Americans for the Arts has introduced a new 2.0 version of the Arts + Social Impact Explorer, the most comprehensive clearinghouse of example projects and research about the role of arts in community life available today. The Explorer provides examples, datapoints, links to research papers, and lists of active organizations to illustrate the impact of arts and culture in 30 aspects of community life from public health to transportation, safety, community cohesion, and innovation. 

The Selina Roberts Ottum Award for Arts Leadership recognizes an individual working in arts management who has made a meaningful contribution to their local community and who exemplifies extraordinary leadership qualities. Julie Garreau (Lakota name Wičhaȟpi Epatȟaŋ Wiŋ) is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and is the executive director of the nonprofit Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP) in Eagle Butte, South Dakota.

The American Express Emerging Leader Award recognizes visionary leadership by an individual who is a new and/or young arts leader who demonstrates an ability to engage and impact their community. Adriane Jefferson is currently the Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of New Haven and the Executive Director of New Haven Festivals Inc., where she is leading the city on cultural equity and anti-racism initiatives. 

The Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award honors an individual at the state level whose arts advocacy efforts have dramatically affected the political landscape. Crystal Young is the Executive Director of the Utah Cultural Alliance and is motivated by an intense desire to leave the world better than she found it.

Americans for the Arts leadership and staff are saddened to learn of the passing of longtime partner, patron, and friend William (Bill) J. Lehr Jr. His legacy of support for arts advocacy, both nationally and in his home state of Pennsylvania, will live on in the many nonprofits, public-private organizations, government entities, and the lives of individual artists that he impacted during his decades long leadership and support in the arts sector.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) and Americans for the Arts today announced six winners of the 2022 Creative Counties Placemaking Challenge, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. In the coming months, Americans for the Arts will provide virtual training and expertise as the teams explore arts-based strategies to meet policy objectives.

Americans for the Arts is now accepting nominations of arts leaders from your community for the 2022 Annual Leadership Awards. The deadline to nominate an arts leader for the Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award, the American Express Emerging Leader Award, and the Selina Roberts Ottum Award is Friday, April 8.

Registration is now open for the 2022 Americans for the Arts Annual Convention! A live, in-person event will be held May 18-20 in Washington, D.C., and recorded content from the live event will be made available for a fee in a limited time digital on-demand format in June 2022. To maintain health and safety protocols, there is a firm registration deadline of May 2, 2022, to attend the in-person event. 

Americans for the Arts has begun work to redefine its role as a national service organization and support of the field. To that end, we are pleased to announce two recent hires to fill pivotal roles for the organization. Adrianne R. Troilo joined as vice president of People and Culture in December 2021, and Daniel Fitzmaurice will begin as the chief of staff on April 4. Both positions are newly created to provide leadership in areas vitally needed to successfully accomplish our mission and achieve a people-first culture.

Mid Atlantic Arts and Americans for the Arts are continuing to develop a series of educational and professional development resources for the state, county, and local arts agencies in the mid-Atlantic region. Artists, administrators, and other arts and culture professionals with disabilities or who are active members of the disability community and who currently reside in the Mid-Atlantic Region are invited to apply by March 31, 2022.

The first ever hearing dedicated to the creative economy explored both the impact of COVID-19 on the creative economy, and the various points of connection to federal assistance to small businesses for recovery and long-term support for growth. At the invitation of the committee, Americans for the Arts provided additional testimony alongside other national arts service organizations. 

A new report by The Conference Board and Americans for the Arts finds that companies that are continuing to fund the arts are increasingly partnering with arts organizations to address social challenges, including racism and other forms of inequality.

Arts advocates from across the United States will gather virtually March 28-30, 2022, for the National Arts Action Summit, now in its 35th consecutive year. This year, for the first time, there will be no registration fee to attend the National Arts Action Summit for both individuals and partner organizations.

Americans for the Arts is now accepting nominations for the Public Leadership in the Arts Awards. These annual awards honor elected officials for their consistent and outstanding support and promotion of the arts as key to advancing equity, uniting communities, preserving culture, and boosting the economy.

The goal of the prize is to celebrate one unique civic design professional at the mid-career level for their locally implemented contributions that support community development through the integration of art and artists into the built environment. The selected individual will receive $30,000 to further their work plus professional development and engagement opportunities throughout the year.

The free digital guides provide details on arts-related funding in grant topic areas covering community development, economic development, rural development, environment, national service, and congressional earmarks.

Americans for the Arts’ 2022 Annual Convention will take place May 18-20, 2022, in Washington, D.C. The event will be simplified, shorter, and more accessible, and the public may participate in a more open and equitable session submission process through Feb. 15, 2022.

A new collection of webinar sessions designed for mid-career arts and culture professionals will dive deep into equitable leadership and power sharing structures and support arts administrators from backgrounds underrepresented in arts leadership to help advance their leadership journeys.

After six months of hearing candid feedback from the field and internal planning, Americans for the Arts is set to begin the next phase of the Strategic Realignment Process toward redefining its unique role as a service organization to the arts and culture field and the public good. The organization has engaged the services of three consulting organizations to support the process: Arts Consulting Group, The Hewlin Group, and Hope Nation.

The year is winding down, but the work of artists and arts organizations keeps going! Check out a robust slate of online learning happening in December on ArtsU, and take a look back at recent blogs and news you might have missed.