Business Contributions to the Arts: 2018 Edition is the second edition of the annual report published by The Conference Board and Americans for the Arts. Conducted in the summer of 2018, this year’s survey garnered 132 responses from small, midsize, and large US businesses, 123 of which made a philanthropic contribution of some description in 2017 and are therefore included in this report. The survey asked for information based on corporate practices at the time of the survey completion.

In partnership with a field-based advisory group, Americans for the Arts proposes four goals that, if achieved, would support meaningful, measurable progress toward the fair and equitable distribution of all types of LAA investments, as well as specific strategies to achieve those goals. 

This research paper provides an overview of how U.S foundations and nonprofit organizations that provide direct support for individual artists have developed practices and strategies that radically depart from the principles of traditional scientific philanthropy.  Primary consideration is given to the frameworks of ‘new philanthropy’ and ‘creative philanthropy’ as they are established in an extensive literature review.

Statement of Purpose and Action Recommendations from Grantmakers in the Arts to address racism and inequities in public and private arts funding. 

The arts are fundamental to our humanity. They ennoble and inspire us—fostering creativity, goodness, and beauty. The arts bring us joy, help us express our values, and build bridges between cultures. The arts are also a fundamental component of a healthy community—strengthening them socially, educationally, and economically—benefits that persist even in difficult social and economic times.

Local arts agencies—arts councils, arts commissions, cultural affairs departments—are an essential tool for community leaders as they rebuild their economies and promote social cohesion. The nation’s 4,500 local arts agencies (LAAs) support, present, and promote the dynamic value of the arts. Through their partnerships and leadership, LAAs are building healthier communities through the arts.

In 2015, the MAP Fund undertook a deep examination of one of its foundational priorities: racial equity in arts and culture grantmaking. In this case study by Vanessa Whang, follow MAP’s layered inquiry to examine biases in its: application platform, guidelines and requirements, applicant advisory supports and communications, and adjudication processes.

This guide is for anyone who wants to create social change, and who wants to learn how storytelling can help.

Findings based on 228 grantmaker survey responses and 32 interviews suggest that arts and social change philanthropy is an emerging field and therefore still very much evolving. However, there is a wider range and a larger number of grantmakers supporting arts for change in some way than has been generally recognized. Focusing on grantmaking in the United States, the report characterizes the nature of support from both private and public sectors, examining how grantmakers think about social change in the context of agency goals and what outcomes they are looking for through their support.

Read about how the Lambent Foundation leverages the critical role of arts and culture at the intersection of social justice. Through its grantmaking and creative programs, Lambent explores the impact of contemporary art as a strategy for promoting sustainable cultural practices in New York City, New Orleans, and Nairobi. Learn more about the Foundation’s current work and Executive Director Michelle Coffey’s vision for the future in this paper and podcast interview by Ann McQueen.