Blog Posts for Public Art

Thank you to the many people who have been blog contributors to, and readers of ArtsBlog over the years. ArtsBlog has long been a space where we uplifted stories from the field that demonstrated how the arts strengthen our communities socially, educationally, and economically; where trends and issues and controversies were called out; and advocacy tools were provided to help you make the case for more arts funding and favorable arts policies.

As part of Americans for the Arts’ recent Strategic Realignment Process, we were asked to evaluate our storytelling communications platforms and evolve the way we share content. As a result, we launched the Designing Our Destiny portal to explore new ways of telling stories and sharing information, one that is consistent with our longtime practice of, “No numbers without a story, and no stories without a number.”

As we put our energy into developing this platform and reevaluate our communications strategies, we have put ArtsBlog on hold. That is, you can read past blog posts, but we are not posting new ones. You can look to the Designing Our Destiny portal and our news items feed on the Americans for the Arts website for stories you would have seen in ArtsBlog in the past.

ArtsBlog will remain online through this year as we determine the best way to archive this valuable resource and the knowledge you’ve shared here.

As ever, we are grateful for your participation in ArtsBlog and thank you for your work in advancing the arts. It is important, and you are important for doing it.


Stephanie Hanson

Sending the Elevator Back Down (from Arts Watch)

Posted by Stephanie Hanson, Apr 06, 2011 3 comments


Stephanie Hanson

Stephanie Evans

Stephanie Evans

On Sunday, April 3, I was excited to participate in the 4th Annual Emerging Arts Leaders Symposium hosted by American University.

This event is timed each year to correspond with Arts Advocacy Day, and it’s a fantastic way for emerging arts leaders across the country to come together, network, and participate in professional development prior to the advocacy activities taking place.

This year, I spoke on the What Makes a Good Arts Leader panel, along with Ian David Moss (Fractured Atlas and Createquity.com), Jamie Bennett (National Endowment for the Arts), and Michael Bobbitt (Adventure Theatre in Glen Echo, MD), and moderated by Michael Wilkerson (American University).

As a 2008 graduate of American University’s Arts Management program, and the staff liaison at Americans for the Arts to the national Emerging Leaders Network and Council, I was excited to be part of this conversation.

At the beginning of the panel, I spoke very briefly on what I’ve learned about leadership since I graduated from American University, and I wanted to expand a bit on those ideas in this blog post.  

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Crystal Wallis

Arts Advocacy Day 2011: Day One

Posted by Crystal Wallis, Apr 04, 2011 0 comments


Crystal Wallis

Crystal Wallis

Today, on one of the most gorgeous days of the year in DC, hundreds of arts advocates converged on the Omni Shoreham to get "fired up and ready to go!"

It was really great to see so many people from all across the country that are so pasionate about advocating for the arts to their representatives. We all know it's going to be difficult, but we believe that this is the right thing to do, and that our cause is a worthy one,and that gives us hope.

The staff of Americans for the Arts has done a great job in bringing in experts to talk to us about the issues.

There is so much to take in, but they try to break it down for us. Jay Dick did a good job this morning giving us basic tips on "lobbying 101", and Americans for the Arts brought in a congressional staffer to give us "dos" and "don'ts". One thing she said that really resonated with my background in development was to make sure that you make the ask!    

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Zack Hayhurst

EALS Blog Salon Wrap-Up

Posted by Zack Hayhurst, Apr 01, 2011 0 comments


Zack Hayhurst

Back on February 11th, I posted a "Call to Bloggers" as a way to drum up discussion around the topics being discussed at the 4th Annual Emerging Arts Leaders Symposium (EALS) at American University.  Every week since then, we have heard from unique and varied perspectives on issues concerning leadership in the arts, global arts management, and how exactly one bridges the gap between academia and the "real world" of arts management.

Throughout this series of posts we learned quite a few things.  Brieahn DeMeo pointed out that U.S. arts managers don't always have all the answers, and reminded us of the importance of being open to learning from other culture's styles of management.  Laura Patterson explored the challenges of presenting foreign artists and foreign cultures in a globalized world.  Michael Wilkerson asked the question, "What is Leadership?", and gave an insightful explanation reminding us that leadership is not something that simply blooms forth out of someone, as a butterfly would from a cocoon, but is something that everyone must continually learn it as they go. 

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Abbie Kopf

Arts Management Grads: Let Your Unique Skills Shine Through

Posted by Abbie Kopf, Apr 01, 2011 1 comment


Abbie Kopf

For almost a decade, I smelled bad. After years in the food service industry, there was no amount of scrubbing that could erase the stench of grease and questionable meat product from my clothing. Maybe it was the fear that I’d die stinky and alone that led me to seek employment elsewhere.  The problem was, I had a college degree and the passion to be creative in my profession, but no practical knowledge in the big-girl office world. How could I trick an arts organization into employing an expert burger flipper?

Let me let you in on a little secret. There’s no secret knock for getting into arts management. It’s as simple as this: All industries, especially the arts, are downright thirsty – nay, parched – for the right kind of employee. If you’re considering an occupation shift into the arts, the first step is discarding the belief that the “right” kind of employee necessarily means someone with extensive knowledge in the arts or arts administration. Quite the contrary, successful arts organizations employ diverse candidates who bring different – and critically important – experiences or viewpoints.

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Michael R. Gagliardo

It’s time to stop apologizing for the arts.

Posted by Michael R. Gagliardo, Mar 29, 2011 5 comments


Michael R. Gagliardo

Michael Gagliardo

But that’s what many of us have been forced to do.  Our role as arts advocates has turned us into “arts apologists.”  Think of it – how many times have you said, “I’m sorry to have to ask you again, but can we count on your support for our program?”  It’s like rooting for the team that no one else cheers for – you know that they’re mired in scandal or they’re just downright bad, but they’re your team. Therefore, you root for them anyway, and then you find an excuse to do so.  “I know, but I grew up there,” or “I know, but they’re just so good it’s hard not to cheer them on.”  In a way, our arts advocacy has become a game of arts apology.

It’s easy to let this happen.  I mean, it seems like we’re always asking for something, and the resources out there are certainly finite.  So we go back to the same well time and again, and each time we do, we feel a little guiltier about having to make the trip.  It’s like asking Santa if we can add one more thing to our list – pretty soon the jolly old man is going to cut us off.

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