In April, Americans for the Arts’ VP of Research and Policy, Randy Cohen, and VP of Private Sector Initiatives, Emily Peck, attended Council on Foundations’ annual meeting in San Francisco. Council on Foundations is a strategic partner of Americans for the Arts, and is committed to showcasing the transformative power of connecting philanthropy and art.

Council on Foundation’s commitment to the arts was on display during the 3-day meeting, during which attendees saw performances, including two poets from Youth Speaks, a youth development program focused on spoken word performances.

Randy Cohen, Vice President of Research and Policy at Americans for the Arts, presented a session on using the Local Arts Index to identity and track county arts measures as a way to determine community health and vitality.

The San Francisco Arts Commission also presented, speaking about the Community Arts Stabilization Trust (CAST), a new model for a nonprofit real estate holding company for arts and cultural organizations. The project, a collaboration between the Kenneth Rainin Foundation and a mix of partners from San Francisco, is a unique approach to community revitalization and public-private partnerships in the arts.