From the Fractured Atlas Blog

• WPA Redux There’s been endless talk lately about the Obama administration’s economic stimulus agenda and how it might incorporate or impact the arts. Some of that chatter has even taken place on this blog. Thankfully, Arlene Goldbard has put together an extremely thorough treatment of the subject.  She covers the historical precedents, the current arguments, and the [...]
• Pass the bailout, please. There was a great Opinion piece published yesterday by arts management guru, Michael Kaiser outlining how a bailout for arts organizations could be very useful during this time of bailout mania… He writes: The arts have historically received short shrift from our political leaders, who all too often seem happy to offer bland endorsements of our work [...]
• For All You Documentarians Out There…. This is from our good friends over at the Tribeca Film Institute, one of our Open Arts Network partners…. Submissions are now open for the 2009 Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund which will offer grants ranging from $10,000 - $25,000 totaling $100,000. Eligible films include feature-length documentaries that are in production or post-production. Films should examine or [...]
• Competition in the Arts Sucks! Or Does it? Our research and survey responses indicate that artists and “do gooder” arts organizations struggle with the concept and reality of competition; especially because creativity is such a product of collaboration, connectedness, and reciprocal inspiration in a network of people. We need each other, yet we are in competition for the same resources, audience members, buyers, [...]
• How to take the starving out of artist A few weeks back, the NY Times published a great piece about the business of being an artist. It profiles a few artists who share tips & strategies they’ve employed (no pun intended) to get their businesses off the ground, including one who is 14 years old! My favorite quote comes from Larry Thompson, President at [...]
• Featured Member: Available Light Theatre Available Light Theatre of Columbus, Ohio, is a fellowship of artists dedicated to building a more conscious and compassionate world by creating joyful and profound theatre. In this interview, artistic director Matt Slaybaugh describes his company's work and its dedication to keeping theatre accessible to all, even during dark economic times.
• Teaching Artists in LA Urgently Need Your Help! We just received word from Arts for LA, the leader in arts advocacy for the Los Angeles area, that the local school district has frozen all funds until the state government reconvenes in January.  For artists specifically, this means that all teaching artists and arts organizations that work within that school district will have significantly [...]
• We Want Your Ideas! Investing in Infrastructure for the Arts The Economist has a short piece about the opportunities and pitfalls in Obama’s plan to make massive investments in infrastructure projects.  The writer observes that the US has historically underinvested in infrastructure, while the projects that are carried out are funded in a haphazard manner through Congressional member items with little or no federal oversight [...]
• Market Analysis: Who Cares? Excuse me for being M.I.A. over the last month, but I was busy producing the National Black Arts Festival’s 1st Annual Winter Ball (“The Art of Change”), featuring special guests Dr. Cornel West and Big Boi from Outkast. I won’t go into all the details of the event (although it was fabulous!!), but I do [...]
• Fractured Atlas members receive ERPA award! Four Fractured Atlas members (three are fiscally sponsored projects!) were recently awarded the Economic Revitalization for Performing Artists (ERPA) award from The Field. Congratulations to Rachel Chavkin (The Team), Conni Hall (Conni’s Avant Garde Restaurant), Jon Stancato, and Caroline Woolard (Artist’s Community) who will each be paid $5,000 to research and develop their projects! Check out [...]

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