The results of the Creative California Desert baseline study prove conclusively that the creative cluster is an important cultural and economic force – a major, significant contributor to the health of the overall regional economy, second only to agribusiness and hospitality.
Civic Engagement/Community Development
Culture Connects All: Rethinking Audiences in Times of Demographic Change
Arts and cultural organizations traditionally have two main roles: the production of arts or cultural activities, and the presentation of them to an audience. Both of these fundamentally involve people, as producers or as spectators; it is people who give cultural organizations their means and purpose.
Given this importance, when demographics change, cultural organizations
must pay attention; and demographics are indeed changing. Two of the fastest growing population groups present a timely opportunity for engagement but are at risk for being ignored by many cultural organizations that could benefit from their participation. Which are these two rapidly expanding populations? They are the rising tide of immigrants and older adults.
Stories for Change: Leadership Examples of Expanding the Arts to New Audiences
Stories for Change is a compendium of best practices that builds upon
the findings of Culture Connects All: Rethinking Audiences in Times of Demographic Change, the 2010 report by Partners for Livable Communities. Stories for Change responds to the request for more stories: additional best
practices that showcase the strategies of many unique organizations, not
generally in the spotlight, that have designed arts and cultural programs,
and some non-arts programs, to serve older adults and immigrants.
Arts Organizations and Public Health: Developing Relationships and Programs to Address Local Health Priorities
Over the course of seven years, Partners for Livable Communities collaborated with the Ford Foundation on an initiative known as Shifting Sands: Arts, Culture and Neighborhood Change. The core of this initiative was a collective of nine community-based arts and cultural institutions working to become more integrated with the community development issues in their immediate neighborhoods. This primer was designed for the arts organization that wishes to initiate programming focused on local health issues, or create partnerships with health groups in order to best meet the needs of the community. Best practices are included.
Volunteering and Civic Life in America 2012
Volunteering and civic engagement are the cornerstone of a strong nation. Citizens working together and talking to each other help solve problems and make their communities better places to live and work. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) hosts the most comprehensive annual collection of information on Volunteering and Civic Life in America and partners with the National Conference on Citizenship to produce an annual report of our nation’s civic health.
The 2012 Volunteering and Civic Life in America www.volunteeringinamerica.gov website provides inclusive information allowing civic leaders, nonprofit organizations, and interested individuals to retrieve a wide range of information regarding demographic trends and rankings for volunteering and civic engagement activities in their regions, states, and metro areas. Data available through the website was collected through two supplements to the Current Population Survey to which thousands of Americans respond: the volunteer supplement and the civic supplement. This document highlights some of the key findings from the new data released in 2011.
Working with Volunteers Tool Kit
Volunteers are a critical component of any arts organization. From ushers to fundraising, to pro-bono consulting and board service, volunteers expand the capacity of a nonprofit. Volunteers also create an entry point for establishing a relationship with businesses. While this tool-kit focuses on skills-based volunteering, much of the advice is applicable to all types of volunteers.
