Maryland: Teaching Artist Credentials
The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) is collaborating with the Fine Arts Office at the Maryland State Department of Education to offer a new series of professional development courses designed to strengthen the delivery of community and school based learning experiences for special populations. Course offerings will include older adults (exploring creative aging opportunities for […]
Minnesota: Teaching Artist Training in Creative Aging
The Minnesota State Arts Board joined with Aroha Philanthropies to cosponsor a two-day creative aging training for Minnesota teaching artists. Fifty teaching artists from around the state were selected through a lottery process to participate in the July 2019 training. The training was led by a diverse selection of Minnesota teaching artists who are experienced […]
Massachusetts: New Plan
Recognizing the increasing diversity of Massachusetts as a civic, cultural and economic asset, the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) adopted a comprehensive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Plan. The plan guides MCC’s ongoing efforts to honor many dimensions of diversity: age, ability, ethnicity, race, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, nationality, geographic origin, […]
Nebraska: Creative Relief Partnership
NebraskaStrong Creative Relief is a new partnership between the Nebraska Library Commission and the Nebraska Arts Council (NAC). The goal of the collaboration is to use the arts to bring people together and affirm resourcefulness, civic cohesion, grit and community pride—all essential to recovery in regions of Nebraska damaged by this year’s record-breaking floods. NebraskaStrong […]
Oklahoma: Arts Disaster Resource Page
The Oklahoma Arts Council (OAC) has launched a new web page designed to help artists and arts organizations to recover from natural and other disasters. The Oklahoma Arts Disaster Resource Page features grants, toolkits and other resources from national and regional entities—such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Coalition for Arts’ Preparedness & Emergency […]
Utah: Social Impact Study
According to the results of a pilot social impact study that the Utah Division of Arts & Museums (UA&M) is conducting, museum visitation is correlated with statistically significant increases in health and well-being, intercultural competence, strengthened relationships, and continued education and engagement. UA&M undertook this project with Thanksgiving Point—a nonprofit farm, garden and museum complex […]
Showcasing State Arts Agency Ingenuity: Artist Fellowships
The majority of state arts agencies have an individual artist fellowship program to recognize and honor the creative achievements of their state’s residents. While these programs generally share broad goals—such as fostering the development of new artwork and advancing creative careers—they each are designed to respond to the particular needs of a state’s cultural ecosystem. […]
Indiana: InstaGrant
Crowdsourcing is helping the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) to surface, highlight and share—as well as reward—exemplary arts activities during its annual constituent convening. Through its InstaGrant program, IAC awards $2,500 to an arts organization or project determined to be the most outstanding or impactful by attendees of the Indiana Arts Homecoming. IAC selects 11 InstaGrant […]
Michigan: Creating Connection MI Radio Series
The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) recently launched a five-part series on Michigan Public Radio featuring stories about how creative expression brings people and communities closer together. Each segment of Creating Connection MI is a meditation on the connectivity of the arts and the positive roles that culture and creativity play in our personal […]
North Carolina: Folklife Internships
This summer, the North Carolina Arts Council (N.C. Arts Council) is working with two interns to cultivate the state’s folklife infrastructure as well as the future of public-sector leadership. The interns will help realize N.C. Arts Council’s folklife programming—by engaging in grant making, field research, financial planning and management, and other activities—while benefiting from related professional […]