press room
For Immediate Release
04/25/2007Contact:
Beth Olsen
Goodman Media for Americans for the Arts
212.576.2700 ext. 243 or bolsen@goodmanmedia.com
Americans for the Arts and Sundance Preserve Announce Policy Recommendations from the First Annual National Arts Policy Roundtable
WASHINGTON, DC — April 25, 2007 — Robert Redford, chairman of Sundance Preserve, and Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America, today announce policy recommendations resulting from the first annual Americans for the Arts National Arts Policy Roundtable. Twenty-nine leaders from business, government, philanthropy, education, and the arts convened at Sundance Preserve in October 2006 to address the serious decline of market share in philanthropy in the arts and the roundtable's theme, The Future of Private Sector Giving to the Arts in America.
“Issues like the economy, the environment, global politics, and energy policy have long had major national and international forums where leaders gather to debate the challenges we face and develop solutions,” said Robert Redford. “Now it is time for the arts to have a comparable forum, and I am very pleased to be partnering with Americans for the Arts on this endeavor,” he added.
“The arts have long needed an ongoing, high-level policy forum,” said C. Kendric Fergeson, chairman of NBanC in Altus, OK, and past chairman of the American Bankers Association. “With this gathering, a ‘Davos for the Arts’ has been launched.”
The meeting was the culmination of a year-long investigation of this topic, involving commissioned research, 40 professional forums, and the participation of 100 philanthropy, research, and arts groups, as well as more than 3,500 individuals across the country.
Research conducted by Americans for the Arts and presented at the roundtable suggests that the arts are in the midst of a major shift in how nonprofit arts organizations are supported. These groups derive 43 percent of their revenue from private contributions, so sharp declines in philanthropy can radically alter America’s nonprofit cultural landscape. There are signs that this facet of the arts sector is at risk. Consider these facts:
- Since 1992, the arts portion of philanthropic giving has dropped from 8.4 percent to 5.2 percent—a value of $8 billion annually.
- Many new foundations have chosen not to focus on the arts. Some of the most venerable foundations have eliminated their arts programs in favor of alternative funding strategies.
- Corporations are more strategic in their grantmaking and seek measurable results. This has often resulted in a shift in focus away form the arts, often toward health and education.
- Individuals are favoring more “high touch” giving opportunities, wanting to be personally involved in addressing social, environmental, and education needs.
“The arts are not tangential—they are core to community development in America,” said Robert L. Lynch. “The National Arts Policy Roundtable recommendations remind us that we must better communicate the value of the arts in American society and the integral role the arts play in addressing social needs and issues.”
The Americans for the Arts National Arts Policy Roundtable envisions an America where:
- All businesses, foundations and individual philanthropists recognize the arts as complementary to their civic agendas and include the arts within their giving strategies.
- Businesses empower their local workplaces to implement arts-giving mechanisms that serve the needs of their communities.
- Foundations adopt arts-giving and other arts policies that advance entrepreneurship, innovation, and civic engagement, and nurture and develop new creative voices for the benefit of the broader community.
- All businesses, foundations, and individual philanthropists declare literacy in the arts a key educational goal for the 21st century—as central to an educated citizenry as reading, math, and science.
By employing these strategies, the private sector can support the arts in innovative ways that advance the sector’s overall agenda.
A list of participants and the full recommendations report, including recommendations for the government and arts sector, can be accessed online at www.AmericansForTheArts.org/go/PolicyRoundtable.
Key action steps resulting from these recommendations include new research and a new messaging campaign designed to communicate with private-sector decision-makers.
The Americans for the Arts National Arts Policy Roundtable is an annual forum of national leaders who share a commitment to the arts and a willingness to meet and recommend policies critical to the advancement of American culture. The roundtable is composed of distinguished individuals who serve at the highest levels of business, government, philanthropy, education, and the arts. Americans for the Arts and Sundance Preserve are co-conveners of the roundtable—teaming the two preeminent national organizations dedicated to advancing the arts and creative industries in the United States.
Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it has a record of more than 45 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.
The Sundance Preserve is dedicated to maintaining the balance of art, nature, and community as well as the cultivation of independent, innovative thought amongst artists, scholars, scientists, public policy, and business leaders. Residing within the protected splendor of its own preserved lands, it is the mission of the Sundance Preserve to inspire action for the benefit of civil society.
###
