September 2008. This summary compiles responses from 131 residency programs in the US to offer a snapshot of the field and trends.
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Artists’ Communities Make Case for Public Worth
Alliance of Artists Communities | May 2007
In May 2005, the Board of Selectmen in Peterborough, New Hampshire, said they had doubts about The MacDowell Colony’s eligibility for the charitable property tax exemption defined by state law, beginning a two-year legal battle that resulted in a court decision in March 2007 in favor of the Colony. While the case began as an issue of property tax exemption, the lawsuit raised much larger questions: What public good is served by residencies, both for society at large and for local communities? And how can a retreat-style residency -- one that provides visiting artists with seclusion from the public -- demonstrate its value to the community?
Artists Communities: Making the Case
Alliance of Artists Communities | 2005
The Alliance of Artists Communities conducted a series of individual interviews in 2005 with a broad group representing various opinion leaders and constituents of the field of artists’ communities. The intent of the interviews was to gauge current perceptions and awareness of the Alliance and the field, and to solicit feedback on how the Alliance and the field can better communicate their value and increase their visibility to others. The responses will assist the Alliance and the field be better advocates for artists’ communities–informing the way we communicate about the field as a whole–as well as individual organizations.
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Measuring Joy: Evaluation at Baltimore Clayworks
It wasn’t so long ago that when I would see the words “measurable outcomes” on a grant proposal, I would experience a wave of nausea and anxiety. I would be required, the grant stated, to prove to the prospective funder that our programs and activities had created a better life for those who touched clay, and for the rest of the city -- and maybe the rest of humanity. Wow! A tall order. Not only were we to prove how a small clay airplane can save the world, but save it by what percent over last year, and how airplanes versus cups, for instance, can have a significant impact on a community.
Diversity as an Intrinsic Value in your Organization
The Arts & Business Council of Chicago's Mignon McPherson Nance shares lessons learned during the past three years of the IMPACT (Inclusion of Multicultural Perspectives in Art, Culture and Theatre) project. "Organizations that see diversity as an intrinsic value -- and essential to their success -- are the organizations that are effectively achieving diversity among their leadership in a meaningful way."