This report is an evaluation of a range of outcomes at the four sites in the Creative Graffiti Abatement Project in Los Angeles County. The Creative Graffiti Abatement project artworks are examples of artistic contributions to the physical and social aspects of civic infrastructure. In this project, the LA County Arts Commission drew on its experience realizing arts-based solutions that enhance the value of civic spaces, securing grant funding to continue and expand its practice in this area, with the support of the Office of the Second Supervisorial District of the County. The LA County Regional Parks and Open Space District, which funds the development and improvement of parks, recreational, cultural and community facilities and open spaces, approved the project in 2013. The Arts Commission proposed that public art and engagement financed by the grant would increase community pride and a sense of ownership of public assets, which would ultimately lead to the reduction of graffiti vandalism at county properties.
Civic Engagement/Community Development
What Unites and Divides Urban, Suburban and Rural Communities
Amid widening gaps in politics and demographics, Americans in urban, suburban and rural areas share many aspects of community life.
Nonprofit Diversity Efforts: Current Practices and the Role of Foundations
How do nonprofits see diversity as relevant to their goals? How do they want their foundation funders to be involved in their diversity efforts?
In discussions about diversity at foundations, it’s essential that the perspectives of grantees be included in the conversation. That’s why CEP turned to its Grantee Voice Panel of nonprofit leaders to learn more about how nonprofits are thinking about diversity – and how foundations can be most helpful to their grantees, if at all, when it comes to this topic.
Based on survey responses of 205 leaders of nonprofit organizations with annual expenses between $100,000 and $100 million, Nonprofit Diversity Efforts: Current Practices and the Role of Foundations provides a collection of data on topics such as how diversity relates to the work of nonprofits and what demographic information nonprofits and funders alike are collecting – and how that information is used.
The data in this report can inform foundation leaders and staff as they consider how they can most helpfully engage with their grantees on the topic of diversity.
The survey used to gather information for this report is available here.
Toward the Future of Arts Philanthropy: The Disruptive Vision of the Memphis Music Initiative
Over the past several years, many author – including arts practitioners, academics, and funders – have put forth theories and frameworks that provided guidance for, but few extant examples of, what arts equity looks like in action. Since early 2014, the Memphis Music Initiative (MMI) has engaged in a unique form of arts philanthropy that is a promising approach for equity and inclusion.
Using a variety of qualitative methods, this study evaluates the funding and
programmatic practices of MMI in the broader context of arts funding, arts
education, youth development, and community empowerment to discern the
fundamental elements of the model, its effectiveness, and the lessons that others who are committed to equity might learn. The analysis is situated in a larger discussion of (a) the effects of race and place on access to funding and resources, which we call philanthropic redlining; and (b) the sustained and good-faith commitment to combat this phenomenon through the practice of disruptive philanthropy.
Art for Everyone: Approaches to Inclusive Practice
This publication is an outcome of the Connecting the Dots Project, delivered by Arts Access Victoria with the support of Creative Victoria and the Department of Health and Human Services. The project aims to address barriers to cultural participation by people with disability and mental health issues and who are Deaf.
Networked & Collaborative: Convening California Museum Professionals in Pilot Learning Communities
Phase 2 of its four-phase California Networks for Collaboration project offered professional development opportunities to museum professionals and cultural sector colleagues across 12 regions throughout the state, with study topics stemming from the most important critical issue facing the California museum field (identified in Phase 1: Discovery)– Connecting with People: Engagement and Accessibility. The report reflects key findings.
