![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/BoilingWater.jpg\" "\\"BoilingWater\\"")
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Everywhere I turn in my Google Reader, someone is talking about core issues in the arts. (Yes, I know I said I was only going to do one post per week over the Holidays, but come on, how could I resist this?)<\/p>\n
Certainly the Occupy movement is an explanation, as is the NCRP report on arts funding. But in the last couple of weeks, in addition to Theatre Ideas<\/a> and Jumper<\/a> (about which I commented over the weekend) and Engaging Matters (self-referential, I know), we have heard from Barry’s Blog<\/a>, Createquity<\/a>, Arlene’s Blog<\/a>, New Beans<\/a>, and Grantmakers in the Arts’ own blog salon, Forum on Equity in Arts Funding<\/a>. And those are only the ones I can recall off the top of my head. I find this quantity of comment and response thrilling.<\/p>\n The discussions, especially in the comments on posts, veer from one topic to another, often according to whatever the writers foundational frame of reference is. (Mine, obviously, is the need for arts organizations to get serious about engaging with their communities.) One commenter on my last post lamented that it was difficult to keep track of what the topic was because there were so many being floated.<\/p>\n The central issue does appear to be equity and what that means. But that can lead to a bewildering array of related ideas. The overarching issue seems to be systemic inequity\u2013injustice rooted in systems and institutional policies rather than in individual action (or inaction). Students of racism similarly identify the difference between systemic racism and individual prejudices and actions.<\/p>\n The categories of inequity are multiple: class, culture, ethnicity, gender, race, etc., etc. Awareness of and response to each varies hugely depending on which side of the have\/have-not divide one finds oneself. The have-not side always has a far greater awareness and understanding of inequity than is ever possible on the have side. As an over-educated white male of a certain age, it’s astonishing that I can ever see clearly enough to get out of bed in the morning. (And for all my effort to “see,” in the few short months I’ve been blogging here, Roberto Bedoya has already had to call me out, justifiably, once here.) The have side predictably sees all the good it is doing (in its own eyes). The have-nots see much more clearly how far there is to go.<\/p>\n Inequity is incredibly complex. There is not nearly enough room here to fully address it or even fairly introduce it. (For a truly valuable overview of many of the issues, see Arlene Goldbard’s post Equity in Cultural Funding: Let Them Eat Pies<\/a>.) I am simply presenting an explanation, from my point of view, of why the discussions are so difficult and often veer off-topic.<\/p>\n Going forward, as a reminder, there is a difference among private foundation funding, individual donor funding, and public funding. Each has its own rationale; “equity” in each may have slightly or substantially different meanings. There is also a related, but separate, conversation to be had about the public benefit nature of 501(c)(3) structures and what that demands of us.<\/p>\n Already at least two people have posed valuable questions that could guide the discussion. Holly Sidford, who wrote the NCRP report that spurred so much of this, wrote in her post on the GIA blog, What If?<\/a><\/p>\n What if we could start fresh and design a new system of support for arts and culture in this country, with equity as one of its fundamental tenets?<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n While we are not going to push the reset button on the not-for-profit arts industry in this country, discussing that question might help us imagine ways to move forward.<\/p>\n And, in the same GIA blog salon, William Cleveland presents Hard Questions for Hard Times<\/a>:<\/p>\n Is cultural equity a core value that informs our work? If not, why? I am greatly heartened by the considerable energy the topic of equity is generating. Heartened and more than a bit surprised. Is this more than a radar blip? I’m choosing to hope that it might be. Let’s not forget this after the Holidays when we get back to our work in the New Year.<\/p>\n Engage!<\/p>\n Doug<\/p>\n Photo Everywhere I turn in my Google Reader, someone is talking about core issues in the arts. (Yes, I know I said I was only going to do one post per week over the Holidays, but come on, how could I resist this?) Certainly the Occupy movement is an explanation, as is the NCRP report on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-899","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-overview","7":"entry","8":"has-post-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1G6h9-ev","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4233,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2015\/08\/afta-thoughts-2015-the-arts-and\/","url_meta":{"origin":899,"position":0},"title":"AftA Thoughts 2015: The Arts and . . .","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"August 12, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The notion that the arts are about the arts alone is a very recent (and unfortunate) one, historically. They were and should be about life\u2013all of it.","rel":"","context":"In "The Arts and . . ."","block_context":{"text":"The Arts and . . .","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/the-arts-and\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ampersand","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Ampersand.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4570,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2016\/06\/gard-foundation-symposium-at-wingspread\/","url_meta":{"origin":899,"position":1},"title":"Gard Foundation Symposium at Wingspread","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"June 15, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Gard Foundation Symposium at Wingspread: Considering the Past, Present, and Future of community arts development.","rel":"","context":"In "The Arts and . . ."","block_context":{"text":"The Arts and . . .","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/the-arts-and\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Gard Foundation logo","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Gard-Foundation-logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4452,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2016\/03\/the-arts-in-the-small-community\/","url_meta":{"origin":899,"position":2},"title":"The Arts in the Small Community","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"March 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Arts in the Small Community\u2013Maryo Gard Ewell's announcement of celebrations honoring Robert E. Gard's 1966 classic book.","rel":"","context":"In "Guest Post"","block_context":{"text":"Guest Post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/guest-post\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Gard sketch","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Gard-sketch-e1456762274296.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4126,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2015\/05\/engage-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":899,"position":3},"title":"Engage Now!","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"May 6, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Arts organizations cannot long survive without earning impassioned support from the communities they serve. Communities cannot reach their full potential without the benefits the arts can provide.","rel":"","context":"In "Engage Now"","block_context":{"text":"Engage Now","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/engage-now\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"EngageNowCoverFinal","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/EngageNowCoverFinal-e1429285807202.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5662,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2019\/08\/benefits-yet-again\/","url_meta":{"origin":899,"position":4},"title":"Benefits (Yet Again)","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"August 7, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"It has been two years since I posted my effort at categorizing the benefits of the arts. In both of my international trips this year the subject came up and people wanted to deal with it at length. The subject is an urgent one both because of the social and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Overview"","block_context":{"text":"Overview","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/category\/overview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Dancer-e1495045883104.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3868,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/engage\/2015\/02\/arts-predispositions-ii-maybes\/","url_meta":{"origin":899,"position":5},"title":"Arts Predispositions II: Maybes","author":"Doug Borwick","date":"February 11, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Understanding non-participants. 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\nIf so, how specifically do we define it and hold ourselves accountable?
\nIf we looked hard at the patterns of cultural investment by our organization and across our community, over time, what would we find?
\nIf there were a significant \u201cgap\u201d between our stated values and this investment history, what would we do?<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n![\"Attribution\"](\"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/g\/images\/cc_icon_attribution_small.gif\" "\\"Attribution\\""){kind=icon}
![\"Noncommercial\"](\"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/g\/images\/cc_icon_noncomm_small.gif\" "\\"Noncommercial\\""){kind=icon}
![\"No](\"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/g\/images\/cc_icon_noderivs_small.gif\" "\\"No"){kind=icon}
<\/a> Some rights reserved<\/a> by Jared Cherup<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"