“As we seek new solutions and new models for sustainability in the arts – we must not lose the institutional knowledge and strengths that already exist in our organizations and the field. As we innovate and develop more effective practices, we must look at what we do now with fresh eyes and through the prism of current societal and market conditions.”
Rachel Y. DeGuzman, President and CEO at 21st Century Arts
DIALOG
Resurgence seen in Latino arts
October 10, 2014
By Annette Jiménez/EMC
ROCHESTER -- While many Latino artists and community leaders are thrilled to see a boom in theater and dance, some still clamor for having a louder voice in the arts community at large.
The glory days of a Puerto Rican Arts and Cultural Center could be resurrected, say local artists like Agustin Ramos and Hector Arguinzoni. It would take time, commitment and money, Ramos said, but as the Latino population continues to grow, the next evolution of such a center could be a natural progression ...
Building Communities, Not Audiences: The Future of the Arts in the United States
by Doug Borwick
Building Communities, Not Audiences: The Future of the Arts in the U.S , written and edited by Doug Borwick, holds that established arts organizations, for practical and moral reasons, need to be more deeply connected to their communities. It serves as an essential primer for any member of the arts community–artist, administrator, board member, patron, or friend–who is interested in the future of the arts in the U.S. ...
Creative Communities: Art Works in Economic Development
by Michael Ruston (Editor) Rocco Landesman (Foward)
Urban and regional planners, elected officials, and other decisionmakers are increasingly focused on what makes places "livable." Many factors are involved, including the arts and culture, which make a crucial contribution to community development. But knowledge about arts and culture as a development tool and what works at various urban and regional levels is lacking. What art forms or types of arts-related employment matter the most, and in what neighborhoods? How does a city ensure that "the arts" is not defined simply by a core of long-established major arts institutions? What state and local policies best foster the development of strong local arts scenes? ...
Can intensive arts education close the achievement gap?
March 25, 2015
A little over a month ago, I attended SphinxCon, a national conference on diversity in the arts, in Detroit. Since then, I have been reflecting on many of the topics that were explored at the conference and, frankly, struggling with where to start in a series of blogs that I plan to write on different facets of diversity in the arts ...
Save-the-date for a Garth Fagan Dance gala on April 25
February 13, 2015
A few years ago I went to the opening night performance of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at City Center in New York City. Everyone was 'dressed to the nines'- a favorite phrase of my grandmothers, who was a woman that went to many events in her lifetime where formal dress was required. Some were more dressed up than others because they had attended a pre-performance gala dinner and these very beautiful people dazzled as they filed into a special section a little after I had been escorted to my seat in an area a tier above ...
Rochester celebrates the International Year of Light 2015
February 6, 2015
Inspired by a presentation given a year ago by Thomas Battley of the Rochester Regional Photonics Cluster, 21st Century Arts, in conjunction withPeaceArt International, is presenting ROC the YOL(ROC the Year of Light) - which is a marketing and programmatic initiative to promote a vibrant, community-wide celebration of theInternational Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies 2015. The greater Rochester community is invited to join any events or programs related to 'light' that they are presenting in 2015 for free cross promotion on the newly launched ROCtheYOL.com website and its associated Facebook and Twitter platform
Rochester MSA ranked 20th in country for arts, culture
January 28, 2015
Many Rochesterian's, especially people that I encounter in my work and personal life, could be described as Rochester arts and culture proud. Without being able to cite many quantitative specifics, we just know that we have a very cultural community for our size and that much of what is produced here is of excellent quality. I am no exception. Which is why it was thrilling to learn that Monroe County is ranked the 20th Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) for arts and culture in the country - according to the newly released The NCAR Arts Vibrancy Index Report: The Arts Markets in America.* ...
Pop-up party and art installation for Urban Nights at Sibley Building
January 12, 2015
Rochester has never seen a pop-up party and arts experience quite as exciting, topical and edgy as the one that will be installed on January 13, 5:45 to 7:45 p.m., at the Sibley Building for Rochester Downtown Development Corporation's monthly convening – Urban Nights ...
Entrepreneurship symposium puts learning in practice
January 6, 2015
The Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference in New York City begins later this week and this is the first time in many years (8 consecutive, 12 total) that I will not be in attendance. This does not mean that APAP NYC is no longer valuable to me. My business, 21st Century Arts, is still a member and I will probably attend again in 2016 ...
The Dworkin Arts & Creativity Report (DARC)
created by Aaron Dworkin - on Vimeo
The DARC Report envisions a world in which the arts play an integral role in society and engage the voices and audiences of all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. The DARC Report’s mission is to provide an informative, engaging and innovative online video platform through which to share research on current practices, interrogate realities, present creative solutions and showcase the successes that exist throughout the field of the arts and creativity ...
Michael Kaiser
The Huffington Post
Michael M. Kaiser is President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Dubbed “the Turnaround King” for his work at numerous institutions, including the Royal Opera House (London), American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and the Kansas City Ballet, Michael has earned international renown for his expertise in arts management. Through the Kennedy Center, he has advised performing arts organizations around the world, working with arts leaders in nearly 70 countries ...
Field Notes
Observations & Insights from National Arts Strategies
Listening is an important aspect of working in the arts and culture field. (It’s good advice for anyone really.) At NAS, we are always listening for feedback or new ideas that we can use to help improve our own work. The problem, of course, is that it’s not always easy to separate the signal from the noise ...
Engaging Matters
Doug Borwick on vibrant arts and communities
To engage successfully, arts organizations need to make authentic, substantive connections with their communities. Those communities should not be seen as a collection of market segments to be tapped in an effort to sell tickets or extend reach; they should be seen as indispensable partners in improving lives. It is the creation and support of healthy, vital communities that provide the ultimate justification for the allocation of financial and human resources that the arts require. Communities do not exist to serve the arts; the arts exist to serve communities ...
Jumper
Diane Ragsdale on what the arts do and why
I’m interested in the relationship between economic strategy and mission. As my advisor at Erasmus University, Arjo Klamer, would say, “financing is never neutral.” Jumper seeks to delve into the values, ideologies, politics, and principles that underpin current practices and purposes in the arts and to bring forward for consideration alternative (at times, perhaps, irrational) perspectives—from history we’ve forgotten or never learned, from other fields and industries, and from having been an outsider-looking-in for much of my career ...
Audience Wanted
Matt Lehrman on Audience Building
For too long, arts & cultural marketers have operated under the premise that the key to their organization's success is to "pick the low hanging fruit."
I have come to reject that premise.
Fundamental changes in personal interests & economics - coupled with advances in technology and solcial media - are radically transforming every aspect of why and how audiences chose to engage ...