Americans for the Arts’ Post

Congratulations to Mobile County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood of Alabama! Americans for the Arts and The National Association of Counties awarded her with the Public Leadership in the Arts Award for her outstanding County Arts Leadership. 👏 Commissioner Ludgood has made a conscientious effort to share Mobile County’s diverse history through arts, entertainment, and experiences. Through her dedication, Commissioner Ludgood has enriched the community with initiatives like the Africatown Heritage House and Clotilda: The Exhibition, preserving and sharing the history of Mobile County. Her efforts highlight the transformative power of the arts in creating vibrant, connected communities. Thank you, Commissioner Ludgood, for your extraordinary contributions to the arts and for setting a stellar example for public officials everywhere. We are honored to celebrate your achievements! 🔗 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ehysFseS #ArtsLeadership #CommunityImpact #ArtsAdvocacy

Love the Arts Impact Explorer? Submit an RFPs to help us update the overall data through national research! 🎨📊 The Art Impact Explorer is an interactive tool that shows how the arts impact and integrate into 29 different aspects of community life. The RFP is open until July 15. Learn more and apply: https://bit.ly/3W4wFaO You can check out the Arts Impact Explorer and learn more: https://bit.ly/3W3MHlw

Tell us what you think about the arts in your community! Be a part of exciting, new arts and health research! Join the Arts For EveryBody campaign and take a quick 1-minute arts and health survey: https://lnkd.in/gZS8Gj3N 📱🔗 Research has shown participating in the arts can reduce stress and loneliness, which are risk factors for a wide range of ailments, including hypertension and heart disease. Plus, the arts help us feel more connected to others, our communities, and culture. The Arts For EveryBody web app survey is brought to us by a brilliant team of researchers and health experts from One Nation/One Project, University of Florida - Center for Arts in Medicine, and Samford University. 📣 Special shoutout to artist Sophia Rose Cruz who created the stunning visuals and Nisma Zaman and Tactile Pictures for designing and engineering the web app. #ArtsForEveryBody #ArtsinHealthResearch #ONOP2024 #ArtsInHealth #Survey #UFCAM

Meet Susan (Suzy) Delvalle and Jamie Bennett our new interim co-CEOs at Americans for the Arts! Suzy brings 20+ years of experience in the arts, enhancing mission-based orgs and promoting equity. She is passionate about enhancing the impact of mission-based organizations and promoting opportunity and equity in the cultural sector. Suzy believes in the transformative power of artists in communities and seeks to leverage her expertise to be of service to the creative practices that are close to her heart. Jamie has a depth of experience having worked at the intersections of nonprofits, philanthropy, and government with arts, culture, and comprehensive community development across rural, suburban, Tribal, and urban geographies. Previously he ran ArtPlace America and worked at the National Endowment for the Arts as a political appointee during President Obama’s administration and at the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs during Mayor Bloomberg’s administration. 🙌 We are thrilled to welcome their vision and expertise to our organization!

🎉 The Kresge Foundation celebrates 100 years of service! The Kresge Foundation recently commemorated their founding on June 11, 1924, with a centennial celebration at the Detroit Institute of Arts. The event was attended by our newest interim co-CEOs, Jamie Bennett, National Endowment for the Arts Chair María Rosario Jackson, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, and many others, plus, performances from a vast array of local artists. 🎤 The centerpiece of the evening was a conversation between The Kresge Foundation President and CEO Rip Rapson and former President Obama. Since 1924, The Kresge Foundation has expanded equity and opportunities in America’s cities through grantmaking and social investing in arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services and community development. 🎨 Through their Arts & Culture program they aim to ensure creativity is valued widely as an integral resource for health and sustainable places. This can be seen through initiatives like Kresge Arts In Detroit, which recently announced their 2024 Fellows and Gilda Award recipients! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gurSUMZ6 🥳 Congrats on the big 1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣! 🎥 Watch a recording of the event here: https://lnkd.in/gyD-tSGU

Learn about the transformative impact of the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange (RUX)! A partnership between Art of the Rural and Appalshop, Inc, this creative leadership program strengthens professional and intercultural competencies while building connections across racial, economic and geographic divides. Since its start in 2014, RUX has hosted eight cohorts in 13 communities, and has since expanded to a network of almost 300 Kentuckians and Minnesotans from all backgrounds, including artists, educators, farmers, elected officials, entrepreneurs, nurses, and more. 🎨🩺📚 🤝 From connecting diverse leaders to 💬 fostering community dialogue, learn how non-profit organizations around the country are bridging divides to make a difference and building stronger local communities. 📰 Read more in a recent article from The New York Times: https://lnkd.in/ehyUYesT

📅 Join us at the Texas Advocacy Summit & Awards hosted by Texans For the Arts on June 27 in Waco! Discover and learn all about how advocating for the arts can transform communities, bring joy, and create vibrant spaces. Let’s paint Texas with creativity and fun! 🎨 🎙 Plus: Make sure to catch the Keynote Presentation: The Superpowers of the Arts delivered by our own Randy Cohen, Vice President of Research and Genna Styles Lyas, EdD, MEd, BFA, Director of Community Engagement & Equity at 1:30 PM CST. You'll learn how to talk about the arts and use cutting edge data in powerful ways to funders, decisionmakers, and the media. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ggdKyagz