Local arts agencies, state arts agencies, arts funders supported through voter tax initiatives, and united arts funds are grappling with how to cultivate a twenty-first-century cultural community that reflects changing demographics, encourages innovation, embodies equity, and ensures a robust donor base and public commitment to the arts. Through interviews with sixteen leaders of public arts funders and united arts funds, Recalculating the Formula for Success: Public Arts Funders and United Arts Funds Reshape Strategies for the Twenty-First Century documents the new ways that these funders are approaching their work, rethinking longtime practices, and adapting to changing environments:

  • Public arts funders and united arts funds experiment with new strategies.
  • Funders move away from an exclusive focus on size when supporting legacy institutions.
  • Board leadership is critical to funder innovation.
  • Continuing funder evolution may challenge longstanding relationships with community partners and others.

As with any fundamental transformation, there are many constituencies to consider. Public arts funders and united arts fund staff must challenge but cannot get ahead of their boards; the needs of government officials for demonstrations of community benefit must be met; longtime beneficiaries must be helped to understand and accept changed expectations; underserved communities must be engaged in new ways to ensure their participation; and all parties must show good faith to guarantee that resources continue to flow.

Continue reading the full article by Steven Lawrence from Grantmakers in the Arts