Guildhouse’s Post

DEADLINE APPROACHING! Colors of Humanity Art Gallery - "Open" 2025 Call for Entry - Online Art Show - THEME- "OPEN" As one-year closes and a new one begins, it opens all of us up to new possibilities, hopes, and dreams. Therefore, we want to give artists an opportunity to show their best work in any medium and style without barriers. PAY IT FORWARD- We will be donating 10% of all entry fees from this show to Feed the Children to help ensure a better life for them. Feed the Children exists to end childhood hunger. Around the world, they provide nourishing meals every day to more than 350,000 children. Colors of Humanity Art Gallery is not affiliated with Feed the Children. ELIGIBILITY- All artists 18 and over may enter. Please do not submit work previously shown in any of our shows. JUDGING CRITERIA- Originality, interpretation, quality, demonstration of ability, and usage of medium. JUROR- Janelle Cogan. ENTRY FEE- $20 for 1 or 2 pieces (You may enter more than once if you have additional works.) AWARDS- A cash prize will be given to the Best of Show winner. Additionally, the "Best of Show" winner will be featured. His or her artwork will be on the cover of the show and it will be largely displayed with an article about them and their work. The Best of Show winner will also receive a free one year Featured Artist Membership. Other winners will be featured and have similar recognition. All accepted works will be displayed with the artist name, title of work, and a link back to their website, or email address if they do not have a website. Sales- commission free! Deadline: December 15, 2024. https://lnkd.in/etk99-6r #TheArtList #ColorsofHumanityArtGallery #OpenCallforEntry

Exposure doesn’t pay bills. Just PAY ARTISTS, period. Just supporting an arts organization ≠ supporting artists. As Scene Change and Scene Change 2 remind us: "Artists make magic, and arts organizations make money." Sadly, many nonprofits behave like their for-profit counterparts, valuing ticket sales, press reviews, and wealthy donors over real community impact. As Alan Harrison says: “They measure success not by improving the community — be it through social service, activism, or justice initiatives — but by accolades and profits. It’s time nonprofit arts leaders stop blaming the pandemic, audiences, or others. Look in the mirror, even if you inherited the dysfunction." I chose the path of Arts Administration to help build stability and advocate for equitable access to the arts. While I believe in pursuing your passion (as I’ve done), I’m also a realist. Artists often receive less compensation, and the economy certainly isn’t on the side of newer generations. Imagine how many artists we’d have if society didn’t perpetuate the Starving Artist trope. Too often, those at the top profit while artists are underpaid. Harrison further states, “Artists in performing arts organizations work at the pleasure of the producer, not the other way around. They need artists to fulfill their productions, yet seek the best talent at the lowest price.” I’m here to support artists — being one myself. Are you? Without them, arts organizations wouldn’t exist. And without artists, we all suffer. #Arts #Culture #Artists #Nonprofit #Leadership #Pay #ArtsAdministration #CreativeEconomy #Sustainability

Deeply value this conversation from an advisor who is himself connected to the arts community, and journalism from a nonprofit publication ( The Local )! Great giving, planning and community insight here. As we keep reading in mainstream media, arts organizations are in crisis right now https://lnkd.in/djspc5MY

What if I told you that you could invest $1 and get back $21? Don't worry, I'm not pitching you a fund, but what I am saying is that investment in our #artsandculture sector has a massive, and well documented, benefit on our society. I think too often we focus just on how art feeds our souls and not how it also enriches our economy and other industries. Artists drive growth in hospitality and tourism, and also are too often the victims of the #gentrification that comes as a byproduct of the "cool" factor the arts provide. But, if the #arts generate $21 for every $1 invested... where is that money going and why are the artists the last ones to usually see the pennies of those generated dollars? Or worse yet, sold the myth of the "noble" starving artist? Arts and culture is in crisis right now, and government grants that have been such a driver of the sector for a while are at historic lows. Simply put, something has to be done, and it's going to take a village. For those of us for whom arts and culture are a core part of our #philanthropy there's a few things we can do right now: 1. Consider #strategic philanthropy to increase our donated dollars. Strategies like "in-kind" donations, corporate donations, legacy gifts via #wills and #lifeinsurance, all of these are things we should investigate with our advisors. You're probably going to be meeting with them anyways to discuss the #federalbudget2024... perhaps this topic should be on the agenda? 2. Listen to artists and consider how trust-based philanthropy fits into our giving plan. Challenge your boards to focus on pay equity for artists and pay artists what they're worth. 3. Look into providing physical spaces for artists to create. While you may not be in a position to create a Community Land Trust, look out for spaces like B-Street Studios by TAPA - Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, The Bridge by Bygone Theatre that are committed to providing affordable space for creation. 4. Reach out to your local community foundations, as their mandates are often to uplift grass-roots and community organizations - of whom artists are often members. Toronto Foundation is the one in my backyard (and to whom I am a supporter and fundholder myself) in case you're a Torontonian. #arts #charity #givingback #economics #theatre #filmandtv

What would it take to support an artist? South Australia’s emerging artists have survived a millennium bug, a global financial crisis, a worldwide pandemic, soaring petrol prices, paying $11.99 for lettuce and now… a zombie apocalypse. Well… we hope not. What would it take for you to support an artist? While the zombies may not literally be beating down the door, many artists are faced with economic hardship due to a radically changing arts landscape. A recent study* by Creative Australia showed that on average artists earned $23,850 per year for their core creative work. Added to this, rapidly changing work conditions and the growing instability of contractual agreements and you have a generation of emerging artists in the grip of a crisis. But you can help... TO LEARN MORE & DONATE VISIT: https://lnkd.in/gHQrGW-c *Artists as Workers: An Economic Study of Professional Artists in Australia by David Throsby and Katya Petetskaya

The ballet of M&E and M-O-N-E-Y: using M&E in your program’s donor relations   Most social impact initiatives rely heavily on donations and grants to sustain their activities. To attract and sustain donor support, program leaders need to demonstrate results.   Enter monitoring and evaluation (M&E), the underappreciated hero of securing donor support.   How about a theatrical metaphor to represent the interplay between funding and M&E?   Imagine yourself on stage, ready to present your social impact program to an eager audience of current and potential donors.   As you weave the narrative of your endeavours, from needs assessment to activities and outcomes, M&E acts as the silent partner, providing insights and invaluable evidence that bolster the credibility of your program’s efficacy and instil confidence in its efforts.   With robust M&E data, you’re presenting tangible evidence of your program’s impact. This is what donors seek – assurance that their contributions are making, and would make, a difference.   Like an audience craving a powerful performance, donors desire results. They want to see the fruit of their generosity reflected in credible and compelling storytelling.   But beyond showcasing outcomes, M&E can also help engage donors in a narrative larger than themselves. By demonstrating the transformative ripple effect of their contributions, you turn donors into inspired patrons of your cause, committed to supporting your endeavours.   So, the next time you are preparing to raise funds for your social impact program or otherwise engage with donors, remember: M&E isn't just a backstage player. It’s the architect of your program’s narrative, the orchestrator of confidence, and a key catalyst for impact – all of which are key factors in donor relations.   [Drawn from the blog article: Shejavali, K. (2023, August 1). The dance between M&E and M-O-N-E-Y: using M&E in your program’s donor relations. Blog article. RM3 Consulting. Available at: https://lnkd.in/eH3dgwzG (accessed: 4 April 2024).]   #monitoringandevaluation #internationaldevelopment #nonprofit #rm3

A nice example of what communities can do with Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation's Community Development Investment Grants (CDI) this one in the City of Verona. Learn more about this program for communities in Wisconsin here => https://lnkd.in/gqancjc3

For our next client feature we are highlighting Performing Arts Houston. They are the largest nonprofit presenting organization of its kind in the Southwest, USA. Performing Arts Houston (PAH) showcases internationally acclaimed artists from the entire performing arts spectrum. PAH came to us with their existing site that uses Spektrix as their ticketing provider system. They had certain functionalities and requests to help facilitate API integrations with Spektrix. Additionally they were in need of a more robust custom web functionalities to power the ticket purchase, donations, and memberships portions of the website. Our proposed solution was to utilize MaestroPress, a WordPress plugin developed in-house specifically for such Spektrix integrations. With the help of our entire team, we were able to give Performing Arts Houston the revamp that their current site needed: allowing users to create accounts, purchase tickets, make donations, and subscribe to memberships seamlessly! To learn more about our work together, check out our case study on Performing Arts Houston: https://lnkd.in/g4xK2udq. Photo cred: Dance Theatre of Harlem #clientfeature #performingarts #website #designanddevelopment #technology #techindustry

🎨 What’s Next for Equity in the Arts? “Maintaining the impact ARPA funds had on equity in the arts will require those with wealth ‘to think civically, not just ‘Where did I go to school?’ or ‘What’s my favorite charity?’” – Dennie Wolf, WolfBrown Principal Dennie highlights a critical challenge facing arts organizations as American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding dwindles: Without sustained civic-minded giving, small organizations may face layoffs and reduced opportunities for individual artists. Read the full article from The Boston Globe: With a COVID cliff coming, what can Boston artists bank on: https://lnkd.in/ejY-aabu

🌟 Powering Sustainable Change: Pay What it Takes- Funding That Truly Supports Cultural Organizations 🎭 The Tim Fairfax Family Foundation is championing a revolutionary approach to nonprofit funding that goes beyond traditional grant-making. By providing three separate nine-year general operating support grants to Dancenorth Australia Crossroad Arts and Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra – Queensland's Chamber Orchestra, they're embracing the Pay What It Takes philosophy. Pay What It Takes is about recognizing that: • Organizations need unrestricted funding to thrive • Overhead and infrastructure are critical, not optional • Sustainable impact requires holistic organizational support These grants do more than fund programs—they fund potential. By providing long-term, flexible funding, the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation is Reframe Overhead by • Supporting full cost recovery • Investing in organizational capacity and infrastructure • Allowing leaders to strategically plan and innovate • Recognizing the real costs of creating meaningful cultural impact and enabling true organizational resilience The Foundation’s approach challenges the traditional nonprofit funding model. Instead of restricting funds to specific projects, these grants provide the essential resources organizations need to build strength from within. This is transformative philanthropy in action: Trust. Flexibility. Sustainability. A powerful example of how funding can truly support the organizations driving our cultural landscape. #PayWhatItTakes #Philanthropy #NonprofitFunding #ForPurposeLeadershop #CulturalInnovation