Lara M. Evans’ Post

Another great report and "explainer" from our Office of Research and Analysis. I know many questions I had about the SPPA are answered here!

"Perhaps the real question, then, isn't just which genres of arts participation should be measured but also which purposes." In response to the most recent Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, arts and culture researcher Peter Linett considers the challenges of creating an inclusive measurement frame for arts engagement. Read the essay: https://bit.ly/49zuDVe

To read later!

Check out this latest public opinion survey from Americans for the Arts!

A new Americans For The Arts survey confirms what I've been seeing in communities across America: art isn't just surviving, it's becoming recognized as essential to how we live, work, and connect. The findings paint a picture of art as more than just galleries and museums - it's woven into the fabric of American life. People aren't just viewing art, they're creating it. They're recognizing its impact on their communities, their jobs, their children's education. This particularly struck me: nearly half of American adults are making art in their personal time. When I moved from corporate America and IT to exploring the arts, there was a natural uncertainty about the shift. Turns out I was worried about nothing. Americans are embracing creativity at all stages of life, finding ways to express themselves through various mediums. But what really stands out isn't just personal engagement - it's the broader recognition of art's role in building community. Americans see art as a bridge builder, bringing together people across different backgrounds and beliefs. Working with various communities on art projects, I've seen firsthand how art initiatives drive tourism, help during difficult times, and improve quality of life. These aren't just nice-to-have benefits - they're tangible outcomes that strengthen the fabric of our communities. I don't know where this data will lead us, but it suggests something important: communities increasingly view art not as a luxury, but as essential infrastructure - as vital as good roads or strong schools. What catches your attention in the findings? How does it match what you're seeing in your community? #ArtsCommunity #CreativeEconomy #LocalArt #CommunityDevelopment #ArtConsulting #PublicArt #CommunityEngagement #Placemaking #ArtsLeadership #CulturalPlanning

An interesting article on the importance of arts industry experience on arts boards. But a bit of a fail on the assumption that artists themselves have no management or business experience - in fact nearly all practising artists have been running businesses for many years so their business experience is very specific and extensive. The business of being an arts administrator, while relevant and useful, is often an entirely different thing. I feel that practising (professional) artists are often quite lacking on many arts boards (such as festivals for example) and it really shows.

In sport, ‘excellence’ is well-understood as an absolutely essential prerequisite. Many policy makers, arts council members, and dumbing-down academics prefer that the arts are kept in a state of enforced mediocrity at best, by rejecting the concept of excellence. Real standards in the arts would reveal how threadbare are the basic skills of many of those today who claim their work is more important than the masterpieces of the past - but want to avoid others having the chance to experience the latter, in which context their own work will be seen as wanting. As Catherine Bennett points out: ‘Hint for funding applicants: engage, as Stalin also used to recommend, “with the stories of the contemporary nation”; avoid “excellence” and its synonyms. “Terms like excellence,” the ACE authors advise, “are indicative of the way in which opera and music theatre still retains unhelpful hierarchies about what kinds of work are valued.” “Good”, while permissible, should appear in inverted commas.’ https://lnkd.in/esqvRzEH

How we can create REAL sustainability on our Orchestras? "Orchestras are entrusted by society to manage both artistic and social missions, supported by special tax statuses, economic structures, and validation. However, there is a lack of clarity among stakeholders (boards, administrators, artists, and communities) on how to evaluate their artistic and social outcomes. Governance often focuses too narrowly on financial oversight, neglecting the broader mission of fostering artistic and social development, which should be the primary purpose of orchestras." Our General Director Maestro Diego Barbosa-Vásquez (DMus, MMus, BMus) is preparing an enlightening Conference/Workshop for full Orchestras' stakeholders. Based on the almost 2 decades of research in Performing Arts Sustainability, this is a concise opportunity to access groundbreaking research about: 1) The Necessity of Multidimensional metric evaluation in nowadays Orchestras (Artistic, Social, Financial, and Ecological). 2) How Artistic and Social clear metrics looks like. 3) Mechanisms available to implement the Artistic and Social evaluation metrics developing comprehensive organization development. 4) Strategies for orchestras to engage their full range of stakeholders in multidimensional governance for healthy, sustainable, and thriving performing arts organizations. More information here at his website: https://lnkd.in/gBqWzM54

📌 Artists and arts professionals sign letter to UK Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DACS / a-n The Artists Information Company / CVAN ) In the short term, the group is “asking the new government to consider short-term policy recommendations including: - the introduction of the Smart Fund, a private copying scheme that could generate around £300 million/ year in copyright revenues for creatives and visual artists. - the appointment of a Freelancer Commissioner to advocate for the working rights of freelancers in the visual arts sector and across the creative industries. […] In the longer term, the group calls for the extension of the Museum and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief, a new Creative and Cultural Agreement with the EU, and planning reforms to incentivise the creation of artists’ studios and creatives spaces. In addition to economic support, the manifesto calls for a curriculum that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and empathy, stressing the importance of investing in creative education. It advocates for the integration of visual literacy into the national curriculum at Key Stage 2 and ensuring every school child visits a cultural organisation every year.” 🔖 CVAN coverage: https://lnkd.in/eVUiAqpn 🔖 Official letter and signatories: https://lnkd.in/eJpeuHe6 #artistsworkrights

Take your mind off the election today -- read my latest posting on Forbes.com: The Audacity of Relevance on the Future of Arts and Culture.