On Wednesday, December 6, 2006 Southern California Grantmakers and the UCLACenter for Civil Society will unveil the findings of their joint project: “Arts in the Balance.” The event includes a presentation of the survey’s findings from Helmut Anheier, Director of the UCLACenter for Civil Society and report author. Following his remarks, an expert panel will discuss the implications of the study. Moderated by Cora Mirikitani, President and CEO of the Center for Cultural Innovation, the panel includes Jim Canales, President and CEO of The James Irvine Foundation, Muriel Johnson, Director of the California Arts Council, and Danielle Brazell, Managing Director of Arts for L.A. Wednesday, December 6 10 a.m. to noon Nate Holden Performing Arts Center 4718 W. Washington Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90016-1516 (Parking is available in the Center lot and on the street) RSVP to Laura Borsecnik, Program Director at Southern California Grantmakers laura@socalgrantmakers.org or 213-680-8866, ext. 29 The 2004/2005 “Arts in the Balance” survey summary may be viewed at www.socalgrantmakers.org or obtained by calling SCG at 213-680-8866, ext. 0. I hope to see you there. Danielle Danielle Brazell Managing Director Arts for LA PO Box 712516Los Angeles, CA90071www.artsforla.org  --  http:blog.artsforla.org --  dbrazell@artsforla.org From the Wall Street Journal:

As more donors focus their attention and dollars on issues such as education reform, poverty, and public health in the developing world, arts groups are having to compete more aggressively for their share of the philanthropic pie, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Potential arts donors are finding it harder to justify gifts to the local opera company when their dollars could be used to help stamp out malaria or combat global warming. As a result, there's a growing consensus in philanthropic circles that humanitarian concerns are pushing the arts and culture to the periphery of donor concerns. New philanthropists "want to go where the zeitgeist is," said arts consultant András Szántó, a senior adviser to the Wealth & Giving Forum. "And the genuine intel- ligence and progress in society right now is in science and technology."

Until recently, arts organizations ducked the issue of donors' shifting priorities, targeting only those deeply interested in the arts and mining their current donor rosters -- typically packed with old money -- for more and bigger donations. As more donors turn to humanitarian causes, however, arts groups are scrambling to tap the fortunes of a new generation of philanthropists -- Internet billionaires, hedge-fund moguls, and biotech entrepreneurs. But in pursuing this group, they have had to ignore some cherished principles, including "art for art's sake," and increasingly are reaching out to younger board members who can solicit donations from within their own circles -- even if their presence on the board causes conflicts with the old guard.To attract new sources of support, cultural groups are also attempting to show that support for the arts can produce the same kind of impact that money directed toward global humani- tarian causes does, albeit closer to home.

The Art Institute of Chicago and the city's symphony, for example, have been promoting programs that teach schoolchildren about Eastern traditions in music and art. Still, it remains difficult for arts organizations to convince potential donors that their contributions will have direct and immediate impact. "If you're a hospital, you show a sick kid and it's easy. If you're a school, you show a poor kid who wasn't performing well and now is, and it's easy," said Boston Symphony Orchestra supporter Paul Deninger. "Arts organizations have a harder time at this."

Russell, Jacob. "Philanthropy: Hunger vs. the Arts." Wall Street Journal   10/14/06.  http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/10004950/story