BCA Noteworthy October 2008

THE BCA TEN - 2008
THE BCA TEN: Best Companies Supporting the Arts in America will be presented on Thursday, October 30 during a gala event at the American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY. These businesses are being recognized for their exceptional involvement with the arts that enrich the workplace, education and the community. To see a list of the companies named to THE BCA TEN - 2008 or to purchase tickets or tables, www.bcainc.org/thebcaten.html.

Forum for New Ideas
Registration now open for the Forum for New Ideas on Thursday, November 20 from 8:00 am to 11:00 am at Morgan Stanley, 1585 Broadway, New York, NY. The Forum explores innovative ways for arts and business to work together. Speakers include Lisa Dennison, Chairman, Sotheby's North and South America, Anne Pasternak, President and Creative Director, Creative Time, and Claudia Kotchka, Vice President, Design, Innovation and Strategy, Procter & Gamble. The panel is moderated by Larry R. Thompson, President, Ringling College of Art & Design. The national sponsor is Herman Miller Foundation, Zeeland, MI, and the New York sponsor is Morgan Stanley, New York, NY. To register, www.bcainc.org/forum.html.

Impact of Economic Crisis on Arts Giving
The current economic crisis is likely to have an impact on arts support. Reliable arts funders including AIG, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers and Washington Mutual have either gone bankrupt or been taken over by other firms. For now, it is unclear how the firms that have taken over struggling companies will handle the corporate giving of the old firms. In addition, top executives at these firms were also important philanthropists. For example, 1,000 senior executives at Bear Stearns, which is now a part of JPMorgan Chase, were required to contribute 4% of their annual compensation to charity. For information, www.washingtonpost.com and www.nytimes.com.

Businesses Increase International Giving in 2007
The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that businesses increased international giving by 24% from 2006 to 2007. Forty-one companies gave $2.5 billion in grants and products to charities overseas. For information, www.philanthropy.com.

UTC Employs Strategic Philanthropy

United Technologies Corporation (UTC), Hartford, CT, launched a new program "Building Community Excellence" to share employee expertise with the nonprofit field. One project had UTC employees performing an energy audit at a local theater to save energy usage and money. The audit reduced the theater's energy costs by 5%. For information, www.utc.com.

DreamWorks Supports Arts Education

DreamWorks Animation, Glendale, CA, provided a $500,000 grant to Inner-City Arts, Los Angeles, CA, to create the DreamWorks Animation Academy which will teach elementary-high school students about animation. The course culminates with students making animated films that are screened at festivals throughout Los Angeles. DreamWorks CEO Jeffery Katzenberg said, "We want these kids to know how animation works, but, most importantly we want to motivate and inspire them to stay focused in school." For information, www.inner-cityarts.org.

DON'T MISS

October is National Arts and Humanities Month

National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM) is a coast-to-coast collective celebration of culture in America. Held every October and coordinated by Americans for the Arts, it has become the largest annual celebration of the arts and humanities in the nation. From arts center open houses to mayoral proclamations to banners and media coverage, communities across the United States join together to recognize the importance of arts and culture to citizen's daily lives. For information, www.AmericansForTheArts.org/nahm.

2008 National Arts Marketing Project Conference

New this year, a track of four sessions on branding including Branding 101, Advanced Branding, a session on how to leverage your sponsor's brand, and a session on how branding enhances your fundraising efforts. All NAMP Conference sessions feature experts from the field and experts in the field. Come see and hear how arts groups of all sizes and from all artistic disciplines are tackling some of the most pressing marketing and fundraising issues today. For information, www.AmericansForTheArts.org/nampc.

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE