50th Anniversary Commemorative Book

Arts Councils of America ACA // 1964

Associated Councils for the Arts // ACA // 1966

American Council for the Arts ACA // 1977

Business Committee for the Arts // BCA // 1967

merge 2008

Arts & Business Council // A&BC 1965

merge 2005

merge 1986

merge 1972

Community Arts Councils, Inc. CACI // 1960

Arts, Education, and Americans, Inc. // 1977

Commemorating 50 years of Americans for the arts

Partnership for the Arts // 1970

Americans for the arts

1996

A mericans for the Arts Action Fund // AAF // 2004 A mericans for the Arts Action Fund PAC // PAC // 2004 A rts & Business Council of New York // 2005

the family tree

National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies // NALAA // 1982

State Arts Advocacy League of America // SAALA // 1991

National Community Arts Network // NCAN // 1999

• became • merge • seperate

americans for the arts

New York City Office

Washington, DC Office

One East 53rd Street

1000 Vermont Avenue, NW

2nd Floor

6th Floor

New York, NY 10022

Washington, DC 20005

T 212.223.2787

T 202.371.2830

F 212.980.4857

F 202.371.0424

1960–2010

National Assembly of Community Arts Agencies // NACAA // 1978

merge 2004

merge 2004

merge 1996

A mericans for the Arts Foundation // 2008

e m m Co

t a r mo

y 0 5 ing

s t r a e h

t r o f s

n a c ri

Ame

f o s ear

celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2010, Americans for the Arts

is

the

nation’s

leading

nonprofit

organization

for

advancing the arts in America. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. From offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it serves more than 500,000 organizational and individual members and stakeholders.

Arts Councils of America ACA // 1964

Associated Councils for the Arts // ACA // 1966

American Council for the Arts ACA // 1977

Business Committee for the Arts // BCA // 1967

merge 2008

Arts & Business Council // A&BC 1965

merge 2005

merge 1986

merge 1972

Community Arts Councils, Inc. CACI // 1960

Arts, Education, and Americans, Inc. // 1977

Commemorating 50 years of Americans for the arts

Partnership for the Arts // 1970

Americans for the arts

1996

A mericans for the Arts Action Fund // AAF // 2004 A mericans for the Arts Action Fund PAC // PAC // 2004 A rts & Business Council of New York // 2005

the family tree

National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies // NALAA // 1982

State Arts Advocacy League of America // SAALA // 1991

National Community Arts Network // NCAN // 1999

• became • merge • seperate

americans for the arts

New York City Office

Washington, DC Office

One East 53rd Street

1000 Vermont Avenue, NW

2nd Floor

6th Floor

New York, NY 10022

Washington, DC 20005

T 212.223.2787

T 202.371.2830

F 212.980.4857

F 202.371.0424

1960–2010

National Assembly of Community Arts Agencies // NACAA // 1978

merge 2004

merge 2004

merge 1996

A mericans for the Arts Foundation // 2008

e m m Co

t a r mo

y 0 5 ing

s t r a e h

t r o f s

n a c ri

Ame

f o s ear

celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2010, Americans for the Arts

is

the

nation’s

leading

nonprofit

organization

for

advancing the arts in America. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. From offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it serves more than 500,000 organizational and individual members and stakeholders.

a m e r i c a n s for the arts

across the decades

Arts in the City Arts in the City

AMERICANS AND THE ARTS A SURVEY OF PUBLIC OPINION

William J. Baumol William G. Bowen

Research conducted by the National Research Center of the Arts Inc., an affiliate of Louis Harris and Associates Inc., for Associated Councils of the Arts.

Publication of this story was made possible by a grant from Phillip Morris Incorporated.

PERFORMING ECONOMIC DILEMMA ARTS : THE

Organizing and Programming Community Arts Councils

A study of problems common to theater, opera music and dance

A TWENTHIETH CENTURY FUND STUDY

Associated Councils of the Arts Ralph Burgard

Organizing and Programming Community Arts Councils Associated Councils of the Arts Ralph Burgard

a m e r i c a n s for the arts

across the decades

a m e r i c a n s for the arts

across the decades

Arts in the City Arts in the City

AMERICANS AND THE ARTS A SURVEY OF PUBLIC OPINION

William J. Baumol William G. Bowen

Research conducted by the National Research Center of the Arts Inc., an affiliate of Louis Harris and Associates Inc., for Associated Councils of the Arts.

Publication of this story was made possible by a grant from Phillip Morris Incorporated.

PERFORMING ECONOMIC DILEMMA ARTS : THE

Organizing and Programming Community Arts Councils

A study of problems common to theater, opera music and dance

A TWENTHIETH CENTURY FUND STUDY

Associated Councils of the Arts Ralph Burgard

Organizing and Programming Community Arts Councils Associated Councils of the Arts Ralph Burgard

a m e r i c a n s for the arts

across the decades

Commemorating 50 years of

Americans for the arts

Credits Production: Kimberly Hedges Editors: Jennifer Gottlieb, Kirsten Hilgeford Contributing Writers: Lori Robishaw, Maryo Gard Ewell Research: Lori Robishaw, Maryo Gard Ewell, Eulynn Shui Design: Sagetopia ISBN: 978-1-879903-07-4

Commemorating 50 years of Americans for the Arts Copyright Š 2011 by Americans for the Arts. Manufactured in United States of America.

All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

b ta

le

of c

en ont

ts

4 Foreword Robert Redford

8 Introduction Steven D. Spiess

12 Setting the Stage Maryo Gard Ewell

20 The 1960s 30 The 1970s 44 The 1980s 60 The 1990s 76 The 2000s 102

acronyms & abbreviations

103 photo Collage Captions 106 Moving Forward Robert L. Lynch

112 Board & Staff Leadership 114 Board Members 119 Artists Committee 120 National Awards 127 thank you to our funders 128 Nancy Hanks & David rockefeller Lecture on Arts and Public Policy

Actor/director and activist Robert Redford delivers the Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy, focusing on government and grassroots advocacy and support for the arts.

Photo credit: Jim

Saah

robert redford

foreword

As a general rule, I’m not one who’s big on looking back; I much prefer the energy that comes with a “what’s next?” However, I can easily make an exception on the occasion of a landmark anniversary celebrating the value of the arts in this country, and that’s the case with Americans for the Arts 50 years after its founding.

I’ve always known the value of the arts because

any direction. I have said before, and I believe

of what they did for me. As a kid sketching

it to be true, the arts saved my life.

everything in sight, my third grade teacher

In 1960, when community arts councils

recognized that art was an alternative means

around the country started to coalesce,

of expression for me as I struggled with more

Americans for the Arts – or as it was known at

traditional approaches. Her encouragement of

the time, Community Arts Councils, Inc. – also

my artistic tendencies allowed me to realize art

had the good sense to look towards establishing

was something legitimate to pursue and that

something bigger, something as big as a federal

it was integral to how I was finding my way in

arts policy. Its behind-the-scenes work was

the world and making sense of things. I was a

instrumental in creating the National Endowment

poor student academically, considered to be a

for the Arts in 1965. That effort led to a

“troubled youth,” and left college early. I studied

flourishing of culture throughout the country, with

painting in Europe and at the Pratt Institute

the state and local infrastructure to support it.

in Brooklyn and took classes at the American

As a young actor, this nonprofit arts

Academy of Dramatic Arts. I came into the arts

movement was off my radar screen, with my

as a way of expressing myself. Looking back, the

work happening in the commercial ventures of

path I was on was a troublesome one and lacking

Broadway, television and film. But later, when I

Americans for the Arts

  

5

Actor/activist, Robert Redford, accompanied by Robert L. Lynch, testifies at a 2008 Congressional hearing in support of developing strong public policies and appropriating increased public funding for the arts.

wanted to create a place where filmmakers could

Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy.

come together and take more artistic risks than

I actually knew Nancy Hanks from the NEA, and

Hollywood allowed, I founded the Sundance

in my lecture I could bring a unique personal

Institute and got a $25,000 grant from the

experience that shaped a greater understanding

NEA. At a time when many others were skeptical

of the value of a national conversation about arts

of Sundance’s potential and ultimate worth, that

policy and ongoing funding.

small grant did more than get us started – it gave a seal of approval that enabled us to grow.

Some years later I was introduced to Americans for the Arts and invited to deliver the

6

  

Americans for the Arts

Thinking about art in the larger context of public policy, economic development, cultural diplomacy, the 21st century workforce and civic engagement is pretty heady stuff.

robert redford

foreword

“Americans for the Arts – their name is their message, and what an important one it is. To me, art, in all its forms, is the purest reflection of the most diverse aspects of us as individuals, as communities, as nations and as cultures. It’s art that feeds and nurtures the soul of a society – our American society, in this case.”

Americans for the Arts – their name is their

invitation to partner with Americans for the

message, and what an important one it is. To me,

Arts in the creation of the National Arts Policy

art, in all its forms, is the purest reflection of

Roundtable in 2006 and have co-hosted these

the most diverse aspects of us as individuals, as

annual convenings at Sundance ever since.

communities, as nations and as cultures. It’s art

Founded on the belief that the arts are essential

that feeds and nurtures the soul of a society – our

to our society – and that issues important to the

American society, in this case.

arts are also important to our society – these

My partnership with Americans for the Arts

meetings bring together leaders as diverse

has been an especially rewarding one, and it’s why

as lieutenant governors, Silicon Valley CEOs,

I’m very pleased to serve as the honorary chair of its

military commanders and chief economists, as

50th anniversary. The arts are critical to the health

well as individual philanthropists and presidents

of our nation and to our vitality, particularly in these

of major corporate and private foundations, not

hard economic times. I believe that it’s time for the

to mention artists and executives from the arts

arts to step out of the shadows and demand the

and entertainment sector. These movers and

place at the table we have earned. And Americans

shakers are the ones who will propel us into the

for the Arts is just the organization to do it – leading

future, translating thought into action.

us all to build a better America through the arts.

Americans for the Arts

Robert Redford, Honorary Chair Americans for the Arts 50th Anniversary

It’s why I immediately responded to the

  

7

Americans for the Arts Chair Steve D. Spiess, right, with board member Maria Bell and Americans for the Arts’ Artist Committee member Jeff Koons in 2006.

PHOTO CREDIT: Neil

Rasmusan

steven d. spiess

introduction

Being not quite 50 years old myself, I’m somewhat startled to look back and realize that my own involvement with Americans for the Arts dates back more than 20 years.

My relationship with the American Council for

UAF conference where Michael Marsicano, head

the Arts – one of our two founding organizations –

of the arts council in Charlotte and then chair of the

began via one of its annual gatherings for united

National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies, pulled me

arts funds. I was the treasurer of the Arts Council

aside. He wondered if we could have a conversation

of Rockland County in New York, and it was at a

about merging ACA back with NALAA, which had

conference in Dayton that I met Milton Rhodes,

broken off from ACA in 1978. And thus it eventually

then the president of ACA. He wanted me to help

came to pass.

write the bylaws for the national United Arts Fund

Don Greene, then president of The Coca-Cola

Coalition group, taking advantage of the fact that

Foundation and chair of ACA, partnered with Harriet

“I was already in New York City” and could easily

Sanford, who led the Fulton County Arts Council

come over to meetings in their office.

in Georgia and had succeeded Michael as chair of

It didn’t take long for him to get me on the UAF

NALAA, to get the merger done – how fortunate

Coalition board, and then on the much bigger ACA

they both happened to be living in Atlanta. They put

board, bringing some additional financial expertise

together a working group of several of us from each

that comes from being a CPA. It was a remarkable

organization, and we spent a good year hammering

learning opportunity. I got to interact with nationally

out all the details of a merger in proceedings that

prominent philanthropists and corporate leaders,

were productive, open and cordial. In fact, I feel

as well as work with the staff and the organization’s

like we could have written a book on how well the

auditors. I found it exhilarating to be schooled in all

process went, we had no idea at the time how well it

the issues pertaining to the arts while learning the

would all actually turn out.

decorum of how big meetings worked. Laura Lee

Two members of that merger team, Fred

Blanton, a philanthropist from Texas, was the board

Lazarus IV from the Maryland Institute College of

chair then, and she kindly took me under her wing.

Art, whose father Fred III and mother Irma both

She shepherded me around, and when it was time

served on the ACA board for many years, and Bill

for dinner, she’d grab my arm and say “lines were

Lehr, a retired senior executive from Hershey Foods,

meant to be led.” And off we’d go.

ended up being the first two chairs of Americans for

In the mid-1990s, as ACA dealt with some financial challenges, I found myself at another

the Arts. The great insight I gained from watching them has shaped my own tenure as chair. Let me

Americans for the Arts

  

9

“ But when it comes right down to it, we’re only as good as the folks out working in the local communities. They help guide us in how we can best serve them – to ensure that they can keep making a difference every day. ” take this opportunity to thank both of them, and

years in the making, the gift evolved from her years

indeed every person who has chaired one of the

of participation with ACA starting back in the 1970s.

boards of our founding organizations ACA and

I’ll never forget walking out of her lawyer’s office

NALAA, as well as the more recently merged

in Chicago, not long after 9/11 – a time of great

Business Committee for the Arts and the Arts &

uncertainty for the country and for nonprofits – and

Business Council, for a leadership commitment that

thinking that Americans for the Arts would be a

has gone above and beyond.

completely different organization thanks to her, and

This book takes a look back at the gamechanging moments of the last 50 years – and those game-changing people and funders – that have

The second is the work Americans for the Arts has done in the area of emerging leaders, an issue

Looking through a half-century of records from the

of such great importance to our field’s future health.

nearly 10 different entities that have been a part

Having been the youngest person in the room on so

of this organization has been a challenge, but I’m

many occasions, I had a personal stake in seeing this

confident we’ve hit the high points, and in doing so

issue addressed when I assumed the chairmanship. I

gained a perspective from the past that can help

remember well the preconference to the 2003 annual

propel us forward. We have tried very hard to be

convention in Portland when young leaders filled the

accurate and thorough and trust that our readers will

room; their energy, enthusiasm and sense of challenge

forgive any unintentional oversights or omissions.

blew us all away. It will continue to serve us well to

I’m struck by four remarkable developments. The first is the transformative gift from Ruth Lilly. Many

  

enhanced significantly.

allowed Americans for the Arts to grow and thrive.

As I look back on the last decade in particular,

10

as a result, that the arts in this country could be

Americans for the Arts

heed young voices as we confront future challenges.

Next are the remarkable alliances we have created with other national organizations who, like

steven d. spiess

introduction

us, need to see the world from the 30,000-foot

year investments over the years have allowed us to

level while closely collaborating with grassroots

alter the landscape of the arts in meaningful ways.

And finally, the work of Bob Lynch. When ACA

Lieutenant Governors Association, the National

and NALAA merged in 1997, it was contingent

Association of Counties, The Conference Board, the

on Bob moving from NALAA into the president’s

Ad Council, Independent Sector and the American

position at Americans for the Arts, and happily

Association of School Administrators are chief among

he is still with us. For 25 of these 50 years, he

them, as well as, of course, the dozens of national

has guided the organization through the gleeful

service organizations that attend to the needs of their

moments as well as the ones more daunting. He

particular artistic discipline or category. Our path in

provides an objective, long-term eye while lending

many ways parallels that of the National Endowment

his humor, passion and sense of conviviality to

for the Arts, and we are indebted to its past chairs

every move he makes. Bob, in my opinion, may be

and to all the arts supporters who have served in

the most widely well-regarded leader in this field,

the U.S. Congress since 1960, especially those who

not just because of his impact on Americans for

have joined the Congressional Arts Caucus and the

the Arts, but for what he has done for the country

Senate Cultural Caucus.

and its entire cultural fabric. He leads a staff of

We are also deeply grateful to the funders who

uncommon ability, who don’t get enough credit for

have wanted to be a part of the big picture, starting

what they do. While usually that’s fine with them,

with John D. Rockefeller 3rd and the Rockefeller

on this anniversary occasion, I’d be remiss if I did

Brothers Fund back in the very beginning, and

not recognize them all for being the very smart and

continuing with the The Rockefeller Foundation,

dedicated people they are.

the Philip Morris Companies, the AT&T Foundation,

But when it comes right down to it, we’re

Altria, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the

only as good as the folks out working in the local

Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, the Ford Foundation,

agencies and communities. They help guide us in

American Express, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the

how we can best serve them – to ensure that they

Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, the Doris Duke

can keep making a difference every day. We thank

Charitable Foundation, The David and Lucile

our founders – the eight visionaries back in 1960

Packard Foundation, the MetLife Foundation, the

who thought that community arts councils were

NAMM Foundation, the William and Flora Hewett

important to helping every American participate

Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and The

in and experience the arts in their lives. How right

Kresge Foundation. Their significant and/or multi-

they were.

Americans for the Arts

Steven D. Spiess Chair, Americans for the Arts

constituents. The U.S. Conference of Mayors, the

  

11

1

7

2

3

5

6

8

9

11

12

13

14

4

10

Maryo GardEwell

setting the stage

Most any story is, in reality, a braided rope of many separate threads, and this story is no different.

2010 marks the 50th year of an organization now

In 1840, Frenchman Alexis de Toqueville

known as Americans for the Arts. Several groups,

wrote in Democracy in America about Americans’

such as the Arts & Business Council and the

propensity to create voluntary civil organizations

Business Committee for the Arts, each with its

to address things that are important to them. This

own stories too, have become part of Americans for

picture of civil society formed the backdrop for the

the Arts – so named when the National Assembly

surge of big ideas about how America could be,

of Local Arts Agencies merged with the American

ideas which grew to dramatic proportions early in

Council for the Arts. The National Assembly of

the 20th century.

Local Arts Agencies had previously been called the

In the arts, there were plenty of theaters and

National Assembly of Community Arts Agencies.

opera houses, and the Chautauqua was bringing

Before that, it was a committee of the Associated

cultural experiences to the smallest of places. But

Councils of the Arts. Before that, the Associated

the early 20th century saw a surge of thinking about

Councils of the Arts had been the Arts Councils

what we call today “community building” – thinking

of America. Before that, it was Community Arts

that gradually began to incorporate the arts.

Councils, Inc. Community Arts Councils, Inc. was incorporated

The social reform movement was blossoming in America’s large urban areas. Progressive government

in 1960 and its 50-year institutional story is captured

reform, linked with adult education, was creating

in this book.

experiments in democracy in Wisconsin. W.E.B. Du

But CACI didn’t leap, fully formed, from

Bois was writing about African-American culture

nowhere. A few of the story threads began to come

and racism in America. Congress passed the Smith-

together decades earlier. Telling cultural stories

Lever Act that created the Extension Service in

reminds us of our shared values, helps us evaluate

1914, calling attention to rural quality of life issues.

our progress, and calls on those whose shoulders we

Artists like playwrights Percy MacKaye were saying

stand on – just as people in the future will stand on

such things as “True democracy is vitally concerned

ours. So let’s begin….

with beauty, and true art is vitally concerned with

Americans for the Arts

  

13

“Mr. Gard’s vision of democratic participation in artmaking translated in 1966 to the first grant proposal to the National Endowment for the Arts for rural arts development, a process for creating community arts councils as the arts became embedded in community life.” citizenship,”1 as he and other artists envisioned

and was spreading to Canada. “Her missionary

“civic theaters” and integrated pageantry into urban

zeal rivaled that of a Johnny Appleseed for arts

social planning in Boston and St. Louis. Settlement

councils.… Arts Councils sprang up in her wake. In

houses were assisting immigrants as they became

ten years 25 more councils came into being because

oriented to their new homes.

of her work.”2

The first Junior League was formed in 1901

14

  

Miss Comer was brought to Winston-Salem,

to support the settlement house movement, and

North Carolina, by the local League to help study the

as the number of Leagues grew and time passed,

arts in the community, and, as a result, the League

gradually they began to address social, health and

set aside funds that brought into being the Winston-

educational issues, each according to the needs of

Salem Arts Council. A young businessman, R. Philip

its own community. The national League organization

Hanes, Jr., was a member of the arts council’s first

grew conscious that the arts could be a community’s

board, and he immediately realized how important

area of interest, and Virginia Lee Comer became

the arts council could be in helping put his beloved

the national Junior League’s Senior Consultant for

community “on the map.”

Community Arts in 1939, a position she held until

Meanwhile, in Quincy, Illinois, George Irwin,

1949. She developed a study process called “The

businessman, musician and patron of the arts, saw no

Arts and Your Town,” published by the League in

reason that small cities couldn’t create their own arts.

1944, that articulated the first cultural planning

In 1946 and 1947, he founded the Quincy Chamber

process. Miss Comer was interested in arts councils

Music Ensemble, the Choral Society, the Civic Band,

– an idea that emerged after World War II in Britain,

and the Symphony Orchestra. Then he went one step

Americans for the Arts

Maryo GardEwell

setting the stage

further. Recognizing the need for coordination and

Drummond at Cornell, or Alfred Arvold in North

mutual support among the burgeoning local music, art

Dakota, or Frederick Koch in North Carolina were

and theater groups, he founded the Quincy Society of

encouraging people across their states to begin a

Fine Arts at the same time that Winston-Salem was

true American “people’s art” movement by writing

organizing its arts council.

their own plays, even creating their own dances, to

As a musician and conductor, Mr. Irwin was

express the meaning of living in their communities.

active in the young American Symphony Orchestra

Perhaps in Wisconsin this movement reached its

League, and drew its executive secretary’s

pinnacle, with the College of Agriculture creating,

attention to this new concept of “community arts

in 1936, the first artist-in-residence position of any

council.” Helen Thompson immediately saw that

university in the nation so that members of farm

local arts councils could benefit symphonies by

families could paint the meaning of their lives. And

helping improve the quality of arts management in

Robert Gard was hired in 1945 to do the same in

communities, by helping coordinate concerts and

theater and writing.

openings so that audiences would not be splintered

Robert Gard was influenced by the activities

and by organizing joint fundraising efforts. During

of the Extension Service and even more so by the

the 1950s, Miss Thompson and ASOL carried the

“Wisconsin Idea” that coupled progressive politics,

banner for community arts councils, securing a

adult education and a vision of democracy in which

Rockefeller Foundation grant to study the movement

everyone’s talents would be fulfilled – with resulting

and its potential, and offering this small but growing

community vibrancy and civic engagement statewide.

group administrative support and an opportunity to

He wrote, “There must be a great, free expression. If

meet during the ASOL conventions, starting in 1954.

the people of Wisconsin knew that someone would

In rural America, Extension agents had been

encourage them to express themselves in any way

incorporating the arts into their activities, often

they chose… there would be such a rising of creative

acting as traveling community arts development

expression as is yet unheard of in Wisconsin… for the

specialists. In 1937, The Arts Workshop of Rural

whole expression would be of and about ourselves.”3

America detailed some of their arts activities in

Mr. Gard’s vision of democratic participation

such chapters as “Informal Drama and Community

in art-making translated in 1966 to the first grant

Planning in Ohio and New York,” “The Making

proposal to the National Endowment for the Arts

of Native Folk Drama in North Carolina” and

for rural arts development, a process for creating

“Corn, Hogs, and Opera in Iowa.” On land grant

community arts councils as the arts became

university campuses, faculty like Alexander

embedded in community life. The NEA wasn’t sure

Americans for the Arts

  

15

“In rural America, Extension agents had been incorporating the arts into their activities, often acting as traveling community arts development specialists.” how to respond to such a proposal, but National

so endowed with talent and creative energy needed

Council on the Arts member Leonard Bernstein

an arena for itself... If we hadn’t the means to

orated that “it has everything to do with why we are

make ourselves heard, we would never have been

sitting here.” He then went on most eloquently to

able to assume any responsibility of our own

describe the need to break out of the elite image

toward weaving the fabric of Black history.”6 The

the arts now hold and to make the arts available to

WPA also funded the Negro Unit of the Federal

all our citizens wherever they reside… In short this

Theater (employing some 500+ African-American

man who represented art in its highest form was an

artists), a Spanish-language theater in Florida, and

unexpected and effective ally of Bob Gard’s concept

many Negro music projects. It was in the 1960s,

of developing the inherent need for a creative outlet

however, that cultural activity reached groundswell

in all people.”4 The resulting book was The Arts

proportions. Cultural mores were being challenged

in the Small Community. Its final stirring words

nationwide; the Civil Rights movement served as

brought many people into this new field: “…here,

an umbrella for cultural consciousness, exploration

in our place/ We are contributing to the maturity/ Of

and discovery, and affirmed the role of the arts in

a great nation./ If you try, you can indeed/ Alter the

the quest for justice. In this thread of our story,

face and the heart/ Of America.”

Luis Valdez (Teatro Campesino), John O’Neal (Free

5

In urban areas, cultural and arts centers of color were growing, many of whose roots can be

activist in Watts/Los Angeles who created the NEA

traced to the settlement house movement. The

Expansion Arts program) are symbolic of a new

WPA offered funding for cultural centers, and the

grassroots cultural leadership.

South Side Community Arts Center in Chicago, for

16

  

Southern Theater) and Vantile Whitfield (an arts

As grassroots self-awareness was growing,

instance, launched the careers of many artists.

so in very different circles was the importance of

One woman, reflecting on the Harlem cultural

arts organizations to American society, and the

center, said, “We just felt that the Black minority

opportunity for the broad public to have access

Americans for the Arts

Maryo GardEwell

setting the stage

to the best that these organizations had to offer.

arts administration program at the University of

Nelson Rockefeller worked for the Eisenhower

Wisconsin. They had been urging the White House

administration, where he grew cognizant of

to convene a conference on the arts. They had been

attempts to establish some kind of federal arts

creating a brochure for corporations about why they

presence. His aide was Nancy Hanks. When Mr.

should support the arts and artists.

The time had come. On June 17th, the arts

York, he envisioned a state arts presence that would

councils from the United States and Canada

help to link artists and audiences, and Miss Hanks

adopted by-laws for an international arts council

helped him draft language for the legislation that

association.

created the New York State Council on the Arts in

And on August 26th, Community Arts Councils,

1960. Meanwhile, John D. Rockefeller 3rd was

Inc., was chartered in Winston-Salem, North

envisioning a major study on the performing arts

Carolina. Two of the seven signers of the charter

in America as a project of the Rockefeller Brothers

were Phil Hanes and George Irwin, who had formed

Fund (of which Miss Hanks would become executive

the nation’s first two community arts councils in the

secretary). John F. Kennedy – well-known as a

late 1940s.

patron of the arts – was elected president. Thus

So ours is not just an institutional story. It’s

in philanthropic, federal and even state circles,

a story that braids the threads of social action,

interest in access to the arts was heating up.

cultural self-awareness, rural and urban community

Which brings us back to 1960. That year, at

development, government-corporate-individual

the ASOL convention, the arts councils present

philanthropy and countless visionary individuals

reviewed their work to date. Not only had their

into the rope that ties us to the Americans for the

meetings provided mutual information and support,

Arts of today.

but they had led to some big project ideas, as well. They had been exploring the creation of an

“If you try, you can indeed/ Alter the face and the heart of America.”

Maryo Gard Ewell

Rockefeller became governor of the state of New

MacKaye, Percy, The Playhouse and the Play, MacMillan, New York, 1909, p. 190.

Burgard, Ralph, “Arts Council – A New Approach to Cultural Leadership,” Arts in Society, V. 2, No. 2, Fall-Winter 1962-3.

3 Gard, Robert E., Grassroots Theater: A Search for Regional Arts in America, Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, 1955, p. 217.

4 Mark, Charles Christopher, Reluctant Bureaucrats: The Struggle to Establish the National Endowment for the Arts, Dubuque, Kendall-Hunt, 1991, p. 119.

5 Gard, Robert E. et al, The Arts in the Small Community: A National Plan, 1969.

6 Finkelstein, Hope, “Augusta Savage: Sculpting the African-American Identity,” MA Thesis, City University of New York, 1990.

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The founders sign the charter of Community Arts Councils, Inc., in August 1960 in Winston-Salem, NC. Left to right (seated): R. Philip Hanes, Jr., George M. Irwin, who is elected president, and Ralph Burgard. Standing: Arthur E. Gelber, Keith Martin, and Charles Christopher Mark. Other founders not pictured are Leslie White and Edgar Young.

Photo credit: Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University

t h e Si x t i e s

1960s

Americans for the Arts as Community Arts

Councils, Inc. (CACI) is founded, supporting – and inspiring – a growing number of local arts councils across the country.

This effort is joined at the national level by forward-looking arts funders including the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

For decades, a growing number of voices had

how ACA will come to serve the arts field are

urged a federal funding mechanism for the

demonstrated with its emphasis on annual

arts, and in 1965 Congress finally creates the

gatherings of arts practitioners and publication

National Endowment for the Arts. In response,

of critical research and information.

state legislatures establish state arts agencies

Discussions begin about the role arts

to access federal funds, and a fledgling three-

councils can play in urban planning and

tiered infrastructure of public arts support is

revitalization and whether there can or

fully realized by the end of the decade. The

should be a separation between social

private sector joins in with the founding of

movement, social change, and art. ACA

the Arts & Business Council in 1965 and the

ascertains the importance of advocacy early

Business Committee for the Arts in 1967.

on, as the board, staff, and membership

The inclusion of state arts councils to the

learn about public policy and lobbying. In

organization’s work leads to an eventual name

1968, all the presidential candidates are sent

change in 1966 to the Associated Councils

questionnaires about their attitudes towards

on the Arts, and the beginning strains of

federal support of the arts.

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60 “ In terms of American democracy, the arts are for everyone. They are not reserved for the wealthy, or for the well-endowed museum, the gallery, or the ever-subsidized regional professional theatre. As America emerges into a different understanding of her strength, it becomes clear that her strength is in the people and in the places where the people live. The people, if shown the way, can create art in and of America.”

— Robert Gard // The Arts in the Small Community / 1969

the sixties

1960

1962

As it has done since 1955, a committee of community arts council representatives meets during the American Symphony Orchestra League convention. This year the committee appoints a select group to set up Community Arts Councils, Inc. Chartered in Winston-Salem, NC, CACI will serve arts councils in both the United States and Canada. George Irwin is elected its first president.

CACI meets as part of the ASOL annual convention, which features a session on federal arts legislation inspired by the 40+ arts-related bills introduced in Congress the previous year. Forty-three people participate in the convention’s arts council track.

1961 An all-volunteer organization, CACI has 34 members and organizational dues ranging from $25 to $150. CACI’s board members, along with ASOL staff, act as technical advisors to communities wishing to start arts councils.

1963 Nancy Hanks first learns of CACI while coordinating a major study on the performing arts for the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. She joins the board of the organization in 1965 and becomes board president in 1968.

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On September 29, 1965, President Johnson signs the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act, which created the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Nancy Hanks, vice president of ACA, is invited to the signing.

Photo Credit: Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library

t h e Si x t i e s

1964

1965

CACI’s membership votes to change the organization’s name to Arts Councils of America (ACA), to hire paid staff, and to move its office to New York. The ACA board identifies two key issues that will shape the organization “in 1965 and beyond”: creating a National Council on the Arts, and the resulting impact of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund study on the performing arts in America.

President Lyndon B. Johnson swears in the members of the first National Council on the Arts, which includes one of the ACA founders, R. Philip Hanes.

Congress passes a bill creating the National Council on the Arts, which is signed into law. After many years and numerous arts-related bills, this is the first time the federal government creates an official body in support of the arts. The National Council on the Arts ultimately becomes the governing board for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

The Rockefeller Brothers Fund publishes The Performing Arts: Problems and Prospects. The report recognizes the growing role of America’s community arts agencies, calling upon “local community arts councils to look at the ‘common problems’ of the dance group, the symphony and the opera.”

Founding member Ralph Burgard resigns from the ACA board and begins service as its first executive director. The Rockefeller Brothers Fund gifts office space to ACA for one year.

The Arts & Business Council (A&BC) begins as the Arts Advisory Council of the New York Board of Trade and hires Sybil C. Simon as its first director. She served as director from 1965 to 1988.

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Top Community Arts Councils Inc. becomes the Arts Councils of America, leading the organization to hire staff and open headquarters in New York City. Pictured at a reception of the newly named ACA are Nancy Hanks and Howard Adams.

Bottom left Arts in the City by Ralph Burgard is published by ACA in 1969. Other publications include A Labor Economist Looks at the Performing Arts and Business and The Arts, An Answer to Tomorrow, copublished with the BCA.

Arts in the City

Organizing and Programming Community Arts Councils Associated Councils of the Arts Ralph Burgard

Bottom right ACA holds its first conference without the American Symphony Orchestra League in New York City with 500 in attendance in 1966. Governor of New York Nelson Rockefeller is a keynote speaker.

Arts

Organizing and Pro

Assoc

t h e Si x t i e s

1966

1967

Arts Councils of America changes its name to the Associated Councils of the Arts. The organization has 106 community arts councils and 23 state arts council members; an annual operating budget of more than $100,000; and a modest endowment fund. John D. Rockefeller 3rd pledges $200,000 over four years for the operating fund.

Ralph Burgard urges ACA to provide additional services to community arts councils to best serve a rapidly growing field: “A new council is being formed… at the rate of approximately one every three days.”

David Rockefeller founds the Business Committee for the Arts, a committee of leaders from the nation’s largest corporations who are committed to encouraging the increased involvement of business in the arts.

William Baumol and William Bowen publish The Performing Arts: The Economic Dilemma, a seminal study on why the costs of performance have always risen faster than the economy’s rate of inflation and why the situation is unlikely to change in the future.

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Top Left The Business Committee for the Arts holds its first annual meeting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on January 22, 1968.

Top Right Novelist Ralph Ellison is the first artist to join the ACA Board of Directors in 1967. Future board members who are artists include Theodore Bikel, Joseph Papp, Alwin Nikolais, Richard Hunt, Joanne Woodward, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Jane Alexander, Peter Duchin, Colleen Dewhurst, Judith Baca, Bruce Marks, Gerard Schwarz, Billy Taylor, Harry Belafonte, Alexander Julian, Martina Arroyo, Victoria Rowell, and Liz Lerman.

Photo Credit: R. Philip Hanes, Jr., courtesy of the National Endowment for the Arts

Bottom The Rockefeller Brothers Fund provides key support to both ACA and BCA in their first decade. The brothers, from left to right: David, Nelson, Winthrop, Laurence, and John D. 3rd.

PHOTO CREDIT: Duke

Archives

University

t h e Si x t i e s

1968

1969

ACA receives its first NEA grant in the amount of $75,000.

President Richard M. Nixon appoints ACA President Nancy Hanks as NEA Chair, a position she holds until 1977. During her tenure, Hanks works tirelessly to bring the arts to national prominence and increases the agency’s funding from $8 million to $114 million.

BCA co-sponsors Esquire’s Business in the Arts Awards, which recognizes – and inspires – support for the arts from the business community. Among BCA’s funders: the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Ford Foundation, and The Rockefeller Foundation.

Arnold Gingrich, publisher of Esquire, works with BCA to publish Business and the Arts: An Answer to Tomorrow, providing information and ideas for fruitful cooperation between business and arts organizations.

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1 Located in a flood control channel called the Tujunga Wash in California’s San Fernando Valley, “The Great Wall of Los Angeles” by Judith F. Baca was created in 1974 and is today the world’s largest mural. The mural depicts a multi-cultural history of California from prehistory to the 1950s.

Photo Credit:

The artist.

1970 the seventies

1970s

Former ACA President Nancy Hanks takes the

helm of the NEA, and her influence is felt far and wide as the

agency dramatically expands. Trends in development include

local and state ordinances supporting public art and the launching of very ambitious public art projects.

Additionally, changing demographics create

National Assembly of State Arts Agencies in

a demand for more multicultural arts

1974. With a much larger and more diverse

organizations, which receive support from

population of its own, community arts agencies

the NEA’s new Expansion Arts Program. The

go from a committee under ACA to the

Comprehensive Employment Training Act, a

independent National Assembly of Community

federal jobs program, puts hundreds of artists

Arts Agencies in 1978. ACA, now known as the

to work in cities across America. Building on

American Council for the Arts, continues

research first released in 1969, BCA reports

to broadly serve all of the arts.

a tenfold increase in corporate support from

Programs starting to take shape in the

1967 to 1976; by the end of the decade, state

1970s include an annual meeting of united

government appropriations exceed a half billion

arts fund professionals as well as a closer

dollars.

look at the role of the individual artist.

ACA develops a much greater commitment

Publications and training bring more emphasis

to advocacy efforts at the federal level, and in

to the financial management of arts councils.

1972 publishes the presidential candidates’

The arts play a part in planning the nation’s

positions on the arts. A growing constituency’s

Bicentennial celebration, and a number of

specific needs leads to the state committee of

universities establish arts administration

ACA to be transformed into the newly created

training programs.

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Left President Richard M. Nixon addresses ACA conference delegates in Washington, DC in 1971. Seated from left: BCA Chair Robert O. Anderson, NEA Chair Nancy Hanks, and ACA Chair George Irwin.

Right Judy Agnew, left, wife of Vice President Spiro Agnew, hosts a reception at the White House for BCA members on June 26, 1970. Pictured with her are Gavin MacBain, chairman of Bristol-Myers Company, and his wife Margaret.

the seventies

1970

1971

Chair of Lincoln Center Amyas Ames creates Partnership for the Arts to “call public attention to the plight of the arts nationwide” and persuade Congress to appropriate a major increase to the NEA for FY 1972.

President Richard M. Nixon speaks at ACA’s annual conference in Washington, DC, with 500 in attendance. Delegates are invited to a reception and special tour at the White House hosted by First Lady Pat Nixon.

BCA releases findings from its first study conducted with the National Industrial Conference Board (today The Conference Board) on corporate support for the arts.

The survey estimates that approximately 70 percent of America’s corporations support the arts with contributions estimated at $45 million.

At ACA’s conference, a committee of community arts council directors forms; soon after, R. Philip Hanes convenes the group to create procedures and plan activities for the year. Ron Caya and Winnie Scott are appointed co-chairs of the Executive Committee for Community Arts Councils, the forerunner of the National Assembly of Community Arts Agencies.

BCA launches its first national advertising campaign in cooperation and support from the Ad Council.

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CACI founders and founders of two of the nation’s first local arts councils, R. Philip Hanes, Jr. of Winston-Salem, NC, left, and George Irwin of Quincy, IL.

the seventies

1972

1973

Partnership for the Arts merges with ACA, consolidating efforts to increase government support for the arts and uniting with one policy direction and staffing.

ACA holds its annual conference in Aspen, CO, during which the need for greater arts advocacy becomes apparent. Participants pass several resolutions recommending community agencies advocate for their state councils and organize statewide community arts assemblies, as well as urging the NEA to increase funding for community arts agencies through the state councils.

ACA holds the first conference for United Arts Funds (UAFs), annual appeals to raise unrestricted money on behalf of three or more arts, culture, and/or science organizations; there are approximately 14 UAFs in existence.

To better advocate for arts and business priorities, The Arts & Business Council, Inc. of New York is created after separating from the New York Board of Trade.

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70 “ ….the aim of the campaign is not to teach people about the arts but to make them aware of what the arts can mean to them as individuals and to communities dealing with problems in education, urban development, and environmental protection….The question is will we citizens, businessmen, politicians, audiences, and artists be aware enough of the potential and the needs of the arts to act effectively on our own behalf?”

— Katharine Graham // president of The Washington Post Company / launch of the first BCA nationwide advertising campaign / February 17, 1971

the seventies

1974

1975

ACA launches Advocates for the Arts, a citizens’ action program dedicated to national issues affecting the arts; in its first year, membership grows to 3,500 individuals. The group’s primary concerns are researching the legal rights and economic well-being of creative artists and providing testimony to Congress.

With critical early support from the Ford Foundation, A&BC creates Business Volunteers for the Arts. Initially known as the Skills/Services/Resources Bank, BVA works to help nonprofit arts organizations improve their business practices by bringing volunteers from the business world into contact with arts groups to share their skills.

ACA publishes its first Guide to Community Arts Agencies, the most comprehensive look to date at the field of community arts councils and commissions. The guide provides insights into this fast growing sector of arts support and its importance to community development.

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Top Left Business Committee for the Arts publishes 516 Ways BCA Companies Supported the Arts in ’73 & ’74 to encourage business support of the arts.

Bottom Left Coming to Our Senses: The Significance of the Arts for American Education, a report of the national panel on Arts, Education, and Americans chaired by former ACA Chair David Rockefeller, Jr., is published in 1977. ACA accords high priority to the arts and education and the concerns expressed in it.

Right Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-RI), author of the legislation creating the NEA, visits with Providence’s Puppet Workshop at a performance in Pawtucket in 1976.

the seventies

1976

1977

ACA holds a series of regional seminars for arts leadership, reflecting the organization’s areas of focus: support for the individual creative artist; financial planning for medium-sized arts organizations; developing federated arts fund drives; operating existing arts centers and planning for the creation of new ones; roles and responsibilities of state arts agency trustees; and arts festival programming and management.

The federal government acknowledges the impact of public art when it establishes the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Design, Art and Architecture Program, officially sanctioning the expenditure of federal funds for permanent art in new and renovated transit facilities funded by the federal government.

At its 10th annual meeting, BCA announces that corporate support for the arts has jumped from $22 million in 1967 to $221 million in 1976.

Associated Councils of the Arts changes its name to the American Council for the Arts, recognizing the need to more closely align with the work of state and community arts agencies, including involvement with business; labor; government; religious, ethnic, and social groups; and all manner of special interests at the national level.

Forbes magazine joins with BCA to become the new co-sponsor of the annual Business in the Arts Awards, recognizing of the need for a closer relationship with a variety of sectors in order to advance the arts.

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AMERICANS AND THE ARTS A SURVEY OF PUBLIC OPINION

Research conducted by the National Research Center of the Arts Inc., an affiliate of Louis Harris and Associates Inc., for Associated Councils of the Arts.

Publication of this story was made possible by a grant from Phillip Morris Incorporated.

Left ACA commissions its first Lou Harris Poll, Americans & and the Arts: Highlights from a Survey of Public Opinion. Key finding: 89% of the American public would be willing to pay extra $5/year in taxes to support the arts. The poll is recommissioned six times over next two decades.

Right Actor Kitty Carlisle Hart, opera singer Beverly Sills, Bess Myerson, Leonard Fleischer, and jazz legend Billy Taylor gather at A&BC’s annual awards luncheon in 1978.

the seventies

1978 As the needs of community arts councils grow in complexity and sophistication, National Assembly of Community Arts Agencies breaks off from ACA to form its own independent organization and establishes headquarters in Washington, DC.

ACA President Michael Newton continues to prioritize cooperative partnerships that encourage broad support for the arts, which include: The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), National League of Cities, United States Department of Labor, General Services Administration, United States Treasury, Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations, and American Institute of Planners.

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70 “ Let’s not be the dance band on the Titanic…playing away so everyone can enjoy themselves while the ship is sinking. If we separate the arts from the cosmic questions of things like energy, world hunger, and the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment), we are denying ourselves our own importance. Let’s upgrade the concept of what a community arts agency means and integrate it into the larger issues that do matter to congress and the corporate world... Let’s be greedy enough and ambitious enough to say that this is going to make an impact on the world.”

— Harry Chapin // musician and activist / keynote address at the first NACAA Conference in Denver / 1979

the seventies

1979 ACA establishes Arts Advocacy Day. The annual event is designed to increase federal funding for the arts by providing a forum for ACA members to discuss the value of the arts in their communities with their congressional representatives. Art Advocacy Day continues today with an all-time high of 550 attendees, support from more than 80 national cosponsors, a growing Facebook presence and thousands of tweets for the event in 2010.

A&BC eliminates “of New York City” from its name in recognition of the growing national scope of its work.

The Rockefeller Foundation awards funding for national replication of the BVA program to A&BC, and a national affiliate process and structure is established.

Program cover of National Assembly of Community Art Agencies’ first annual convention in Denver in 1979.

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President Reagan awards the first National Medal of Arts in 1985. NALAA Executive Director Robert L. Lynch greets First Lady Nancy Reagan at the White House ceremony.

the eighties

1980s

NACAA, soon to become the National Assembly

of Local Arts Agencies, successfully works to establish a federal funding program for local arts agencies, and the NEA launches a locals test program in 1982 that is made permanent in 1987. NALAA’s efforts also open up the NEA’s Challenge Grant program to local arts agencies.

The election of President Ronald W. Reagan

coordinated, cooperative advocacy effort by

and efforts to substantially cut the NEA’s

all national arts organizations is critical to the

budget inspire increased arts advocacy on the

NEA’s survival.

local, state and federal levels. Arts Advocacy

The 1980s bring heightened under-

Day becomes an annual event in Washington,

standing of the value of the arts to tourism,

D.C., and includes ACA’s critical testimony

and the economy as a whole. ACA’s public

to Congress in support of public arts funding.

awareness campaigns raise visibility of the

Arts supporters up their political acumen and

arts, and national polls provide insight into

create two political action committees to fund

how people feel about arts funding. The

pro-arts candidates. By the end of the decade,

organization increases its work with arts

furor over public funding for the arts is

patrons and partners, among them Indianapolis

prompted by the controversial work of artists

philanthropist Ruth Lilly, establishing an annual

Andres Serrano and Robert Mapplethorpe. A

poetry prize in her name.

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American Council for the Arts’s American Arts publication queries the five leading presidential candidates on their arts positions, the first publication to spearhead the topic.

the eighties

1980

1981

The founding of the first BCA affiliate in Montgomery, AL, reflects a growing recognition of the important relationship between the arts and business sectors. By 2007, there are 10 affiliates across the U.S. representing more than 2,500 small and midsize companies as members.

ACA helps form the Congressional Arts Caucus with co-founders and chairs Rep. Fred Richmond (D-NY) and Rep. Jim Jeffords (R-VT); the Arts Caucus demonstrates Congress’s increased leadership and commitment when it comes to the arts.

NACAA testifies before Congress and pushes for a local arts agency program and funding category at the NEA. The 1980 Arts and Humanities Act does not require a community arts agency program, but includes language about local arts support.

President Ronald W. Reagan proposes cutting the NEA budget nearly in half. After extraordinary advocacy efforts, the NEA’s final budget for FY 1982 is $143 million, down from $158.6 million.

The Community Arts Movement, by NALAA board member Nina Gibans, is published in 1983.

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LEFT David S. Tappan, Jr., chair and CEO of the Fluor Corporation and chairman of the Orange County Business Committee for the Arts, congratulates Henry T. Segerstrom, managing partner of C.J. Segerstrom & Sons, the incoming chair of the Orange County BCA, in 1982. Mr. Segerstrom goes on to receive BCA’s inaugural Leadership Award in 1993, becoming BCA chair in 1997.

PHOTO CREDIT:

Barry Slobin

RIGHT Rep. Tom Downey (D-NY) is elected chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, which grew to 81 members in 2010.

the eighties

1982 President Ronald W. Reagan establishes the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), charged with stimulating private sector support for the arts. First Lady Nancy Reagan serves as honorary chair.

NALAA launches its first national PSA campaign in support of community arts at the local level, partnering with USCM on national distribution. Spots feature the statement: “We all need the arts and now, more than ever, the arts need us.”

NACAA changes its name to the National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies to better reflect the federal-state-local partnership that is becoming the standard arts delivery system.

A collective of arts councils in the country’s 40 largest cities known as the Municipal Arts Federation comes together to improve sharing of best practices. The group changes its name to the U.S. Urban Arts Federation and resides within NALAA. By 2010, USUAF has grown to represent 60 cities.

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LEFT The first Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize of $25,000 is awarded in 1986 to Adrienne Rich, pictured here with ACA President Milton Rhodes. The prize, established

by Indianapolis philanthropist Ruth Lilly, honors a U.S. poet whose accomplishments warrant extraordinary recognition.

The prize is sponsored by the Modern Poetry Association and ACA.

TOP right Sybil Simon was hired as the first executive director of the A&BC in 1965. She held this position until her retirement in 1988.

Bottom Right BCA creates a visibility campaign on the importance of a broad base of business support and increasing corporate contributions.

the eighties

1983

1984

NALAA President Robert Canon is tapped to become the director of the NEA’s new Locals Program, which provides direct support to community arts agencies.

ACA’s fourth Lou Harris Poll shows that Americans feel there should be more, not less, government funding of the arts at all levels: 55 percent feel this way about federal funding, 64 percent about state government support and 67 percent about local support. The first poll was conducted in 1973; it would be recommissioned six times over the next two decades.

As part of a growing movement to advance appreciation for multicultural arts, The Association of American Cultures forms during the NASAA annual conference in New Orleans.

BCA’s latest survey finds that U.S. businesses contributed more than $500 million to the arts in 1982.

President Ronald W. Reagan establishes the National Medal of Arts as the nation’s highest award given to artists and arts patrons. In 1985, the first business to receive the medal is BCA charter member Hallmark. Robert L. Lynch and the executive committee of NALAA attend the awards ceremony held at the White House.

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TOP LEFT Actor Charlton Heston, a longtime advocate of artsbusiness partnerships, lends his voice to BCA for radio ads that are part of its 1984 national PSA campaign. He is pictured here with Ina Sorens of Ogilvy & Mather.

Photo Credit:

David Gilburt

BOTTOM LEFT Actor Stephen Sondheim, pictured with actor Dina Merrill, receives the Lifetime Achievement Award from the A&BC in 1983.

RIGHT Arts advocates Anne Murphy of the American Arts Alliance, Lawrence Reger of the American Association of Museums, Geoffrey Platt of NASAA, and Gretchen Wiest, Executive Director of NALAA, offer testimony to Congress in 1984.

Photo Credit:

Rick Reinhard

the eighties

1985 Robert L. Lynch, director of the Arts Extension Service in Amherst, MA, becomes NALAA’s new executive director; he continues to serve in this position, spearheading organizational mergers and growth, for the next 25 years.

NALAA forms its first interest groups in an effort to better serve its growing membership through targeted service development. The first groups are statewide assemblies, state community coordinators, rural communities and large communities.

Milton Rhodes, executive director of the Arts Council, Inc. of Winston-Salem and former chair of NACAA, becomes president of ACA, and serves in that role until 1994.

BCA and Forbes collaborate on a 33-page special advertising section, “American Business and the Arts,” promoting outstanding business partnerships with the arts. The advertorial appears in the magazine’s annual issue “The Richest People in America: The Forbes 400.”

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80 “ The function of the arts in a democratic society is to hold a mirror up to people to say, ‘This is how you are.

Take a hard look; if you don’t like what you see, change.’

The function of the arts is to bring order out of chaos, coherence out of the endless static, the gibberish of the stars, and to render people capable of thinking metaphorically. The arts are an essential part of public education, and without their special lucidity, the college graduate is only half a conscious soul.”

— Edward Albee // playwright / at the ACA National Convention / October 1988

the eighties

1986 In partnership with the NEA and NASAA, NALAA coordinates the first National Arts Week, bringing public attention to the positive impact of the arts in communities across the country. In a proclamation, President Ronald W. Reagan states: “Let us join together during National Arts Week to celebrate the arts of our Nation and in pledging to continue this magnificent partnership of artist and patron so as to enrich the soul and the heart of our people forever.” In 1993, National Arts Week becomes National Arts and Humanities Month, celebrated every October.

NALAA is a founding member of the National Cultural Alliance, a coalition of national service organizations representing over 23,000 institutions working in the arts and humanities.

ACA enhances its arts education efforts after acquiring Arts, Education, and Americans, Inc. a leading advocate for the integration of the arts into the general school curriculum and a research center for arts education.

American Council for the Arts publishes Public Art, Public Controversy: The Tilted Arc on Trial, a timely look at the issues facing public art programs in America as illustrated by the dispute over sculptor Richard Serra’s installation in New York City.

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TOP LEFT NEA Chair Frank Hodsoll is one of the keynote speakers at NALAA’s 1987 Annual Convention in Portland, OR. Also pictured is NALAA Chair Greg Geisler.

TOP RIGHT Dance Theatre of Harlem founder Arthur Mitchell, left, receives the Lifetime Achievement Award from the A&BC in 1987. He is pictured with longtime A&BC Honorary Chair Billy Taylor.

BOTTOM The NALAA board of directors strikes a celebratory pose to promote the organization’s 10th anniversary at the 1988 convention in Washington, DC.

the eighties

1987

1988

Arts Advocacy Day grows, drawing 200+ participants from around the U.S. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) is the event’s keynote speaker. Joining ACA as co-sponsors are NALAA, NASAA, and the American Association of Museums.

To address the issue of diversity among arts administrators, A&BC launches the Multicultural Arts Management Internship Program to introduce young people of color to careers in arts management through mentorship and training opportunities. The initiative continues today as a program of Americans for the Arts’ Arts & Business Council of New York.

BCA celebrates its 20th anniversary with its annual meeting and presentation of the Business in the Arts Awards in New York City co-hosted by Beverly Sills and Tony Randall.

The National Coalition of United Arts Funds is founded as an affiliate of ACA, consolidating years of working relationships with approximately 64 UAFs around the country. The group continues as a program under Americans for the Arts.

NALAA publishes Community Vision in cooperation with the NEA Locals Program.

This policy guide becomes a staple publication for the field on creating and maintaining local arts agencies.

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LEFT Historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr. delivers ACA’s inaugural Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy in conjunction with Arts Advocacy Day. His lecture focuses on the history and future of arts policy in America and the merits of federal arts funding.

TOP RIGHT Actors Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy receive A&BC’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Ms. Tandy is pictured here with actor Marlon Brando at the awards ceremony.

BOTTOM RIGHT Christopher “Kip” Forbes, Vice Chair of the Forbes Publishing company, and Judith Jedlicka, President of BCA, present the BCA Business in the Arts Awards.

PHOTO CREDIT:

Jon Roemer

the eighties

1989 A BCA study finds that the arts account for 12 percent of corporate dollars allocated to the nonprofit sector, representing a total of $634 million business philanthropic dollars.

BCA holds a one-day national conference on “Corporate Art Collections in the 1990s: Issues and Trends.” Featured speakers include: John Bryan, chair and CEO of the Sara Lee Corporation, and Peter Lewis, CEO of The Progressive Corporation.

National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies publishes AIDS and Local Arts Agencies: A Resource Guide and brings the issue of AIDS to the Joint Policy Committee (National Council on the Arts, NALAA, and NASAA) to examine issues facing members of an embattled arts community, including personnel policies.

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ACA holds a rally to support the embattled NEA as part of Arts Advocacy Day in 1990.

From left, actors and founders of the Creative Coalition, Alec Baldwin, Ron Silver, Stephen Collins, Susan Sarandon, and Christopher Reeve.

PHOTO CREDIT:

Maureen Keating

the nineties

1990s

The culture wars continue through the mid-

1990s, when a conservative Congress comes into power. Motivated by the “Contract with America,” which calls for the NEA’s elimination, ACA joins with other national service organizations

to advocate tirelessly on behalf of the agency under attack.

Ultimately the NEA survives, but must be thoroughly reorganized with a drastically reduced budget and staff.

In the private sector, with corporate

1996, merging into Americans for the Arts.

sponsorships on the rise, there’s greater

With a broad view, Americans for the Arts

emphasis on marketing the arts. A growing

adopts an ambitious agenda and strengthens

number of communities embrace programs

partnerships with national non-arts groups

where the arts serve as agents of social,

in areas of local government, education and

educational and economic change, becoming

business. Technology begins to transform the

models for local arts agencies nationwide.

way organizations serve their constituencies,

Pioneering research on the value of the arts to

with more sophisticated and streamlined

youth at risk, the economy and civic dialogue

communications. In 1999, Americans for

shed new light on the role of arts and culture

the Arts celebrates the 50th anniversary

in communities across the country.

of the first local arts agency in Winston-

With the demands of a more mature

Salem, N.C., where arts leaders convene to

arts field and ever-expanding expertise,

craft a vision for the role of the arts in the

ACA and NALAA come back together in

communities of tomorrow.

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Poet Maya Angelou delivers the 1990 Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy. She is pictured with ACA board members, from left, Eldridge Hanes, Madelyn Jennings, and Gerald D. Blatherwick. Angelou was also a keynote speaker at NALAA’s 1985 annual convention.

PHOTO CREDIT:

Sharon Farmer

the nineties

1990

1991

The NEA publishes The Arts and 504, a handbook to help arts organizations meet the requirements contained in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

ACA distributes the publication to arts organizations across the country and A&BC forms the Arts Access Task Force and sponsors “Access to the Arts,” a conference focused on making the arts more accessible to people with disabilities.

NALAA and the NEA partner on an endowment for the creation and presentation of the Selina Roberts Ottum Award. Named for NALAA’s past chair and head of the Metropolitan Arts Commission in Portland, OR, the award recognizes outstanding contributions to the LAA field. Sydney W. Blackmarr of Tifton, GA, receives the first award.

ACA creates the Michael Newton Award in honor of the past ACA president to recognize an individual’s commitment and dedication to the united arts fund movement. ACA presents the first award to its president, Milton Rhodes.

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90 “ …the value of the arts to the business community. I know there are many business people whose response is ‘what value?’ They just don’t see a link between yield curves and cubism. I’m of the opposite opinion. As a businessman and entrepreneur, I see great economic and cultural value to be gained from creating relationships with the artistic community….To me, contemporary art is a mirror held up to our society. Young artists are often ahead of the rest of us in their thinking. They are often more willing to embrace new ideas, grapple with the aspects of our world that intrigue them, inspire them, anger them.

And they challenge the rest of us to do the same.”

— Eli Broad // Chairman and CEO of SunAmerica, Inc. / remarks as part of BCA’s Executive Lecture Series / April 9, 1996

the nineties

1992 A&BC publishes The Arts Guide to Business Sponsorship, the first of its kind for arts groups on how to develop corporate sponsorship. Revised in 1996, it remains the standard text on the subject.

NALAA debuts Monograph, a monthly membership publication formerly known as Connections Quarterly. The new format provides in-depth focus on a particular subject. Today, Monograph is one in a suite of materials from Americans for the Arts, providing the LAA field with tools and information to advance the arts locally as well as nationally.

BCA creates the Founders Award to recognize businesses for outstanding leadership and long-term commitment in developing exemplary partnerships with the arts. The recipients are: American Express Company, AT&T, Dayton Hudson Corporation, Philip Morris Companies, and Texaco. This recognition later evolves into what is now known as the BCA Hall of Fame.

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Top Left Actor Ben Vereen speaks at the 1994 ACA-sponsored Arts Education for the 21st Century American Economy. The threeday event brings more than 300 corporate, education, arts, and government leaders to the Kentucky Center for the Arts in Louisville, KY. Top Right NALAA board members Michael Marsicano, Bill Bulick, Tina Burdett, Harriet Sanford, Ray Hanley, Janet Brown, and Patricia Holihan Steinhardt outside the White House after attending the 1993 National Medal of Arts presentation.

Photo Credit: Bill Bulick

MIDDLE BCA Chair John D. Ong, ACA board member John Brademas, and KET-TV reporter Melissa K. Swan at the 1994 ACA conference Arts Education for the 21st Century American Economy in Louisville, KY. BOTTOM ACA Chair Laura Lee Blanton with board member Alexander Julian, center, and singer Harry Belafonte in 1994.

the nineties

1993

1994

President William J. Clinton appoints actress and former ACA board member Jane Alexander as chair of the NEA. During her tenure, the agency comes under attack from Congress and critics; in cooperation with arts advocates across America, Alexander works tirelessly – and successfully – to preserve a strong federal role in the arts.

NALAA publishes Arts in the Local Economy and holds a national forum to discuss the findings of this pioneering economic impact study. The report becomes Arts and Economic Prosperity, a study published in 2002 and 2007 with a new report slated for release in 2012. The report has become one of the most potent advocacy tools used by arts and community leaders to increase arts funding and advance arts-friendly policies at the local, state and national levels.

Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) revives and becomes chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus, a post she continues to serve today with Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA). Through her efforts, by 2010 the Caucus has built a solid bipartisan majority to advance support for the NEA.

NALAA partners with Bravo cable network on a national awareness and visibility campaign, “Arts for Change,” highlighting the importance of the arts in reaching youth at risk.

In 1994, National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies releases Arts in the Local Economy, a pioneering economic impact study that finds that the arts is a $37 billion industry. The study is funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts and the 33 participating communities.

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LEFT Former U.S. Postmaster General Winton “Red” Blount delivers the 1995 Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy and focuses on the importance of exposing all Americans to the arts through the NEA, the NEH, and other federal projects.

Pictured here, left, with Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO).

MIDDLE Opera singers Leontyne Price, Beverly Sills, and Martina Arroyo at the A&BC annual gala.

PHOTO CREDIT:

Cutty McGill

TOP RIGHT Actor Tony Randall and NEA Chair Jane Alexander during Arts Advocacy Day, 1995.

BOTTOM RIGHT The 1999 convention in Atlanta acknowledged Don Green of The Coca-Cola Foundation, right, and Harriet Sanford of the Fulton County Arts Council, who, as chairs of ACA and NALAA respectively, led the merger of the two organizations into Americans for the Arts in 1996.

They are pictured with Robert L. Lynch.

the nineties

1995

1996

NALAA establishes the Institute for Community Development and the Arts to educate LAAs, elected and appointed government officials, and arts funders about the important role of the arts as community change agents for economic, social and educational problems. Institute partners include USCM, International City/County Management Association, NACo, NLC, NCSL, National Association of Towns and Townships, NEA, PCAH and Bravo.

Americans for the Arts launches at the National Press Club following a merger between ACA and NALAA. The new organization, under the direction of President and CEO Robert L. Lynch, supports the arts and culture through private and public resource development, leadership development, public policy development, information services, public awareness and education.

NALAA, ACA, NASAA and 60 others form the Cultural Advocacy Group, an alliance of national cultural organizations united in a message to Congress: government has an important role in helping to support cultural activities in the U.S. and in the world. Chaired by NALAA President and CEO Robert L. Lynch, the Cultural Advocacy Group’s efforts include establishing a toll-free number people can call to deliver mailgrams to House and Senate members asking for support of the federal cultural agencies.

Fred Lazarus IV is elected as Americans for the Arts’ first board chair, continuing a family legacy of service to the arts begun by his parents Irma Lazarus and Fred Lazarus III, who served a combined 32 years on the board of ACA. His membership on the board continues to the present day.

The NEA introduces a nationwide initiative called American Canvas, regional and community forums designed to determine the value of the arts on the local level and how to build a solid infrastructure for the arts across the country. Americans for the Arts members hosted forums in six cities.

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Top & Middle

On CNN’s Crossfire Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts defends attacks seeking to reduce the NEA’s funding. Also on the July 20, 1997 program are then Rep. Joe Scarborough (R-FL), and co-hosts of the Sunday edition, Lynn Cheney and Bob Beckel. bottom left

NEA Chair Jane Alexander speaks at the 1997 Arts Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill.

Bottom Middle

Animating Democracy: The Artistic Imagination as a Force in Civic Dialogue is published in 1999 and maps the field of artists and arts organizations whose work engages the public in dialogue on civic issues. The Ford Foundation funded report identifies issues and trends and suggests opportunities for leaders in the field, policymakers, and funders to work together to strengthen activity in this lively arena. bottom right

Coming Up Taller, a report describing how local arts and community organizations use the arts to improve the lives of young people, is released by the PCAH in collaboration with and research by NALAA in 1996.

Coming Up Taller lives on as an annual initiative of the PCAH that presents cash awards to innovative afterschool arts and humanities programs.

the nineties

1997 Americans for the Arts and CBS television network announce a new PSA campaign: “The Arts Enrich Us All” highlights the role of the arts in the economy, community revitalization and education, and features prominent artists and others speaking about the role of the arts and culture in the lives of all Americans.

Americans for the Arts responds to Congressional pressure on the NEA with a high-profile visibility push including a New York Times op-ed co-authored by Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch and actor Alec Baldwin; appearances on Crossfire; and the Cultural Advocacy Group’s collaboration with renowned ad agency Wieden & Kennedy on a national print PSA campaign urging people to reach out to their elected officials to support public funding for the arts.

Americans for the Arts creates the National Policy Board to discuss and recommend positions and policy directions for the arts in this country and to inform Americans for the Arts unencumbered by fiduciary duties or implementation dictates. The group includes leading advocates, thinkers and patrons from the corporate, government and philanthropic communities. Michael H. Jordan, Chair and CEO of CBS, Inc. serves as the group’s first chair.

In partnership with the USCM, Americans for the Arts introduces the Public Leadership in the Arts Awards. The annual awards recognize the following categories: mayor, governor, congressional, lifetime achievement, and legendary artists. The award underscores that the arts are a growing component of the work these leaders are doing in their communities.

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LEFT Choreographer Liz Lerman leads attendees at a Artist in-Residence session at the 1998 Annual Convention in Denver, CO.

TOP RIGHT A&BC awards the Corporate Arts Leadership Award to Citigroup’s Sandy Weill, pictured her with wife Joan.

Also honored are dancer Peter Martins, stage producer Harold Prince, and artist Robert Rauschenberg receives the Kitty Carlisle Hart Award.

Bottom RIGHT Pictured at the 1998 Entertainment Industry Summit in Los Angeles, from left, Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts; Michael Jordon, chair and CEO of CBS and the Chair of Americans for the Arts National Policy Board; Harriet Fulbright, executive director of PCAH; and Bill Ivey, chair of the NEA.

the nineties

1998 The Pew Charitable Trusts commissions Americans for the Arts and The Ohio State University Arts Policy and Administration Program to analyze public and private sources of support for arts and culture; the results of “National and Local Profiles of Cultural Support” are published in Monograph in 2002, and provide the most in-depth look at how non-arts agencies (e.g. fire departments, libraries, housing) support the arts, both financially and programmatically.

With a generous $1.5 million grant from American Express, A&BC creates the National Arts Marketing Project. In its first year, the program features 50 workshops in 8 cities nationwide; today, the program continues to teach and provide practical tools for arts leaders to better market the arts. Its offerings today include the annual National Arts Marketing Program Conference and a website full of resources, www.ArtsMarketing.org.

The YouthARTS ® Toolkit is released in 1999 and shows young people are less likely to get involved in delinquent behavior and more likely to succeed in school as a result of participating in arts programs. The toolkit funded by the MetLife Foundation and released by Americans for the Arts with the NEA, the U. S. Department of Justice, the USCM, and NACo is still online today.

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Top The Atlanta Arts Accords, developed co-produced

by Americans for the Arts and the NASAA, are signed in 1999 by national associations representing corporations, foundations, and philanthropists pledging support for a broad new vision of public and private funding for the arts in America. standing, left to right, Robert L. Lynch, NEA Chair Bill Ivey, NACo’s Michael Hightower, NASAA’s Carol Brown, AFTA board member Fred Lazarus IV, and NASAA Executive Director Jonathan Katz seated, left to right, Delaware Division of the Arts’ Peggy Amsterdam, NCSL’s Myrna Bair, NACo’s Betty Lou Ward, and representing the NLC East Point, Georgia Mayor Patsy Jo Hilliard. middle The Americans for the Arts annual convention in Atlanta includes a National Youth Arts Summit, the first such comingtogether focused on youth arts programs. Convention speakers include: Dr Johnnetta Cole, president of Spelman College (pictured); Rep. John Lewis (DGA) and Judge Glenda Hatchett.

Bottom From left, Rep. Karen McCarthy (D-MO), Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch, and Sen. Pat Leahy (D-VT) sing along with Peter Yarrow on the steps of the Capitol Building during Arts Advocacy Day in 1999.

the nineties

1999 A group of national organizations representing local, state and federal leaders sign the Atlanta Arts Accords, which recognize the importance of preserving America’s arts history and culture as a nationally protected legacy. Those signing the official decree at the Americans for the Arts national convention in Atlanta include: Americans for the Arts, NASAA, USCM, the Congressional Arts Caucus, NLC, NEA, NACo and NCSL.

Americans for the Arts launches Animating Democracy, a program that continues today, to foster the role of the arts in civic dialogue on important contemporary issues.

The initiative addresses recommendations made in the study Animating Democracy: The Artistic Imagination as a Force in Civic Dialogue. Supported with $6 million from the Ford Foundation in its first five years, Animating Democracy grants nearly $3 million to arts-based civic dialogue projects across the country, forms a national learning community, holds a national conference and publishes seven resources for the field.

In celebration of the first local arts agency in America, Americans for the Arts convenes the Winston-Salem Arts Convocation to establish a vision for the role of the arts in shaping communities of tomorrow. Among the outcomes: the creation of the Emerging Leader Network and elected leadership council, designed to foster future arts leaders.

Americans for the Arts and NACo establish the Public Leadership in the Arts Award for County Arts Leadership to acknowledge elected county officials whose vision and leadership advance and provide heightened visibility to the value of the arts in their community. The first award recipient is Betty Lou Ward, Commissioner of Wake County, NC.

A&BC launches Arts Marketing Online, a comprehensive resource for arts leaders to learn how to better market the arts. The expanded resource continues today as the Arts Marketing website, a program of Americans for the Arts.

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Pictured are the witnesses at the 2008 congressional hearing held in conjunction with Arts Advocacy Day. From left to right: Jonathan Spector, CEO of the Conference Board, singer/songwriter John Legend, Robert L. Lynch, Rep. Ben Chandler (D-KY), actor Kerry Washington, actor/activist Robert Redford, Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA ), and Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS ).

PHOTO CREDIT:

Jim Saah

the two-thousands

2000s

The first decade of the 21st century is marked

early on by the events of September 11, 2001. Americans for the Arts is a leader in efforts to highlight the role of the arts in healing, called upon again after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

In late 2002, Americans for the Arts receives

The benefits of the arts to local

an extraordinary $120 million gift from

communities is clearer than ever: the latest

philanthropist Ruth Lilly, transforming the

Arts & Economic Prosperity research report

organization and the work it does on behalf of

shows a $166 billion total economic impact

Americans in all communities. In particular, the

for the arts that includes 5.6 million jobs,

new funding helps ramp up advocacy efforts,

100,000 nonprofit arts organizations, 612,000

including the creation of a separate citizen

arts-centric businesses and $29.6 billion in

advocacy organization and affiliated political

tax revenues. Americans for the Arts embraces

action committee, as well as allowing for a

emerging technology trends, including social

more active role on the campaign trail with

media and networking platforms.

candidates. These efforts pay off with small

Arts education gains visibility with a

annual increases to the NEA, culminating in

$100+ million public awareness campaign

FY 2010 with the highest funding level the

prompting more research and partnerships

agency has seen in 16 years. The decade ends

with school boards, school administrators

with the nation’s economy in trouble, but when

and the corporate community on behalf of

the federal government provides a multi-billion

children. And mergers with A&BC and BCA

dollar stimulus package, lobbying efforts ensure

make Americans for the Arts the largest private-

that the nonprofit arts community is included.

sector service and advocacy group in America.

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TOP President Clinton signs the FY 2001 appropriations bill for the first increase for the NEA after the cutbacks during the culture wars of the 1980s.

Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts represents the arts community at the White House ceremony.

PHOTO CREDIT: William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum

Bottom LEFt Robert L. Lynch, First Lady Hillary Rodhom Clinton, and Mrs. Randolph (Veronica) Hearst at the National Arts Awards.

Bottom RIGHT Chuck Close is honored at the 2000 A&BC gala.

the two-thousands

2000 With continuing support from American Express, A&BC expands its arts marketing workshop series from 8 cities to 12 cities nationwide and begins planning for its first annual National Arts Marketing Conference, held in October 2001.

In an effort to bridge the gap between arts policy practitioners and academics, Americans for the Arts partners with the Center for Arts and Culture for the 26th annual “Social Theory, Politics and the Arts” conference, the only gathering of leading cultural policy and research professionals in the U.S.

In response to a call for more targeted services and networking opportunities from public art professionals, the Americans for the Arts public art interest area formalizes into the Public Art Network and leadership council.

The Pittsburgh Arts Accords promotes the importance of private sector support for the arts and encourages individuals, businesses, and foundations to leverage the arts as tools for visioning, problem solving, communicating effectively, and functioning competitively in the new economy. Americans for the Arts joins with signatories A&BC, Council on Foundations, Grantmakers in the Arts, Independent Sector, National Alliance of Businesses, NCUAF, NEA, and NASAA.

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00 “ It is clear that developing emerging leaders is and should remain a key issue for arts organizations in order to secure future prosperity….We must now pay further attention to completing the process of leadership development by investing in the leaders that we have cultivated. As with any investment, we must take some calculated risks in order to advance this plan of leadership succession and work to protect and preserve new assets – intellectual capital – in our knowledge-based economy. Emerging leaders today have a fresh perspective of the field and a new energy, but without the context of our field’s history, we will be at a disadvantage and find ourselves encountering historic barriers already faced, re-creating systems already invented, or repeating miscalculations already made by the current leadership.”

— Jennifer Armstrong and Leslie Ito // Emerging Leaders, 2001

the two-thousands

2001 Americans for the Arts and NASAA hold their first joint convention in New York City with more than 1,500 leaders from local and state levels to share strategies for advancing the arts nationally and in their communities.

The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 as the No Child Left Behind Act maintains that the arts are a “core academic subject” and eligible for funding through teacher training, school reform, and other federal education programs. Since the Act’s implementation, Americans for the Arts has worked to prevent the unintended narrowing of the curriculum in public schools.

In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Americans for the Arts uses its website and electronic communication capabilities to share timely information about the impact on the arts and works with the White House on statements from President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush about the value of the arts in this time of crisis.

Americans for the Arts establishes the National Leadership Council, gathering a group of leading arts funders, artists, corporate leaders, and philanthropists to discuss the national arts agenda in an informal and private setting. Mrs. Randolph (Veronica) Hearst is the inaugural chair.

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LEFT Philanthropist and art collector Eli Broad with photographer and filmmaker Cindy Sherman, to whom he presented the award for artistic excellence at the 2002 National Arts Awards.

RIGHT President Bill Clinton receives the 2001 Public Leadership in the Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement from Americans for the Arts and the USCM. Pictured from left are Mayor Wellington Webb of Denver, President Clinton, Robert L. Lynch of Americans for the Arts, Mayor Marc Morial of New Orleans, and Mayor H. Brent Coles of Boise.

the two-thousands

2002 The MetLife Foundation partners with A&BC to expand New York’s National Arts Forum Series to a national audience. The forums bring together nonprofit and private sector professionals to examine pressing issues facing the arts, such as generational and demographic shifts, workforce development, leadership, and private sector giving to the arts. Over the next seven years, the National Arts Forum Series hosts more than 115 arts and business focused gatherings in 22 cities nationwide.

Americans for the Arts establishes the Arts Education Network and elected leadership council to address strategies for increasing arts education awareness, funding and presence in communities across the country.

Americans for the Arts announces an extraordinary $120 million gift over 30 years from philanthropist Ruth Lilly, establishing an endowment that allows the organization to keep membership costs low while increasing advocacy efforts, programs, and services for the field.

With an initial seed grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation promoting jazz education, Americans for the Arts launches a public awareness campaign, “Art. Ask for More.” After two years, it surpasses the $100 million mark in donated media and reaches an audience of 100+ million.

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00 “ Going

forward,

we

can

contend

that

in

economic

hard times pulling back on the arts is very shortsighted when the arts can be the answer to many of our problems. With the direct correlation between art and the workplace in terms of creativity and innovation, when under stress, why wouldn’t you want to develop something with the potential to get to a new place? Arguably, corporate support for the arts is more important now than ever.”

— J . Barry Griswell // retired chairman and CEO, The Principal Financial Group / Americans for the Arts Board Member and Former BCA Chair / interview with Lori Robishaw, 2010

the two-thousands

2003 Americans for the Arts publishes the first Public Art Program Field Report. The report presents the results of the first comprehensive nationwide survey of this field, which shows that there are 350 public art programs in the U.S.

BCA presents the first Forum for New Ideas, inspiring a national dialogue that continues to this day about how to effect change and venture into new, nontraditional ways for business and the arts to work together to broaden and strengthen the operating objectives of both public and private sectors.

Americans for the Arts establishes the PAN Award to recognize exemplary commitment and contributions to, and innovative leadership in, the public art field. PAN presents the first award to Harriet Traurig, director of the San Jose Public Art Program.

BCA releases The BCA Report: National Survey of Business Support to the Arts, the first of its triennial surveys tracking the trends and levels of business support to the arts in the U.S. The report provides businesses with the information they need to begin or increase support to the arts and acts as a tool for arts organizations and local, state and federal government agencies in their efforts to stimulate business support to the arts.

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85

Top LEFT Presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Doris Kearns Goodwin delivers the 2004 Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy. She discusses the history of the relationship between the arts and Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Lincoln. She is pictured here with Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) who introduced her.

Top RIGHT More than 300 arts organizations join with Americans for the Arts and the Ad Council in a national public awareness campaign promoting arts education. The ads – television, radio, print, web, and outdoor – use humor to portray what children might miss when they don’t have enough arts education. Each TV and radio ad concludes with a voiceover by actor Alec Baldwin: “The less art kids get, the more it shows. Are yours getting enough? Art. Ask for more.”

Bottom Renowned singer/songwriter Carole King speaks about the importance of the arts and arts education at a Capitol Hill reception hosted by the Congressional Arts Caucus and Americans for the Arts in 2004.

the two-thousands

2004 Americans for the Arts forms the State Arts Action Network when two previously independent national arts organizations, the State Arts Advocacy League of America and the National Community Arts Network, come under the umbrella of the organization. SAAN serves as the meeting place for statewide multidiscipline arts service or advocacy organizations to discuss common issues.

Americans for the Arts releases Creative Industries: Business Employment in the Arts, the first report quantifying the scope and importance of the arts in the nation’s economy using Dun & Bradstreet data.

The study shows that there are more than 548,000 businesses employing 2.99 million people (4.3 percent of all U.S. businesses).

This initial study is funded through a grant from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation that enables Americans for the Arts to produce online maps for all 50 states, their 435 congressional districts, and 7,386 state legislative districts.

Held in conjunction with National Arts and Humanities Month in October, Americans for the Arts launches the first series of Creative Conversations, with 800 emerging leaders in 48 communities participating.

Held annually, these local gatherings are designed to build emerging leader networks in communities nationwide.

Americans for the Arts creates the Arts Action Fund. A 501(c)(4) nonprofit membership organization, the Action Fund engages individuals in support of the arts and arts education to help ensure that artsfriendly public policies are adopted at the federal, state, and local levels. With a goal of 100,000 grassroots advocates, the Action Fund also seeks to maximize public and private resources.

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In October 2005, Americans for the Arts rings the closing bell at NASDAQ, signifying the vital link between business and the arts. The NASDAQ tower in Times Square runs a welcoming message.

the two-thousands

2005 Americans for the Arts and A&BC join forces, establishing a stronger private sector advocacy effort that includes programs like the National Arts Marketing Project, the MetLife Foundation National Arts Forum Series, BVA, and the arts-based learning consulting program Creativity Connection.

The Arts & Business Council of New York becomes a division of Americans for the Arts.

In response to recent devastation caused

by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, Americans for the Arts establishes the Emergency Relief Fund to provide timely financial assistance to victims of a major disaster for the purpose of helping them rebuild the arts in their community. Relief funds are distributed directly to LAAs or other nonprofit arts organizations that provide community-wide services. The organization also creates online mechanisms for sharing resources, needs, and stories.

BCA inaugurates “The BCA Ten: Best Companies Supporting the Arts in America,” a program recognizing businesses of all sizes for their exceptional involvement with the arts to enrich the workplace, education and the community.

The Ford Foundation extends its support to the Animating Democracy program with a grant of $3 million. Americans for the Arts publishes Civic Dialogue, Arts & Culture: Findings from Animating Democracy, examining 37 arts and humanities projects.

In 2007, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation awards Animating Democracy $400,000 for the Arts & Civic Engagement Impact Initiative to advance understanding of and help make the case for the social impact of arts-based civic engagement work.

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Top Left Americans for the Arts Chair Steve D. Spiess presents the first Emerging Leader Award to Jennifer Armstrong of 40 North/88 West–the Champaign County Arts, Culture & Entertainment Council.

Bottom Left Actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey, Jr. flank Kitty Carlisle Hart at the Americans for the Arts 2006 National Arts Awards. Downey presented the Young Artist Award to Gyllenhaal.

Right In 2006, Americans for the Arts’ inaugural National Arts Policy Roundtable is co-convened by Robert Redford and the Sundance Institute, and features a group of distinguished national leaders in business, government, philanthropy, and the arts.

the two-thousands

2006 Americans for the Arts and the Sundance Institute debut the inaugural National Arts Policy Roundtable. The annual forum convenes national leaders with a willingness to meet and recommend policies critical to the advancement of American culture.

Americans for the Arts creates the Emerging Leader Network Award in recognition of exceptional new or young professionals of merit and accomplishment. The first award goes to Jennifer Armstrong of 40 North/88 West – The Champaign County Arts, Culture & Entertainment Council in IL.

Two new Public Leadership in the Arts Awards recognize state-level officials whose leadership advances the value of the arts.

Americans for the Arts partners with the National Lieutenant Governors Association to create the award for Lieutenant Governors, presenting the first award to Lt. Gov. Mitchell J. Landrieu (LA). A partnership with NCSL establishes the award for State Legislators, recognizing Rep. Sheryl Allen (R-UT).

Americans for the Arts establishes the Alene Valkanas SAAN Award to recognize consistent and dramatic impact to the individual’s state’s political landscape through their advocacy efforts. The first recipient is the award’s namesake, Alene Valkanas, Executive Director of the Illinois Arts Alliance.

In response to A Call for Cultural Democracy prepared by the Americans for the Arts Emerging Leader and Cultural Diversity Networks, the organization updates and widely distributes its Diversity Statement affirming its commitment to supporting the development, expression, and preservation of art and culture of all communities, groups, and individuals.

Americans for the Arts helps establish the Senate Cultural Caucus with Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN), Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-VT), and Sen.Ted Kennedy (D-MA) to bring focus to the arts and humanities and the positive impact they have on our daily lives and to highlight the work of the federal cultural agencies in all 50 states.

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Left At the 2007 National Arts Awards, USCM receives a special recognition in honor of its 75th anniversary. Pictured is Tom Cochran, CEO and executive director of USCM and David Dinkins, former Mayor of New York City.

PHOTO CREDIT:

Sylvain Gaboury

Right Musician Wynton Marsalis and Americans for the Arts board member Sheila Johnson testify at the first Congressional hearing on the arts in 12 years held in 2007.

PHOTO CREDIT:

Jim Saah

the two-thousands

2007 In conjunction with Americans for the Arts and the American Association of School Administrators, The Conference Board releases Ready to Innovate: Are Educators and Executives Aligned on the Creative Readiness of the U.S. Workforce? which touts the importance of arts education in building the labor force for the 21st century.

Americans for the Arts releases Arts & Economic Prosperity III, which features findings from 156 study regions (116 cities and counties, 35 multicounty regions and 5 statewide studies). Nationally, the nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity annually and supports 5.7 million full-time U.S. jobs. The study is funded by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and The Ruth Lilly Fund of Americans for the Arts.

Americans for the Arts establishes the Arts Education Network Award in recognition of the best in arts education program design, execution and leadership in model partnership programs, presenting the first award to Pennsylvania’s Bradford County Regional Arts Council.

In November, the Americans for the Arts Arts Action Fund and New Hampshire Citizens for the Arts held the first-ever Arts Policy Forum for presidential candidates. Campaign representatives for Gov. Mike Huckabee (RAR), Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) and Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) spoke on behalf of their candidate’s support for the arts and arts education. The effort to impact the 2008 presidential race, named ArtsVote2008, was successful at convincing Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton to offer detailed policy papers on the arts and arts education, and a statement on arts education from Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

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Top Musician John Rich, Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS), Robert L. Lynch, musician Cowboy Troy, dancer/ choreographer Debbie Allen, and Missouri Governor Matt Blunt at the 2008 Republican National Convention where they attended the Arts Policy Forum organized by the Arts Action Fund and National Association of Music Merchants.

PHOTO CREDIT:

David Sherman

Bottom J. Barry Griswell, chair and CEO of Principal Financial Group, accepts the Corporate Citizenship in the Arts Award at the 2008 National Arts Awards. He is shown here to the right with entrepreneur, philanthropist, and business leader John Pappajohn.

PHOTO CREDIT:

Sylvain Gaboury

the two-thousands

2008 In an effort to raise visibility of the arts and arts education, ArtsVote2008 hosts panel discussions at both the Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO, and the Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, MN.

Americans for the Arts and BCA announce their merger, creating the largest privatesector service and advocacy group for the arts in America.

Americans for the Arts develops the Arts Funding Response and Readiness Kit, an online resource designed to provide the field with research, current information and key messaging, communications and advocacy strategies to help arts organizations survive the economic downturn.

Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Aspen Institute, and Americans for the Arts convenes 29 thought leaders from various sectors for a National Summit on the Arts and Environment. The group explores eco-friendly arts policies and practices as well as collaborations between the arts and other sectors.

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00 “ Our strength as a Nation has always come from our ability to recognize ourselves in each other, and American artists, historians, and philosophers have helped

enable

us

to

find

our

common

humanity.

Through powerful scenes on pages, canvases, and stages, the arts have spurred our imaginations, lifted our hearts, and united us all without regard to belief or background.� — President Barack Obama // 2010 National Arts and Humanities Month Proclamation

the two-thousands

2009 Americans for the Arts helps secure $50 million in support of arts jobs as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The organization presents policy recommendations to the Obama Transition Team on how arts groups and artists can be supported in the economic recovery plan, and launches “The Arts = Jobs” advocacy campaign to bring added visibility to the issue. Americans for the Arts also works closely with Congressional leaders including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to assist with educating Congressional members about the economic impact of the arts.

With support from The Rockefeller Foundation and the Henry Luce Foundation, Americans for the Arts finalizes its premier National Arts Index. Designed to measure the health and vitality of America’s arts industries, the index looks at 76 nationallevel research indicators produced by the federal government and private research organizations. In 2010, with support from the Kresge Foundation, Americans for the Arts begins work on the Local Arts Index.

For the first time in over a decade, the federal government releases a national report card on achievement in the arts among eighth graders. This long-awaited report finds that since 1997, students have not made significant progress in developing skills and knowledge in the arts. The National Assessment of Education Progress is the only continuing, national measure of academic achievement in various subject areas. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan gives a strong reaction in support of arts education: “This Arts Report Card should challenge all of us to make K-12 arts programs more available to America’s children.... We can and should do better for America’s students.”

The Americans for the Arts United Arts Funds Statistical Report notes that campaigns raised $111.5M in 2008, with 54 UAFs reporting.

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Top Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch receives a 25 year service plaque from board member Michael Spring at the Half-Century Summit and Annual Convention held in Baltimore.

Upper Middle left Mayor Mufi Hannemann (D-Honolulu, HI) speaks at the press conference held in January at the National Press Club in Washington, DC to launch the National Arts Index.

Upper Middle right National Arts Award entitled “Balloon Rabbit,� designed by Jeff Koons.

LOWER MIDDLE Robert L. Lynch, Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the NEA, Marc Vogl, program officer at The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and recipient of the Emerging Leader Award, and Lee Howard, former president of the NACAA and recipient of the 2010 Selina Roberts Ottum Award at the Half-Century Summit and Annual Convention in Baltimore.

Bottom Among those gathered at the National Arts Policy Roundtable gathering at the Sundance Institute in Utah from left, actress Kerry Washington, creator/writer of Glee Ian Brennan, Keri Putnam, Executive Director of Sundance Institute, and Robert L. Lynch.

the two-thousands

2010 The Americans for the Arts Half-Century Summit and Annual Convention was held in Baltimore, bringing together the largest gathering in the nation of arts leaders and their partners in creative business, education, and government to celebrate the accomplishments and advances of the arts over the last 50 years while looking to the future to learn, connect, and discuss how to keep the arts relevant throughout the U.S. over the next half century.

Americans for the Arts is honored on its 50th Anniversary with USCM’s President’s Award and the NLGA Award in honor of 50 years of outstanding work. The U.S. House Representatives unanimously passed Resolution 1582 by voice vote: “Honoring and saluting Americans for the Arts on its 50th anniversary.” Policy resolutions from USCM and NLGA, as well as a letter of recognition from the White House signed by President Obama were also received in honor of the 50th Anniversary.

Americans for the Arts releases the BCA Report National Survey of Business Support to the Arts, a triennial survey tracking the trends and levels of business support to the arts in the U.S., findings reveal that in the current economy the percentage of businesses giving to the arts is down among each of the three size categories: from 30 percent to 24 percent among small business, from 42 percent to 25 percent among midsize business and from 58 percent to 35 percent among larger businesses. A total of 600 businesses participated.

Jeff Koons designs the new National Arts Award entitled “Balloon Rabbit,” which was presented for the first time at the 2010 National Arts Award ceremony.

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acronyms &

abbreviations

A&BC

Arts & Business Council

NLC

National League of Cities

AAD

Arts Advocacy Day

NLGA

National Lieutenant Governers Association

PAN

Public Art Network

ACA American Council for the Arts, 1977-1996 ACA

Arts Councils of America, 1964-1966

ACA Associated Councils of the Arts, 1966-1977 AFTA

Americans for the Arts

ASOL

American Symphony Orchestra League

BCA

Business Committee for the Arts

BVA

Business Volunteers for the Arts

CACI

Community Arts Councils, Inc.

LAA

Local arts agency

NAA

National Arts Awards

NACo

National Association of Counties

NACAA National Assembly of Community Arts Agencies NAEP National Assessment of Educational Progress

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NAHM

National Arts and Humanities Month

NALAA

National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies

NASAA

National Assembly of State Arts Agencies

NCA

National Cultural Alliance

NCSL

National Conference of State Legislatures

NCUAF

National Coalition of United Arts Funds

NEA

National Endowment for the Arts

Americans for the Arts

PCAH President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities PSA

Public service announcement

SAAN

State Arts Action Network

UAFs

United Arts Funds

USCM

The United States Conference of Mayors

USUAF

United States Urban Arts Federation

Photo collage

Page 12 1 Arts and humanities supporters Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-RI) and Rep. Mario Biaggi (D-NY) at 1978 hearings on the humanities in N.Y. 2 Dancers Mikhail Baryshnikov and Patricia McBride at the 1982 A&BC awards.

3 ACA publishes The Politics of Art by Howard Adams, a handbook for the formation of state arts agencies.

4 Nancy Hanks, second chair of the NEA. 5 Actor Marlon Brando with musician Tito Puente at the 1989 A&BC awards.

6 Singer Linda Ronstadt and Robert L. Lynch at the 2009 AAD. 7 The Association of American Cultures in partnership with NALAA holds Open Dialogue II in San Antonio.

8 Keynote speaker John Rockefeller 3rd and R. Philip Hanes at ACA and ASOL joint annual conference.

9 In 1969 Arnold Gingrich’s Business & the Arts: An Answer to Tomorrow is published by BCA. 10 A&BC Vice Chair Celeste Holm with honoree and actor Hume Cronyn at the 1989 A&BC awards.

11 Opera singer Beverly Sills and conductor Pinchas Zukerman at the 2002 NAA. 12 Congressional Arts Caucus co-chairs Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT) at the 2006 AAD.

captions

13 BCA founder David Rockefeller with artist Jean Dubuffet in front of Group of Four Trees in 1972.

Photograph by Arthur Levine (Courtesy of the Rockefeller Archive Center.)

14 Mayor Oscar Goodman of Las Vegas, Gov. Matt Blunt of MO, singer Gloria Estefan, and musician Emilio Estefan are honored at the 2008 Public Leadership in the Arts award ceremony.

Page 18–19 1 In 1993 National Arts Week becomes National Arts and Humanities Month.

2 Keynote speaker and playwright Tony Kushner at the 1998 American for the Arts Annual Convention in Denver.

3 Folk singer Peter Yarrow leads a Congressional sing-along on the Capitol lawn during the 1999 AAD. 4 Tom Rush sings at the 1995 AAD rally.

5 Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-RI) with Rep. Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) at the 1984 AAD. 6 Playwright John Guare delivers a keynote address at ACA’s 1990 conference.

7 House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) speaks with actor Alec Baldwin at the 2006 AAD. 8 Robert L. Lynch speaks at a reception held in the studio of artist Jeff Koons.

9 Author Daniel Pink delivers the 2008 Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy.

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10 Americans for the Arts and USCM honor Newark Mayor Sharpe James shown with Wellington Webb, former Mayor of Denver.

21 Honorees singer and actor Julie Andrews and artist Yoko Ono with Robert L. Lynch at the 2008 NAA.

11 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi with Caroline Kennedy at the 2009 NAA.

22 Fred Lazarus, IV, NEA Chair Jane Alexander, and President of The Coca-Cola Foundation Don Greene.

12 Musician Josh Groban speaks at the 2009 AAD. 13 Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS), actor Chris Klein, and Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA) at the 2007 AAD. 14 ACA Chair Eugene Dorsey, historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., Sen. Terry Sanford (D-NC), and lawyer Leonard Garment at the 1988 inaugural Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy.

15 Emcee and journalist Mike Wallace with presenters lyricist Sheldon Harnick and composer Jerry Bock at the 1999 A&BC awards.

16 MOMA President Agnes Gund, honoree and playwright Wendy Wasserstein, and broadcast journalist Charlie Rose at the 2000 NAA. 17 Honoree and singer Aretha Franklin at the 2006 NAA. 18 Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) at the 2002 AAD. 19 Artist Jeff Koons, Director/Chief Curator of The Broad Art Foundation Joanne Heyler, artist John Baldessari, Mrs. Randolph (Veronica) Hearst, Robert L. Lynch, philanthropist Edythe Broad and Eli Broad of The Broad Foundation at an Americans for the Arts reception in 2002.

20 Mary Campbell Schmidt, New York City Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, speaks at the 1990 AAD.

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23 Historian and 1994 Hanks lecturer and author David McCullough with Sen. Alan Simpson (R-WY) at the Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy.

24 Frank Hodsoll, fourth chair of the NEA at the Americans for the Arts 1998 Annual Convention.

25 Mayor Wellington Webb of Denver accepts the National Award for Local Arts Leadership at the 2001 Mayors Arts Gala.

26 Honoree and actor Natalie Portman at the 2002 NAA. 27 Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), ballroom dancer Pierre Dulaine, and Robert L. Lynch during at the 2006 AAD.

Photo collage

Page 100–101 1 Musician and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center Wynton Marsalis delivers the 2009 Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy.

2 Elliot Eisner, professor of art education at Stanford University.

3 National Arts Week was celebrated from 19861992.

4 Actor Christopher Reeve speaks at the 1995 AAD. 5 Columnist Frank Rich delivers the 2001 Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy.

6 Artist Jeff Koons unloads his lobster sculpture podium featured at the 2002 National Arts Awards.

7 Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT) with actress Jane Powell during the 2007 AAD. 8 Robert L. Lynch talks with guests at a reception held at the home of Eli Broad in 2003.

9 Actor Henry Winkler with Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) at a reception with Congressional arts leaders in 2004.

10 Alberta Arthurs, former Director for Arts and Humanities at the Rockefeller Foundation, at the 1998 Americans for the Arts Annual Convention.

11 Playwright Edward Albee accepts the Kitty Carlisle Hart Award at the 2000 A&BC awards.

12 Rep. Pat Williams (D-MT) speaks at the 1995 AAD. 13 House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at the 2008 AAD.

captions

14 Actor Jason Robards receives the Lifetime Achievement Award named in memory of former ACA board member Colleen Dewhurst from her son, actor Campbell Scott, at the 1996 ACA gala.

15 Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI) at the 2004 AAD. 16 Robert L. Lynch at the 1998 Americans for the Arts Annual Convention.

17 Honorees and artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude at the 2003 NAA. 18 Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) at a book signing at the 1999 Annual Convention.

19 Former ACA Chair Marshall Cogan at the 1992 ACA gala.

20 Gov. Matt Blunt of Missouri, dancer/choreographer Debbie Allen, and Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) at the Republican National Convention to participate in a panel discussion hosted by ArtsVote2008.

21 New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at the 2007 NAA. 22 Honoree and actor Jake Gyllenhaal speaking at the 2006 NAA. 23 Honoree and actor Anna Deavere Smith and singer Jessye Norman at the 2007 NAA. 24 Honoree Kenneth Chenault of American Express at the 2002 A&BC awards.

25 New ads debut in 2009 for The Arts. Ask for More. public awareness campaign with the Ad Council.

26 Honoree Jo Carole Lauder with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at the 2000 NAA.

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Robert L. Lynch toasts First Lady Laura Bush for her efforts on behalf of the arts at a luncheon organized by Americans for the Arts in 2008.

Photo Credit:

Jim Saah

robert l. lynch

moving forward

My father was a history teacher so I learned its importance early on. Reflection on the past is what helps us to deal with the present and figure out the future.

As I look back over the last 50 years – which

It is Americans for the Arts, known then

includes my own 35 years as an arts administra-

by one of its antecedent names that pulled

tor, including 25 years as CEO of this organiza-

together and connected those many independent

tion – I look to see what I’ve learned and to see

voices. It is this organization that coalesced the

where we, and our successors, might go in the

nonprofit arts organizations, arts councils, arts

next half century.

guilds, local arts agencies, united arts funds and

The last 50 years were a great experiment in

arts and business partnerships, all at the local

culture. It’s easy to see the de Tocqueville story

level, as well as the state arts agencies and state

of America and our desire to cluster and form

arts advocacy organizations. Each was focused

associations around a common purpose applied

on enabling art to thrive in whatever community

to the arts. After the veterans returned from World

they served. They gathered together to learn,

War II, we saw a more expansive view of what

teach and advocate.

America could be. We had people concerned with

Some of these organizations provided

finding ways to bring the great gift of the arts to

services and information, but all of them

all the people. This experiment put value not only

provided inspiration, whether it came through

on the product, the art, but made the connection

money or in planning for an overall community

between the artist and community. They saw

vision. In general, they provided the kind of

the arts as not just something decorative, but

leadership that enabled the art-makers – the

something that could be meaningful as a change

individual artists, the producers and the

agent. And they saw that this experiment would

presenters – to connect with their community.

be carried out by different voices throughout our country and in all the different corners of America.

Everywhere we go we are confronted with a blinding flash of the obvious: that the arts are

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“…I must study politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history and naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.” — John Adams // in a letter to his wife Abigail Adams / 1780 integral to American society. Art surrounds us in every city, downtowns are centered around

was to lay out the bones of the infrastructure that

arts facilities, communities are destinations

supports art in 4,000 cities, 50 states and the

differentiated via public art. We see how the arts

entire country. Unlike other countries, our support

help at-risk youth, we know that half of American

comes from the bottom up, not the top down, with

hospitals use the arts to aid the healing process

an emphasis on diversity and difference; there

and we can point to millions of jobs and an

are no proscribed standards by the government.

economic impact for the arts that competes with

This is the kind of support network that nurtures

most other industries in America.

creativity in an entrepreneurial way.

The arts are America’s secret weapon,

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The great achievement of the last half century

The challenge for the next half century is to ex-

key to social problem solving and community

pand this network and equalize support everywhere.

advancement. But this secret needs to be

We have to fund the arts properly and make them

continually uncovered, pointed out again and

more visible. In other words, make sure this secret

again to decision-makers.

weapon becomes a more open secret weapon.

Americans for the Arts

robert l. lynch

moving forward

Robert L. Lynch talking with Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA).

Our collective job is to help decision-makers

This second crossroads can go either way,

understand the value of this great gift of the arts

in terms of acknowledging the role the arts

and to actualize John Adams’s vision from the

play in community development and ensuring

18th century. He knew he had to focus on the

this continuity. We know that entertainment

practical in order to establish a nation where his

will always be with us, but what I’m talking

descendents might later enjoy art and culture in

about is supporting that which is inspirational

their lives.

and lasting and making that part of everyone’s

We are now at that point. In a sense, America

lives. It is this work that civic leaders need to

is facing a second cultural crossroads, as we sit

embrace, but this need and benefit is still not

50 years down the road from where we started.

universally understood.

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Top Robert L. Lynch speaks at NALAA conference.

We have the opportunity to build upon the foundation created by the great leaders of the past.

But the platform alone does not assure success;

middle Robert L. Lynch greets President William J. Clinton.

Bottom Robert L. Lynch with Sen. Claiborne Pell (D-RI)

we must make sure we don’t take it for granted.

Over the years, we’ve had cultural innovations such as the Chautauqua movement, the WPA, the City Beautiful movement, and they’re all gone now. Can we institutionalize arts support so we don’t face another crossroads in the future?

As we learn from the past and study the evolution of our own Americans for the Arts, we again see the de Tocqueville story of America embodied in our own struggle. The cluster that began for us was community leaders coming together as volunteers. It was a volunteer movement, with the professionals coming later. These leaders tended to look at the big picture of arts policy, as many of them were patrons. They formed our national association. As the workforce evolved and recognized its own needs, we see how the Associated Councils on the Arts, another antecedent name, broke into the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, the National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies and other pieces. Each piece of the puzzle needed to be strengthened. As time has gone on, the strength of a united effort became more important than the separate parts. Over the last decade, a half dozen organizations merged back together to create

robert l. lynch

moving forward

“Each piece of the puzzle needed to be strengthened. As time has gone on, the strength of a united effort became more important than the separate parts. Over the last decade, a half dozen organizations merged back together to create the Americans for the Arts of today.” organizations merged back together to create the

cause like the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the

Americans for the Arts of today.

Conference Board and the Council on Foundations.

As we look at the last 50 years, we see a

constituency: professional local arts advancement

constant fluidity, an in-and-out breathing process,

organizations, with many sub-clusters of big and

again noted by de Tocqueville as being part of the

small communities, united arts funds and local

American DNA. It’s part of Americans for the Arts,

business committees for the arts, and arts and

too. We have pulled together the pieces, yet sup-

business councils, each with their own distinct

ported a variety of subsets, especially in the area

vision and needs; community volunteer leaders,

of learning and training. Clearly we are blessed by

which include the individual artists, the business

the largesse of Ruth Lilly, a multi-million dollar

leaders and the philanthropists, who we bring

gift that has allowed us to offer a constant, and

together each year in places like Sundance, Aspen,

constantly growing, array of services.

Art Basel Miami Beach and at the National Arts

Robert L. Lynch President and CEO, Americans for the Arts

As such, we serve four clusters within our

Americans for the Arts is in a very good

Awards; the citizens, the audience members who

place. But with past as prologue, and the last

help with advocacy and political clout by giving

50 years as proof, we will continue to change

numbers to the cause; and the strategic alliances,

and evolve as we move forward, adapting to,

the partnerships with organizations outside of the

embracing – and creating – an environment of

arts with decision-makers who help advance the

ideas and inspiration that is America.

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board

leadership

Community Arts Councils, Inc./ Arts Councils of America/ Associated Councils on the Arts/ American Council for the Arts (founded in 1960) George Irwin, 1960-73 R. Philip Hanes, 1964-66

Barbara Zinn Krieger, 1995-99 Stephen C. Kutler, 1995-99 Warren Bodow, 1999-2001 Kathleen A. Pavlick, 2001-05 Billy Taylor and Celeste Holm served in honorary roles as longtime chair and vice chair, respectively.

John H. MacFadyen, 1966-68

Ronald Caya, 1971-73 Winnie Scott, 1971-73 Mark Ross, 1973-75

Business Committee for the Arts

John Everitt, 1975-77

David Rockefeller, Jr., 1973-75

Milton Rhodes, 1977-78

Louis Harris, 1975-1983

(founded in 1967; merged with Americans for the Arts in 2008)

Marshall Cogan, 1983-84

C. Douglas Dillon, 1967-70

Lee Howard, 1980-82

Donald G. Conrad, 1984-87

Robert O. Anderson, 1970-72

Robert Canon, 1982-83

Eugene C. Dorsey, 1987-89

Frank Stanton, 1972-74

Nicholas Van Hevelingen, 1983-84

Gerald Blatherwick, 1989-91

Robert Sarnoff, 1974-77

Selina Roberts, 1984-86

Laura Lee Blanton, 1991-94

Gavin P. MacBain, 1977-79

Gregory Geissler, 1986-88

Donald R. Greene, 1994-96

W.H. Krome George, 1979-80

Cindy Kiebitz, 1988-90

Rawleigh Warner, Jr., 1980-82

Bruce Rossley, 1990-92

Arts & Business Council, Inc.

Ralph P. Davidson, 1982-85

Michael Marsicano, 1992-94

(founded in 1965; merged with Americans for the Arts in 2005)

Winton M. Blount, 1985-87

Harriet Sanford, 1994-96

Edward Loeb, 1970-73 Robert E. Kingsley, 1974-77 Billy Taylor, 1978-80 Leonard Fleischer, 1981-83 Edward W. Livingston, 1984-86 Dominick B. Attansio, 1987-88 Erwin L. Corwin, 1989-91 Robert N. Sellar, 1992-94

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(founded in 1971 as part of ACA; incorporated in 1978)

Nancy Hanks, 1968-69

Arnold Gingrich, 1965-69

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National Assembly of Community Arts Agencies/National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies

Americans for the Arts

John Blaine, 1978-80

Willard C. Butcher, 1987-89 John H. Bryan, 1989-91

Americans for the Arts

John D. Ong, 1991-93

Fred Lazarus IV, 1996-99

A. Thomas Young, 1993-96

William Lehr, Jr., 2000-03

David R. Goode, 1996-99

Steven D. Spiess, 2003-2010

Henry T. Segerstrom, 1999-2002

C. Kendric Fergeson 2011-present

Raymond D. Nasher, 2002-04 Thomas P. Putnam, 2005-07 J. Barry Griswell, 2007-09 Joseph C. Dilg 2009-present

STAFF

Arts Councils of America/ Associated Councils on the Arts/American Council for the Arts

Arts & Business Council, Inc. Sybil Simon, 1965-88 Nancy Meier, 1988-96 Gary Steuer, 1996-2005

leadership

National Assembly of Community Arts Agencies/ National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies Charles F. “Chic” Dambach, 1979-81

Ralph Burgard, 1965-70

Business Committee for the Arts

John MacFadyen, 1970-72 John Hightower, 1972-75

Gretchen Wiest, 1981-84 Robert L. Lynch, 1985-96

Michael Newton, 1975-79

Goldwin A. McLellan, 1967-79

W. Grant Brownrigg, 1979-82

Edward M. Strauss, Jr., 1979-82

Americans for the Arts

Judith Jedlicka 1982-2008

Robert L. Lynch, 1996-present

William Keens, 1983-85 Milton Rhodes, 1985-94 Luis Cancel, 1994-95 Jack Duncan, 1995-96

Americans for the Arts board members Glen S. Howard, left, and William Lehr, Jr. at the 2006 National Arts Awards.

Photo Credit:

Sylvain Gaboury

From left, Robert L. Lynch, actor/activist Robert Redford, and board member C. Kendric Fergeson at the 2006 National Arts Policy Roundtable held at the Sundance Institute in Utah.

Americans for the Arts    1 1 3

Board of Directors List All Members, All Organizations (ACA, BCA, NACAA, and NALAA) Alphabetical by Last Name

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W. Howard Adams

John Paul Batiste

Thomas Boozer

Robert A. Burnett

Alejandro J. Aguirre

Mildred Bautista

Marie Bosca Baker

M. Anthony Burns

Neale M. Albert

Harry Belafonte

Joanna Bosko

Marlow Burt

Jane Alexander

Maria Bell

Nancy Boskoff

Robert Bush

Betty Allen

James F. Beré

Anthony Bosworth

Willard C. Butcher

Elaine Allen

Theodore S. Berger

Randall Bourscheidt

Alberto Caballero

Jerry Allen

Madeleine Harris Berman

Raymond A. Boyce

Janice Calloway

Amyas Ames

Theodore Bikel

Willard L. Boyd

Jeffrey Calman

Dean R. Amhaus

Mary Bingham

Ernest L. Boyer

Ben Cameron

Hoyt Ammidon

Robert Bishop

John Brademas

Lloyd Campbell

Peggy Amsterdam

Deborah Bissen

Betsy Bradley

Mary Schmidt Campbell

Robert O. Anderson

John Bitterman

Thornton F. Bradshaw

Luis Cancel

Warren M. Anderson

Nolen V. Bivens

Maxine Brandenburg

Joel R. Cannon

William Andres

Syd Blackmarr

Eli Broad

Robert M. Canon

Walter Annenberg

John Blaine

Elena Brokaw

Phillip J. Carroll

Louis Applebaum

Laura Lee Blanton

Karen Brosius

Nedda Casei

Dominick B. Attanasio

Gerald D. Blatherwick

Carol R. Brown

Elliot R. Cattarulla

John G. Avrett

Betty Blayton-Taylor

Edmund Brown

Eleanor Caulkins

Vivian Ayers

William Bletzinger

Elizabeth Brown

Ronald F. Caya

Judith F. Baca

Helene Blieberg

Janet L. Brown

Wendy Ceccherelli

Ramona Baker

Henry W. Bloch

Peter Barbero

Charles X Block

Joseph Brumskill

Albert Chao

Ben Barkin

Edward M. Block

John H. Bryan

Terri Childs

John F. Barrett

Susan Bloom

William Bulick

Elizabeth Christopherson

Naomi Barry-Perez

Roger M. Blough

Tina Burdett

Gale A. Cirigliano

Gerald Bartell

Winton M. Blount

Ralph Waite Burgard

Robert Cizik

Buzz Bartlett

Caroline Bock

James E. Burke

Marshall Cogan

Anne Bartley

Warren G. Bodow

Kathryn Murphy Burke

Arthur Cohen

Americans for the Arts

Christopher P. Bruhl

William R. Chaney

Board

Elizabeth Cohen

Michael D. Dingman

Christopher Forbes

Terrell L. Glenn

Gerald D. Cohen

Ronald J. Doerfler

David S. Ford

Kenneth E. Glover

John Coleman

Linda D’Olympio

Mrs. Robert Fowler

Joseph Golden

Marilyn Coleman

Peter F. Donnelley

Stephen E. Frank

Marcia Laing Golden

Susan G. Coliton

Hedley W. Donovan

Kathleen Frankart

Jack Golodner

Ronald E. Compton

Eugene C. Dorsey

Shirley Franklin

Toni K. Goodale

Donald G. Conrad

Lawrence L. Drake

Edward W. Frantel

David R. Goode

Shirley Trusty Corey

Ellen M. Dressler

Gretchen Freeman

Susan S. Goode

Robert J. Cornet

Richard Dreyfuss

Stephanie French

Derek Gordon

Ada L. Corujo

Suzanne DuBose

Sonnai Frock-Rohrbeck

Samuel B. Gould

Richard Courtney

Peter Duchin

Victor Futter

Katharine Graham

Marylouise Cowan

John Duffy

Peter J. Gabbe

F. Mark Granato

John Crosby

Sunny Seiler Dupree

Alexander H. Galloway

Harry J. Gray

Thomas Cullen

Enrique Duran

Gerald Galus

Donald R. Greene

Catherine G. Curran

Kathy L. Dwyer Southern

John Galvin

Frankie Greene

Theodor Dalenson

Charles Eames

Olga Garay

Michael Greene

Ralph P. Davidson

James F. Early

Flora Maria Garcia

Arnold Gingrich

Don H. Davis, Jr.

James Edgy

Michael Garcia

J. Barry Griswell

Hal Davis

Paul H. Elicker

Yolanda O. Garcia

Charles L. Griswold

Karen Davis

Ralph Ellison

Denise Barnett Gardner

David Diaz Guerrero

Ann Day

Carol Enseki

Henry Gardner

Joan Gunzberg

Susan S. Denison

Giancarlo Esposito

Gregory Geissler

Eric Gural

Gilbert M. Denman, Jr.

John L. Everitt

Arthur Gelber

Richard Gurin

Robert P. Denniston

Maryo G. Ewell

W.H. Krome George

Donna M. Haggarty

Mary Hadley Devine

Jeanne Faulkner

Martha Gerken

Louis T. Hagopian

Mathias J. DeVito

Toni Fay

Sara Germain

Todd Haimes

Colleen Dewhurst

C. Kendric Fergeson

Nina Gibans

Najeeb E. Halaby

Barbaralee L. Diamonstein-Spievogel

David Finn

Sandra Gibson

Donna S. Hall

Robert J. Fitzpatrick

Laurie Giddins

Marc Halsema

Leonard Fleischer

Arnold Gingrich

Victoria L. Hamilton

Manly Fleischmann

Nancy Glaze

Armand Hammer

John P. Diesel Joseph C. Dilg

members

C. Douglas Dillon

Americans for the Arts    1 1 5

116

  

Eldridge C. Hanes

Lonna R. Hooks

Bim Kendall

James E. Lee

R. Philip Hanes, Jr.

Elizabeth H. Howard

Donald M. Kendall

William Lehr, Jr.

Nancy Hanks

Glen S. Howard

Parker S. Kennedy

Veronique LeMelle

Raymond J. Hanley

Lee Howard

Michael Kenny

Liz Lerman

Rebecca Hannum

Richard Hunt

Patrick Kenny

Reynold Levy

Robert V. Hansberger

Mai Bell Hurley

Jeanne R. Kerr

Edwin A. Lewis

Arthur L. Harris

Martha R. Ingram

William T. Kerr

Robert Leys

David H. Harris

George M. Irwin

James W. Keyes

Vince Lindstrom

Joan W. Harris

Leslie A. Ito

Cindy Kiebitz

Michael Littler

Louis Harris

Maynard Jackson

John Kilpatrick

Mrs. Samuel Logan

Kitty Carlisle Hart

Thomas A. James

Adrian King

Michael Lomax

Richard Hatcher

Charmaine Jefferson

Robert Kingsley

Abel Lopez

Gabriel Hauge

Sarah A. Jepsen

R.E. Kirby

Virginia P. Louloudes

John Haworth

Patricia Johnson

Lane Kirkland

Nan G. Lower

Betty Jo Hays

Ruth E. Johnson

George L. Knox

Frank W. Lynch

Christie A. Hefner

Sheila C. Johnson

Seymour Knox

Robert L. Lynch

Henry J. Heinz II

Yankee Johnson

John A. Koten

Gavin K. MacBain

Rick Hernandez

Don Jones

Susan Kraus

Victor Macdonald

Daniel Herrick

Devereux C. Josephs

Barbara Zinn Krieger

Martha MacDonell

David S. Hershberg

Martin Josman

Duane R. Kullberg

John H. MacFadyen

Thomas J. Heywood

Alexander Julian

Allan Kushen

John Mack

John B. Hightower

Claudia J. Kahn

Stephen C. Kutler

Janet MacNamara

Argentina S. Hills

Kenneth Kahn

Molly LaBerge

Dian Magie

Luther Hodges, Jr.

Edgar F. Kaiser

Patricia Larsen

John J. Mahlmann

Linda Hoeschler

Henry E. Kates

R. Heath Larry

Robert H. Malott

Rosario Holguin

Jonathan Katz

Robert L. Lauer

Charles Manchester

Mary Holloway

Loretta E. Kaufman

Steven D. Lavine

Lewis Manilow

Celeste Holm

Howard S. Kelberg

Austin Lawson

Betty Marcus

William Holmberg, Jr.

Anthony S. Keller

Frederick Lazarus III

Charles C. Mark

Pamela Holt

Susan R. Kelly

Frederick Lazarus IV

Bruce Marks

Eleanor Holtzman

J. Mariner Kemper

Irma Lazarus

Michael Marsicano

Americans for the Arts

Board

Keith Martin

Velma V. Morrison

Toni W. Peebler

George Rosborough, Jr.

Arthur C. Martinez

William P. Moskin

Rudolph A. Peterson

Mark Ross

William Massad

Thomas O. Muller III

Carl Petrick

James M. Rosser

Nancy Matheny

Julie Muraco

Murray Charles Pfister

Bruce Rossley

Sally Mauger

Marshall E. Murdaugh

Geoffrey Platt, Jr.

Victoria Rowell

Thomas Lawson McCall, Sr.

Sondra G. Myers

Noemi Pollack

Barbara Rubin

Cheryl McClenney-Brooker

Raymond D. Nasher

Kenneth J. Polokoff

Donald Rubin

Timothy J. McClimon

William Nemoyten

Lois B. Pope

John Rubinstein

James M. McClymond

Gerald Ness

Anthony T. Pressley

William Ruder

Marion Andrus McCollam

Michael Newton

Janis Provisor

Clark Russell

Mary McCullough-Hudson

Mrs. John Nieto

Thomas P. Putnam

Terry T. Saario

Lee Kimche McGrath

Alwin Nikolais

Madeline Murphy Rabb

Carole P. Sadler

Jill A. McGuire

Veronica Njoku

Louise Raymond

Alyce Sadongei

Joseph McKaughan

Adolfo V. Nodal

Harry M. Reasoner

Jane Fearer Safer

John V. McKenna

Halsey M. North

Margie Johnson Reese

Robert Sakowitz

Dorothy Pierce McSweeney

Jamie Oaxaca

Mary Regan

Scott Sanders

Charles K. McWhorter

Ervin R. Oberschmidt

Delia Reid

Harriet Sanford

Pamela Miles

James E. Olson

Gerald Reiser

Terry Sanford

J. Irwin Miller

John D. Ong

W. Ann Reynolds

Janet W. Sarbaugh

Jackie Millan

Paul M. Ostergard

Pamela Coe Reynolds

Daniel I. Sargent

Marvin Miller

John Outterbridge

Martha Rhea

Robert W. Sarnoff

Shirley H. Miller

Jack Paden

Milton Rhodes

Molly K. Sasse

Xenia Miller

H. Bruce Palmer

Lloyd Rigler

Frank Saunders

William G. Milliken

Russell E. Palmer

Selina Roberts Ottum

Edward L. Saxe

Louise H. Moffett

Joseph Papp

Barbara S. Robinson

Homer E. Sayad

Joan Mondale

John Pappajohn

David Rockefeller

Erin Scanlon

Craig A. Moon

S. Leonard Pas, Jr.

David Rockefeller, Jr.

Cynthia L. Schaal

Lemuel B. Moore III

Herbert P. Patterson

Henry C. Rogers

Emily Malino Scheuer

Robert Moore

Kathryn A. Paul

James E. Rogers

Virginia Schorr

Henry Moran

Kathleen A. Pavlick

Rodney Rood

Gerard Schwarz

Philip Morris

Susan M. Pearce

E’vonne Coleman Rorie

Winnie Scott

members

Americans for the Arts    1 1 7

board

118

members

Richard Scott

Charlotte St. Martin

Michael S. Verruto

Burton Woolf

Gordon Segal

Stephen Stamas

Michael A. Volkema

Bagley Wright

Henry T. Segerstrom

Frank Stanton

Esther Wachtell

Barbara Wright

Sam F. Segnar

Patricia Holihan Steinhardt

Homer C. Wadsworth

Richard Yarbrough

Harvey Seifter

Elton B. Stephens

Joseph Kyle Walls

Charles Yates

Fraser P. Seitel

Barry S. Sternlicht

Connie Ware

Masaru Yokouchi

Robert N. Sellar

Norton Stevens

Vivian Warfield

A. Thomas Young

George Seybolt

Roger L. Stevens

Charmaine Warmenhoven

Edgar B. Young

William G. Shain

Ty Stiklorius

Rawleigh Warner, Jr.

Cheryl Yuen

Mary Shands

Anthony Stout

Larry Warsh

Gilberto Zaldivar

Sherry Shannon

John Straus

Thomas J. Watson, Jr.

Louis N. Zelle

Robert N. Sheets

William E. Strickland, Jr.

Pennington H. Way III

Harold L. Zellerbach

Ann E. Sheffer

Timothy Sublette

L.C. Webster

Julian Zugazagoitia

Isaiah Sheffer

Sidney Sutter

Joseph Weidmann

Martin Short

Roselyne C. Swig

Sheila E. Weisman

Jacquelyn Shropshire

David S. Tappan, Jr.

Jerrold A. Weitzman

Mark A. Shugoll

Billy Taylor

Beverly Morgan Welch

Donald C. Shulman

Steven Tennen

Gerard C. Wertkin

Jack R. Shultz

Sally P. Thomason

Katie Westby

Sybil Simon

Janet W. Thompson

Alice White

Paul Sittenfeld

Nancy S. Ticktin

George C. White

David E. Skinner

Romalyn Tilghman

Leslie C. White

Kayla L. Skinner

Elaine Trischetta

Arthur Whitelaw

Joan F. Small

Thomas L. Turk

Bruce H. Whittmer

Kermit C. Smith

Allen M. Turner

Shirley P. Wilhite

Martin Snipper

Evan H. Turner

Gayle Wilson

David C. Speedie

Wesley C. Uhlman

Bernice Wintersteen

Edgar B. Speer

Robert J. Ulrich

Charles Wohlstetter

Michael Jon Spencer

Chris Van Antwerp

Jessie A. Woods

Steven D. Spiess

Nicholas Van Hevelingen

William S. Woodside

Michael Spring

Durward B. Varner

Joanne Woodward

 Americans Americans forfor the the Arts Arts

Artists

committee

“ There are thousands of American artists who are well trained and willing to use their creativity for the good of the society that spawned them. We should not waste this resource.”

— Dr. Billy Taylor // 1998 Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy

Artists Committee

Todd Eberle

Graham Lustig

Meryl Streep

Hector Elizondo

Kyle MacLachlan

Julie Taymor

Giancarlo Esposito

Yvonne Marceau

Marlo Thomas

Suzanne Farrell

Peter Martins

Edward Villella

Laurence Fishburne

Marlee Matlin

Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Hsin-Ming Fung

Kathy Mattea

Kerry Washington

Frank O. Gehry

Richard Meier

William Wegman

Marcus Giamatti

Arthur Mitchell

Bradley Whitford

Alec Baldwin

Josh Groban

Brian Stokes Mitchell

Kehinde Wiley

Theodore Bikel

Mary Rodgers Guettel

Walter Mosley

Henry Winkler

Lewis Black

Arthur Hiller

Paul Muldoon

Joanne Woodward

Lauren Bon

Craig Hodgetts

Matt Mullican

Kulapat Yantrasast

Amy Brenneman

Lorin Hollander

Leonard Nimoy

Peter Yarrow

Connie Britton

Siri Hustvedt

Alessandro Nivola

Michael York

Blair Brown

David Henry Hwang

Yoko Ono

Kate Burton

Jane Kaczmarek

Robert Redford

In memoriam

Chuck Close

Jon Kessler

Michael Ritchie

Ossie Davis

Stephen Collins

Richard Kind

Victoria Rowell

Skitch Henderson

Chuck D

Jeff Koons

Salman Rushdie

Paul Newman

Jacques d’Amboise

Swoosie Kurtz

Martin Scorsese

John Raitt

Fran Drescher

John Legend

Cindy Sherman

Lloyd Richards

Patty Duke

Liz Lerman

Anna Deavere Smith

Billy Taylor

Pierre Dulaine

John Lithgow

Arnold Steinhardt

Wendy Wasserstein

Jane Alexander Kwaku Alston Dame Julie Andrews Martina Arroyo Paul Auster John Baldessari

Americans for the Arts    1 1 9

National Arts Awards

Kitty Carlisle Hart Award

Arts Advocacy

Americans for the Arts celebrates distinguished cultural, corporate, and artistic leaders for their contributions to the arts in America with the National Arts Awards, presented annually in New York City. Not all categories are awarded each year.

(awarded by the Arts & Business Council from 1996 to 2004, it became part of the National Arts Awards in 2005)

Phil Ramone, 2008

Herb Albert, 2010*

Wendy Wasserstein, 2000

Salman Rushdie, 2009

Hillary Rodham Clinton, 1999

Yoko Ono, 2008

Alec Baldwin, 1998

Anna Deavere Smith, 2007

Christopher Reeve, 1996

Mikhail Baryshnikov, 2005

Arts Education

Nam June Paik, 2004

Angela Lansbury, 2010

Martin Scorsese, 2004

Robert Redford, 2009

Richard Avedon, 2003

Dame Julie Andrews, 2008

Twyla Tharp, 2003

William Bassell, Long Island City High School, 2004

Ellsworth Kelly, 2007

Merce Cunningham, 2002

Schuyler Chapin, 2001

Aretha Franklin, 2006

James Stewart Polshek, 2002

Agnes Gund, 1999

John Baldessari, 2005

Beverly Sills, 2002

Midori Goto, 1998

Paul Taylor, 2004

Renee Fleming, 2001

Arthur Mitchell, 1997

Richard Avedon, 2003

Gordon Parks, 2001

Martina Arroyo, 1996

Richard Meier, 2001

Edward Albee, 2000

Wynton Marsalis, 1996

Frank O. Gehry and Thomas Krens, 2000

Chuck Close, 2000 Judith Jamison, 2000

Artistic Excellence

Jacob Lawrence, 1999

Will Barnet, 1999

Ed Ruscha, 2009

Isaac Stern, 1998

Barbara Cook, 1999

Jeff Koons, 2006

Beverly Sills, 1997

Paul Taylor, 1999

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, 2003

Jason Robards, 1996

Peter Martins, 1998

Kirk Varnedoe, Memorial Tribute, 2003

Harold Prince, 1998 Robert Rauschenberg, 1998

Pinchas Zukerman, Isaac Stern Award for Excellence in Classical Music, 2003

Harry Belafonte, 1997

Cindy Sherman, 2002

Al Hirschfeld, 1997

Peter Martins, 2001

Hugh Hardy, 1996 * Outstanding Contribution to the Arts Award

  

Michael Greene, National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, 2001

Lifetime Achievement

Betty Comden and Adolph Green, 1996

120

Chuck Close, 2004

Americans for the Arts

Pierre Dulaine and Yvonne Marceau, American Ballroom Theater, 2005

National

Corporate Citizenship

Special Recognition

Bank of America, 2009

United States Conference of Mayors, In Honor of its 75th Anniversary, 2007

Principal Financial Group, 2008 Music Industry and NAMM, 2007 United Technologies Corporation, 2006 Target Corporation, 2005 Procter & Gamble, 2004 Lockheed Martin, 2003 Amerindo Investment Advisors, 2002 MetLife, 2001 Texaco Inc., 2000

Kitty Carlisle Hart, Outstanding Contributions to the Arts, 2006

Salvador Dali, 2006

Institute for Museum and Library Services, In Honor of 25 Years of Service, 2002

Time Warner, 1997

Rep. Amory Houghton, Jr., 1997

Martha Rivers Ingram, 2010**

Kelly Richardson, 2009

Bravo Television, Excellence in Arts & Media, 2002

NationsBank, 1998

Individual Philanthropy in the Arts

Todd Eberle, 2010

Jennifer Steinkamp, 2008

Michael Jordan, CBS, Outstanding Vision and Exemplary Contributions to the Arts, 1998

Citigroup, Inc., 1999

National Arts Awards Featured Artists

National Endowment for the Arts, In Honor of 40 Years of Service, 2005

Rep. John Brademas, 1996

Andy Warhol, 2007

Ed Ruscha, 2005 Kenny Scharf, 2004 Frank Stella, 2003 Jeff Koons, 2002

Business Committee for the Arts Awards

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, 1997

The BCA Ten

Young Artist Award

2010 BlueCross BlueShield

Sidney Harman, 2009*

Kate and Laura Mulleavy, Rodarte, 2010*

Joan W. Harris, 2008*

Kehinde Wiley, 2008

Con Edison

Wallis Annenberg, 2007*

John Legend, 2007

ConocoPhillips

Sheila C. Johnson, 2006*

Jake Gyllenhaal, 2006

Devon Energy Corporation

Eli Broad, 2005*

Kerry Washington, 2005

Halifax EMC

Raymond Nasher, 2004*

Mena Suvari, 2004

Teresa Heinz Kerry, 2003*

Sofia Coppola, 2003

M.C. Ginsberg Jewelers and Objects of Art

David Rockefeller, 2002*

Natalie Portman, 2002

Jo Carole Lauder, 2000

Uma Thurman, 2000

Brooke Astor, 1999

awards

Capital Bank

Northeast Utilities Portland General Electric Strata-G Communications

*Maria and Bill Bell Young Artist Award

*Frederick R. Weisman Award for Individual Philanthropy in the Arts **Eli and Edythe Broad Award for Philanthropy in the Arts

Americans for the Arts    1 2 1

2009

Shell Exploration & Production Company

BCA Hall of Fame

Adobe Systems

Shugoll Research

Applied Materials

The Travelers Companies, Inc.

For companies that have exhibited exceptional long-term vision, leadership, and commitment to developing alliances with the arts. (formerly Founders Award)

Arketype Inc. Brainforest Inc.

2006

Dollar Bank

Advanta

Duke Energy

Bison Financial Group

Hanesbrands Inc.

The Boeing Company

Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

UMB Financial Corporationt

I.W. Marks Jewelers LLP

Williams & Fudge Inc.

Lincoln Financial Group

HCA

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. 2008 Anadarko Petroleum Corporation

Sabroso Company Time Warner Inc.

Brown-Forman Corporation

Deutsche Bank, 2008 Time Warner, Inc., 2007 Humana, Inc., 2006 UBS, 2005 Lockheed Martin Corporation, 2004 FleetBoston Financial Corporation, 2003 Prudential Financial, Inc., 2002

2005

Johnson & Johnson, 2001

First Tennessee

American Airlines

Bank of America, 2000

H&R Block, Inc.

American Century Investments

General Mills, Inc., 1999

Limited Brands, Inc.

Deere & Company

Principal Financial Group, 1998

Northwestern Mutual

Meredith Corporation

Ford Motor Company, 1997

Sweetwater Sound, Inc.

Norfolk Southern Corporation

Wachovia

Shugoll Research

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1996

Zions First National Bank

The First American Corporation

Sara Lee Corporation, 1995

United Technologies Corporation

Corning Incorporated, 1995

Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

The Chase Manhattan Bank, 1994

Wells Fargo & Company

Mobil Corporation, 1994

The Boeing Company

  

Movado Group, Inc., 2009

Emprise Bank

2007

122

United Technologies Corporation, 2010

The Boldt Company

Hallmark Cards, Inc., 1993

Deutsche Bank

Philip Morris Companies, 1992

Gibson Guitar Corp.

American Express Company, 1992

Masco Corporation

AT&T, 1992

McQuiddy Printing Company

Texaco, Inc., 1992

Qualcomm Incorporated

Dayton Hudson Corporation, 1992

Americans for the Arts

National

BCA Leadership Award

Robert Moskowitz, 2001

For exceptional vision, leadership, and commitment to supporting the arts and for encouraging other businesses to follow their lead.

Christopher Brown, 2000

Clarence Otis, Jr., 2010 Thomas A. James, 2009 James R. Houghton, 2008 Henry W. Bloch, 2007 J. Barry Griswell, 2006 David R. Goode, 2005 Raymond D. Nasher, 2004 John C. Hampton, 2003 Jack A. Belz, 2002 C. Kendric Fergeson, 2001 Sondra A. Healy, 2000 Martha R. Ingram, 1999 John H. Bryan, 1998 Eli Broad, 1997 Winton M. Blount, 1995 Henry T. Segerstrom, 1993 James D. Wolfensohn, 1994

Artist Commissions for Business in the Arts Awards and THE BCA TEN

David Bates, 1999

Arnold Gingrich Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement (presented 1966 to 1994)

Deborah Oropallo, 1998

Billy Taylor, 1994

Maya Lin, 1997

Jason Robards, 1993

Mary Miss, 1996

Jessye Norman, 1992

April Gornik, 1995

Helen Hayes, 1991

Yvonne Jaquette, 1994

Itzhak Perlman, 1990

Alison Sarr, 1993

Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy, 1989

John Buck, 1992

Joseph Papp, 1988

Judy Pfaff, 1991

Arthur Mitchell, 1987

Louise Bourgeois, 1990

Neil Simon, 1986

Robert Petersen, 1989

Martha Graham, 1985

Louisa Chase, 1988

Beverly Sills, 1984

Romare Bearden, 1987

Stephen Sondheim, 1983

Richard Anuszkiewicz, 1986

George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein, 1982

Lois Lane, 1985 Mattie Lou O’Kelley, 1984 Ed Paschke, 1983 Carol Summers, 1981 Chen Chi, 1980 Will Barnet, 1979 Alice Neel, 1978 Romare Bearden, 1977 Stanley Boxer, 1976

Mark Rosenbaum, 2009-2010 Ed Baynard, 2008 Mary Weatherford, 2007 Nina Bovasso, 2006 Julia Jacquette, 2005 Sandra Bierman, 2004

awards

Arts & Business Council Awards Arts & Business Council of New York awards can be found on the website http://bit.ly/abcny_encore

Marian Anderson, 1981 Isaac Stern, 1980 Agnes de Mille, 1979 William S. Paley, 1978 Lila Acheson Wallace, 1977 Leonard Bernstein, 1976

Sybil C. Simon Distinguished Patron Award (presented 1988 to 1994) Irene Diamond, 1994 B. Gerald and Iris Cantor, 1993 Betty and Schuyler Chapin, 1992 Frederick Rose, 1991 Lewis Rudin, 1990

Patssi Valdez, 2003

James Wolfensohn, 1989

John F. Simon, Jr., 2002

Avery Fisher, 1988

Americans for the Arts    1 2 3

Corporate Arts Leadership Award (presented 1992 to 2004)

Congressional Arts Leadership

Gov. Tom Ridge (R-PA), 2000

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), 2010

Gov. Mel Carnahan (D-MO), 1999

Movado Group, Inc., 2004

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), 2009

Gov. Arne H. Carlson (R-MN), 1998

FleetBoston Financial Corporation, 2003

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), 2008

Gov. Robert Miller (D-NV), 1997

The Hearst Corporation, 2001 JP Morgan Chase & Co., 2001 AT&T, 2000 VH1, 1999 Citigroup, 1998 The McGraw-Hill Companies, 1997 GE Fund, 1996 IBM, 1995 The Shubert Foundation, 1995 The Chase Manhattan Bank, 1994 Philip Morris Companies, 1993 American Express, 1992

Public Leadership in the Arts Awards Elected officials and artists who have shown outstanding leadership in the advancement of the arts at the national, state, and local levels are honored with these annual awards, presented in cooperation with The United States Conference of Mayors.

On occasion, special awards are given for Excellence in Arts Programs for Youth.

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), 2007 Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA), 2006 Rep. Christopher Shays (R-CT), 2005 Rep. David Obey (D-WI), 2004 Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), 2003 Rep. Steve Horn (R-CA), 2002 Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA), 2001 Sen. Robert Bennett (R-UT), 2000 Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT), 2000 Rep. Michael Castle (D-DE), 1999 Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), 1999 Sen. Slade Gorton (R-WA), 1998 Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY), 1998 Sen. James M. Jeffords (R-VT), 1997

Americans for the Arts

Mayor Greg Nickels (D-Seattle, WA), 2009 Mayor Oscar Goodman (D-Las Vegas, NV), 2008 Mayor Manuel A. Diaz (I-Miami, FL), 2007 Mayor Bill Purcell (D-Nashville, TN), 2006 Mayor John Robert Smith (R-Meridian, MS), 2005 Mayor Martin O’Malley (D-Baltimore, MD), 2004 Mayor Bart Peterson (D-Indianapolis, IN), 2003

Governor Arts Leadership

Mayor Sharpe James (D-Newark, NJ), 2002

Governor Ted Kulongoski (D-OR), 2010 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA), 2009 Gov. Matt Blunt (R-MO), 2008 Gov. Janet Napolitano (D-AZ), 2007 Gov. Tom Vilsack (D-IA), 2006 Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR), 2005 Gov. Edward G. Rendell (D-PA), 2004 Gov. George Pataki (R-NY), 2003

Gov. John G. Rowland (R-CT), 2001

  

Mayor Mufi Hannemann (D-Honolulu, HI), 2010

Rep. Rick Lazio (R-NY), 1997

Gov. John Engler (R-MI), 2002

124

Local Arts Leadership

Mayor Wellington E. Webb (D-Denver, CO), 2001 Mayor Vincent A. Cianci, Jr. (D-Providence, RI), 2000 Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. (D-Charleston, SC), 1999 Mayor Marc H. Morial (D-New Orleans, LA), 1998 Mayor Richard M. Daley (D-Chicago, IL), 1997

National

Legendary Artist, Arts Legacy Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Excellence in Arts Programs for Youth Honorees Michael Feinstein, 2010 Emilio Estefan Jr., 2008

County Arts Leadership Presented in cooperation with the National Association of Counties to an elected county board or individual leader.

Lieutenant Governor Arts Leadership Presented in cooperation with the National Lieutenant Governors Association.

Gloria Estefan, 2008

Jim Bradley, County Councilman, Salt Lake County (UT), 2010

Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts (D-RI), 2010

New Orleans Center for Creative Arts | Riverfront, 2006

Linda Langston, County Supervisor, Linn County (IA), 2009

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (R-TX), 2009

Mayor Richard M. Daley (D-Chicago, IL), 2005

Franklin County Board of Commissioners, (OH), 2008

Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger (R-MT), 2007

Peter Yarrow, 2005

Howard County Government (MD), 2007

Tony Bennett, 2004 Henry Winkler, 2004

Lackawanna County Commission (PA), 2006

Greater Columbus Arts Council, 2003

Jefferson County Commission (AL), 2005

Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, 2002

Broward County Board of County Commissioners, 2004

William Jefferson Clinton, 2001 Harry Belafonte, 2000 John Brademas, 2000 Jane Alexander, 1999 Rita Moreno, 1999 Roger L. Stevens, 1998

Douglas M. Duncan, Montgomery County Executive (MD), 2003

Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu (D-LA), 2006

State Legislator Arts Leadership Presented in cooperation with the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Sen. Stan Rosenberg (D-MA), 2010 Sen. Richard Cohen (DFL-MN), 2009

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (LA), 2001

Sen. Carolyn Allen (R-AZ), 2007

Stevie Wonder, 1998 Rep. Sidney R. Yates (D-IL), 1997

Betty Lou Ward, Wake County

Citizen-Artist, Artist Advocacy, Leadership, and Outstanding Achievement Awards

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton (D-WI), 2008

Prince George’s County Council (MD), 2002

Parks Helms, Mecklenburg County Board Chair (NC), 2000

awards

Rep. Peter L. Lewiss (D-RI), 2008

Rep. Sheryl Allen (R-UT), 2006

Commission (NC), 1999

Hill Harper, 2009 Kerry Washington, 2009 The Actors Fund, 2007 Randy Jackson, 2007 Jimmy Smits, 2007

Americans for the Arts    1 2 5

National

awards

Field Leadership Awards Selina Roberts Ottum Award For outstanding local leadership in the arts by a community arts professional or volunteer, established in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

Lee Howard, 2010 Victoria Hamilton, 2009 George M. Irwin, 2008 Eric R. Rogers, 2007 Jerry Allen, 2006 Jill A. McGuire, 2005 Lynn Barnett, 2004 Craig Dreeszen, 2003 Harriet Sanford, 2002 Abel Lopez, 2001 Ralph Burgard, 2000 Janet L. Brown, 1999 Diana Mataraza, 1998 Michael Marsicano, 1997 Joseph Golden, 1996 Maryo Gard Ewell, 1995 Patricia Crosby, 1994 Molly LaBerge, 1993 Jessie Woods, 1992 Sydney W. Blackmarr, 1991

Michael Newton Award For innovation in united arts fundraising by a community arts professional, volunteer, or organization.

126

  

Americans for the Arts

Joanne Riley, 2010

Jenny Holzer, 2004

Bruce W. Davis, 2009

Harriet Traurig, 2003

Marilyn Moosnick, 2008 Margot H. Knight, 2007

Emerging Leader Award

Alecia Townsend Kintner, 2006

For demonstrating exemplary leadership in the arts administration field by a new and/or young leader.

Glen F. Hackmann, 2005 Beauchamp Carr, 2004 Janet T. Langsam, 2003 Roderick J. Rubbo, 2002

Marc Vogl, 2010

Aldus Chapin, 2001

Randy Engstrom, 2009

Everett G. Powers, 2000

Julia Kirt, 2008

David C. Hudson, 1999

David Dombrosky, 2007

Robb Hankins, 1998

Jennifer Armstrong, 2006

Molly Sasse, 1997 Steven D. Spiess, 1996 Peter Donnelly, 1995 Ervin Oberschmidt, 1994 Mary McCullough-Hudson, 1993 Allan Cowen, 1992 Milton Rhodes, 1991

Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award For dramatically affecting the political landscape through arts advocacy efforts at the state level.

Anne Katz, 2010 Sheila Smith, 2009

Public Art Network Award

Judith K. Weiner, 2008

For innovation and creative contributions and/or exemplary leadership and commitment by an individuation or organization working in the field of public art.

Betty Plumb, 2007

Judy Baca, 2010 Buster Simpson, 2009

Alene Valkanas, 2006

Arts Education Award For leadership and excellence in arts education program design and execution by a local organization.

Joan Adams Mondale, 2008

KID smart, 2010

Jack Becker and FORECAST Public Artworks, 2007

Big Thought, 2009

Mark di Suvero, 2006

Bradford County Regional Arts Council, 2007

Public Art Fund, 2005

New Victory Theatre, 2008

thank you to our

funders

The work of the past 50 years documented in this book would not have been possible without the generosity and visionary investments of donors.

Americans for the Arts thanks the many corporations, foundations, government agencies, and individual donors whose support has played such a critical part in enabling the organization become what it is today, reserving a special extra measure of gratitude for Ruth Lilly, whose extraordinary gift truly created a new future. We hope that all of our donors, past and present, take pride in what we have accomplished together. A retrospective list of our supporters can be viewed on our 50th anniversary web site www.AmericansForTheArts.org/go/funders.

Americans for the Arts    1 2 7

Nancy hanks & david rockefeller

lectures

Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy 2010

Joesph Riley, Mayor, Charleston, SC

2009

Wynton Marsalis, Artistic Director, Jazz at Lincoln Center

2008

Daniel Pink, author

2007

Robert MacNeil, broadcast journalist and author

2006

William Safire, columnist and author

2005

Ken Burns, documentary filmmaker

2004

Doris Kearns Goodwin, journalist and author

2003

Robert Redford, actor, director, and activist

2002 Zelda Fichandler, Founding Director of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. and Chair of the Graduate Acting Program and Master Teacher of Acting and Directing at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts 2001

Frank Rich, op-ed columnist for The New York Times

2000

Terry Semel, former Chair and Co-CEO of Warner Bros. and Warner Music Group

1999

Wendy Wasserstein, playwright

1998

Billy Taylor, jazz musician and educator

1997

Alan K. Simpson, former U.S. Senator

1996

Carlos Fuentes, author

1995

Winton Malcolm Blount, Chairman of Blount, Inc., philanthropist, and former U.S. Postmaster General

1994

David McCullough, historian

1993

Barbara Jordan, former U.S. Congresswoman

1992

Franklin D. Murphy, former CEO of the Times Mirror Company

1991

John Brademas, former U.S. Congressman, President Emeritus of New York University

1990

Maya Angelou, poet

1989

Leonard Garment, Special Counsel to Presidents Nixon and Ford

1988

Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., historian

David Rockefeller Lecture presented by the Business Committee for the Arts

128

2003

Raymond D. Nasher, Founder and Chair of the Board, The Nasher Company

2002

Alberto Vilar, President and Founder, Amerindo Investment Advisors Inc.

2000

John H. Bryan, Retired Chairman of the Board, Sara Lee Corporation

1999

John D. Ong, Chairman Emeritus, The Goodrich Company

1998

Eli Broad, Chairman and CEO, AIG SunAmerica Inc.

1997

David Rockefeller, Jr., Chairman, Rockefeller & Co., Inc.

 Americans Americans forfor the the Arts Arts

Arts Councils of America ACA // 1964

Associated Councils for the Arts // ACA // 1966

American Council for the Arts ACA // 1977

Business Committee for the Arts // BCA // 1967

merge 2008

Arts & Business Council // A&BC 1965

merge 2005

merge 1986

merge 1972

Community Arts Councils, Inc. CACI // 1960

Arts, Education, and Americans, Inc. // 1977

Commemorating 50 years of Americans for the arts

Partnership for the Arts // 1970

Americans for the arts

1996

A mericans for the Arts Action Fund // AAF // 2004 A mericans for the Arts Action Fund PAC // PAC // 2004 A rts & Business Council of New York // 2005

the family tree

National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies // NALAA // 1982

State Arts Advocacy League of America // SAALA // 1991

National Community Arts Network // NCAN // 1999

• became • merge • seperate

americans for the arts

New York City Office

Washington, DC Office

One East 53rd Street

1000 Vermont Avenue, NW

2nd Floor

6th Floor

New York, NY 10022

Washington, DC 20005

T 212.223.2787

T 202.371.2830

F 212.980.4857

F 202.371.0424

1960–2010

National Assembly of Community Arts Agencies // NACAA // 1978

merge 2004

merge 2004

merge 1996

A mericans for the Arts Foundation // 2008

e m m Co

t a r mo

y 0 5 ing

s t r a e h

t r o f s

n a c ri

Ame

f o s ear

celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2010, Americans for the Arts

is

the

nation’s

leading

nonprofit

organization

for

advancing the arts in America. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. From offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it serves more than 500,000 organizational and individual members and stakeholders.

Arts Councils of America ACA // 1964

Associated Councils for the Arts // ACA // 1966

American Council for the Arts ACA // 1977

Business Committee for the Arts // BCA // 1967

merge 2008

Arts & Business Council // A&BC 1965

merge 2005

merge 1986

merge 1972

Community Arts Councils, Inc. CACI // 1960

Arts, Education, and Americans, Inc. // 1977

Commemorating 50 years of Americans for the arts

Partnership for the Arts // 1970

Americans for the arts

1996

A mericans for the Arts Action Fund // AAF // 2004 A mericans for the Arts Action Fund PAC // PAC // 2004 A rts & Business Council of New York // 2005

the family tree

National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies // NALAA // 1982

State Arts Advocacy League of America // SAALA // 1991

National Community Arts Network // NCAN // 1999

• became • merge • seperate

americans for the arts

New York City Office

Washington, DC Office

One East 53rd Street

1000 Vermont Avenue, NW

2nd Floor

6th Floor

New York, NY 10022

Washington, DC 20005

T 212.223.2787

T 202.371.2830

F 212.980.4857

F 202.371.0424

1960–2010

National Assembly of Community Arts Agencies // NACAA // 1978

merge 2004

merge 2004

merge 1996

A mericans for the Arts Foundation // 2008

e m m Co

t a r mo

y 0 5 ing

s t r a e h

t r o f s

n a c ri

Ame

f o s ear

celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2010, Americans for the Arts

is

the

nation’s

leading

nonprofit

organization

for

advancing the arts in America. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. From offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it serves more than 500,000 organizational and individual members and stakeholders.

a m e r i c a n s for the arts

across the decades

Arts in the City Arts in the City

AMERICANS AND THE ARTS A SURVEY OF PUBLIC OPINION

William J. Baumol William G. Bowen

Research conducted by the National Research Center of the Arts Inc., an affiliate of Louis Harris and Associates Inc., for Associated Councils of the Arts.

Publication of this story was made possible by a grant from Phillip Morris Incorporated.

PERFORMING ECONOMIC DILEMMA ARTS : THE

Organizing and Programming Community Arts Councils

A study of problems common to theater, opera music and dance

A TWENTHIETH CENTURY FUND STUDY

Associated Councils of the Arts Ralph Burgard

Organizing and Programming Community Arts Councils Associated Councils of the Arts Ralph Burgard

a m e r i c a n s for the arts

across the decades

a m e r i c a n s for the arts

across the decades

Arts in the City Arts in the City

AMERICANS AND THE ARTS A SURVEY OF PUBLIC OPINION

William J. Baumol William G. Bowen

Research conducted by the National Research Center of the Arts Inc., an affiliate of Louis Harris and Associates Inc., for Associated Councils of the Arts.

Publication of this story was made possible by a grant from Phillip Morris Incorporated.

PERFORMING ECONOMIC DILEMMA ARTS : THE

Organizing and Programming Community Arts Councils

A study of problems common to theater, opera music and dance

A TWENTHIETH CENTURY FUND STUDY

Associated Councils of the Arts Ralph Burgard

Organizing and Programming Community Arts Councils Associated Councils of the Arts Ralph Burgard

a m e r i c a n s for the arts

across the decades