Massachusetts: Creative Minds Out Loud Podcast

Smithsonian American Art Museum | Electronic Superhighway Exhibit

Creative Minds Out Loud is the new Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) podcast “for arts and culture nerds.” An outgrowth of MCC’s many inspiring site visits with grantees and other constituents, the podcast highlights the state’s cultural capital. Through it, MCC is trying to expand the reach of the peer-to-peer learning and support engendered by its […]

Iowa: 35th Anniversary Commemoration of Percent for Art Program

The Iowa Arts Council (IAC) marked the 35th anniversary of its Art in State Buildings (AiSB) program with a multifaceted, year-long commemoration centered on an exhibit about the history and evolution of Iowa’s public art. IAC developed the show, as well as its educators’ guide, in partnership with the State Historical Museum of Iowa. To […]

D.C.: Designed to Recycle

Designed to Recycle is a new public art collaboration between the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) and the D.C. Department of Public Works. The program’s aim is to turn recycling trucks into mobile canvases highlighting the importance of mitigating waste and protecting the environment. In 2015, the two city agencies organized a […]

Alaska: Professional Development for Alaska Native Artists

Alaska, unique in many ways, not only has the largest proportion of Native Americans in the country—with 14.8% of residents identifying as Alaska Native—but also is the largest state by land area and one of the least populated. In an effort to help Alaska Native artists thrive in the face of geographical and other challenges, […]

Montana: New GOS Guidelines Encourage Accessibility and Outreach to Legislators

Smithsonian American Art Museum | Electronic Superhighway Exhibit

By revising the guidelines of its general operating support program, the Montana Arts Council (MAC) is leveraging the value of its grant making to foster legislative support for the arts in Montana and to maximize the accessibility of creative activities and experiences for all Montanans. For the FY2016-2019 cycle of its Public Value Partnerships (PVP) […]

North Dakota: Creative Aging Program Leveraged with Foundation Support

Smithsonian American Art Museum | Electronic Superhighway Exhibit

A recent $100,000 Community Creativity Cohort grant from the Bush Foundation is enabling the North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA) to expand its creative aging work. Through its Art for Life program, NDCA supports arts activities—such as combining traditional dance and a mobile painting device—in eldercare facilities in effort to improve the emotional and […]

Vermont: Vermont Creative Network

Smithsonian American Art Museum | Electronic Superhighway Exhibit

The Vermont Creative Network is a new project of the Vermont Arts Council (VAC) that aims to cultivate Vermont’s creative sector and, as a result, to improve quality of life, boost local economies and strengthen the fiber of communities. Germinated in October 2014 and formally launched in November 2015 as part of VAC’s 50th anniversary, […]

Texas: Texas Association of Business Partnership

Smithsonian American Art Museum | Electronic Superhighway Exhibit

A recent partnership between the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) and the Texas Association of Business (TAB), the statewide chamber of commerce representing more than 4,000 businesses, is already paying dividends. This past legislative session, TAB helped TCA realize its legislative vision by working with Texans for the Arts and the Texas Cultural Trust […]

Minnesota: Evaluation Workshops

Smithsonian American Art Museum | Electronic Superhighway Exhibit

This summer, the Minnesota State Arts Board (MSAB) supported a series of eight evaluation workshops to help artists and arts leaders leverage the power of analysis in support of their creative and organizational goals. The workshops focused on evaluation methods and practices that artists and arts organizations can use independently of grantee-reporting requirements to reflect […]

Rhode Island: Arts & Culture Research Network

Smithsonian American Art Museum | Electronic Superhighway Exhibit

To better understand and leverage the role of the arts in economic development and other public policies, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) recently launched the Arts & Culture Research Network. The primary goal of the new initiative, which RISCA is coleading with The Collaborative—a research- and policy-focused partnership of Rhode Island’s […]