Americans for the Arts News

Americans for the
Arts News Archive
2010 News 2009 News 2008 News 2007 News 2006 News 2005 News 2004 News


americans for the arts news The Second Week in September Designated "Arts in Education Week" July 27, 2010—Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.Con.Res. 275, legislation designating the second week of September as "Arts in Education Week." Authored and introduced by California Representative Jackie Speier (D-CA), this resolution is the first Congressional expression of support celebrating all the disciplines comprising arts education. This is a very positive showing of support for arts education and comes at a key time when Congress is making plans to overhaul federal education policy. The resolution seeks to support the attributes of arts education that are recognized as instrumental to developing a well-rounded education such as creativity, imagination, and cross-cultural understanding. H.Con.Res. 275 also highlights the critical link between those skills and preparing our children for gaining a competitive edge in the global economy. This is an important message for policy makers to acknowledge as they prepare to reauthorize federal education policy. To send a message to your member of Congress in support for arts education, please visit our E-Advocacy Center. As a House resolution, the bill does not require signature by the President upon its passage. You can read the resolution here. Americans for the Arts is planning an Arts Education Blog Salon for the celebratory week. The Americans for the Arts Action Fund’s 50 States 50 Days initiative will also be a way underway during this time. Resources on the Arts Action Fund website help arts advocates to use their arts institutions at home to convey their message about the arts in a setting that reinforces themes of economic development; jobs in the arts; arts education; and partnerships between artists, institutions, and local policymakers. We realize that September 12 is right around the corner, so please get the word out to make the first Arts in Education Week a successful one! Be Seen on MTV's 44 1/2 Screen in NYC July 21, 2010—Americans for the Arts is back on MTV’s 44 ½ to find out why the arts matter to you! The Why Arts Matter Video Contest call for proposals ad will be running on the MTV 44 ½ screen located in Times Square from Monday, July 19 through Sunday, July 25. Those of you in New York City can see the ad being playing :10, :20, :30, :40 minutes after the hour every hour. The MTV 44 ½ screen is directly across from the MTV studios. Why Arts Matter Video Contest is created in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Americans for the Arts. Join us in celebrating the arts in America by creating a video that tells "Why the Arts Matter" to you! To find read about contest rules and submission details please visit the Why Arts Matter Video Contest website. Redford Speaks on Creativity in Business July 09, 2010—Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, interviewed Redford at an event on June 24 at the Philadelphia Theater Company presented by the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia (an affiliate of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce) and professional services company Towers Watson. Redford spoke about his childhood, his business experiences and the importance of creativity in business. Two Federal Funding Opportunities July 08, 2010—On July 7, 2010, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) held a joint webinar and announced two new funding opportunities for the arts community. NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman has been spearheading negotiations with multiple federal agencies to broaden their grant guidelines to include components for arts and culture. Local arts agencies are encouraged to work with their city and county governments to apply for these new funding opportunities to create more livable communities through the arts. The two new opportunities are the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant and a combination of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program and the Sustainable Community Challenge Grant program. The webinar covered both new funding opportunities, highlighting where nonprofit arts groups can participate. Access the full PowerPoint now, and check back at www.hud.gov/webcasts in the coming days for the full webinar. Additionally, you can read HUD’s press release. APPLICATION DEADLINE: The pre-application deadline is July 26, 2010 and full applications are due August 23, 2010. Click here for the full synopsis. Half-Century Summit a Success in Baltimore June 30, 2010—Baltimore, MD — June 30, 2010 — More than 1,000 arts professionals, elected officials, community leaders, artists, educators, students, and corporate and foundation leaders gathered from June 25-27 in Baltimore, Maryland for the Americans for the Arts Half-Century Summit, the organization’s 50th Anniversary Annual Convention. The Summit featured a number of high-level speakers and presenters including Robert Redford, award-winning actor and arts advocate; Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor of the Huffington Post; Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts; and John Waters, noted filmmaker and best-selling author. The conference afforded a broad spectrum of leaders the necessary tools to make a positive impact on their communities back home as well as an opportunity to plan for the dynamic future of the arts in America. The Half-Century Summit included an array of professional development sessions, visionary panels and small group discussions and was preceded by arts education and public art preconferences. Participants took advantage of a number of special events including a 50-year retrospective of public art, a one-man show by John Waters, a reception at the American Visionary Art Museum, a performance by the New York Neofuturists, and arts and cultural tours of Baltimore and the region. Find more information on the Summit including videos, photos, blog posts, and tweets, by clicking here. KID smART Wins the Arts Education Award June 25, 2010—Americans for the Arts presents the 2010 Arts Education Award to KID smART, a New Orleans-based arts education organization. This award is given each year to an arts education program with the best program design and leadership. KID smART has been serving New Orleans for more than 10 years, serving more than 16,000 underserved students at 110 different locations. Last year alone, the program helped nearly 3,000 students. In 2006 KID smART developed a program called Arts Experiences in Schools (AXIS), which was an arts integration professional development program for teachers. This is just one example of how the program provides assistance and support for students, teachers, and administrators at the over 100 schools the program serves. KID smART uses its passionate group members and innovative ideas and techniques to transform schools using the arts and arts programming. KID smART Executive Director Echo Olander accepted the award at the Americans for the Arts Half-Century Summit. Visit the press room for more information. Judy Baca Accepts the Public Art Network Award June 25, 2010—Americans for the Arts presents the 2010 Public Art Network (PAN) Award to community arts activist Judy Baca. This award acknowledges original and inspired involvement in the field of public art. In 1974 Baca founded the first city of Los Angeles mural program, and then two years later started SPARC: Social & Public Art Resource Center in Los Angeles where she is still the founder and artistic director. She has worked with the community to create many large scale murals in the Los Angeles area, most notably The Great Wall of Los Angeles, a representation of interracial harmony that is nationally recognized and is a combined work of 400 inner-city youth, 40 ethnic historians, and hundreds of community residents. Baca is also a full-time professor at UCLA, and is currently working on the Cesar Chavez Memorial at San Jose State University, the Robert F. Kennedy monument at the Old Ambassador Hotel site, the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in San Diego, and a digital painted mural for the Richmond Arts Center. She received her award at the Americans for the Arts Half-Century Summit. Visit the press room for more information. 2010 Public Art Year in Review Projects Selected June 24, 2010—Today, Americans for the Arts announces the 40 winners for the 2010 Public Art Year in Review. Each June, the Public Art Network recognizes the best works of public art debuted throughout the United States and Canada in the past year. Projects from 29 cities in 15 states are represented in this year's selections, and the works were chosen from more than 300 entries from across the country. This year’s Year in Review was curated by public art artists and experts Helen Lessick and Fred Wilson. A full list of the 40 Public Arts Year in Review selections is available here. This is the 10th year that Americans for the Arts has recognized the most outstanding and innovative public art displays from across the country. Photos and descriptions of each award winning are available as part of the 2010 Public Art Year in Review CD-ROM, a great tool for community public art development, which can be purchased at the Americans for the Arts store. Countdown to the Half-Century Summit June 18, 2010—The Americans for the Arts Half-Century Summit will take place at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Friday, June 25–Sunday, June 27. 10. Last minute planners can register on site! 9. Paddleboats and Edgar Allen Poe impersonators? Does any other convention offer both? 8. More than 150 of the brightest and best minds in the arts are ready to share their ideas with you. 7. Crab cakes? Sure! But this isn’t your grandmother’s Baltimore. With a reinvented Harbor Place, cool neighborhoods, and cultural gems, Charm City is well worth exploring. 6. With special discounts on hotel rooms and Amtrak travel, the convention is a deal! 5. Be a star at late night jam sessions, in a skit by the Neo-Futurists, and at the photo booth and Wii gaming in CenterStage. 4. Take the opportunity to be creative and skirt travel restrictions—fake a cough or take a well deserved vacation day. (Just kidding!) 3. Calories don’t count when you travel for work. 2. You haven’t seen giftshops until you’ve seen the one at the American Visionary Art Museum—one of the coolest museums in the country! 1. Times are tough and we’ve commiserated, so now get strategizing! Arts leaders are innovative. Join your peers as we plan for a stronger future for the arts. Video of "Arts Build Communities" Congressional Hearing April 15, 2010—Video of all testimony from the "Arts Build Communities" Congressional hearing on art funding is available on the Americans for the Arts Arts Action Fund site. Americans for the Arts witnesses at the “Arts Build Communities” hearing included acclaimed actors Jeff Daniels and Kyle MacLachlan; Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter; U.S. Army Brigadier General Nolen V. Bivens (ret.); Terri Aldrich, Executive Director, Minot Area Council of the Arts; Charles Segars, CEO, Ovation; and Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO, Americans for the Arts. Also presenting testimony was NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman and Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY). Click the names below to read their official testimony. Terri Aldrich, Executive Director, Minot Area Council of the Arts (North Dakota) Brig. Gen. Nolen V. Bivens, U.S. Army (ret.) Jeff Daniels, Golden Globe-nominated film and stage actor Kyle MacLachlan, Emmy-nominated TV, film, and stage actor Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter Charles Segars, CEO, Ovation Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO, Americans for the Arts Michael Nutter, Philadelphia Mayor For a full "Behind the Scenes of Arts Advocacy Day", check out ARTSblog! Speaker Nancy Pelosi Receives Arts Leadership Award April 13, 2010—This morning, Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors presented the 2010 National Award for Congressional Arts Leadership to U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). The award, which recognizes distinguished public service on behalf of the arts, was presented at the Congressional Arts Kick Off during Arts Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill. Speaker Pelosi receives the Congressional Arts Leadership Award for her commitment to the arts as an outspoken defender of the creative industries in her home of San Francisco and across the country. She was personally involved in securing funding to save nonprofit arts jobs during the stimulus bill debate last year. The arts community owes her debt of gratitude for the jobs that were saved and the validation it provided of the importance of arts workers to the overall national economy. Her leadership of the 111th Congress is making great strides in advancing cultural policy and federal arts funding in the United States. For more information, visit the press room. National Arts Advocacy Day � April 12�13 March 15, 2010—National Arts Advocacy Day Omni Shoreham Hotel Washington, DC April 12–13, 2010 Coordinated by Americans for the Arts, the 23rd Annual National Arts Advocacy Day brings together arts, education, entertainment, and policy leaders to develop strong public policies and support for increased public funding for the arts. Hear from congressional leaders and acclaimed artists including Actor Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks, Sex in the City, Desperate Housewives) at the Congressional Arts Kick Off on Capitol Hill. Let your voice be heard when you visit your members of Congress to make the case for the arts and arts education. Take advantage of opportunities to network with colleagues from your state and across the country. Increase your knowledge of how to advocate and influence decision makers. Want to hear more about the important topics that we'll be covering at Arts Advocacy Day this year? Tune in to Americans for the Arts Chief Counsel of Government and Public Affairs Nina Ozlu Tunceli's ARTcast on ARTSblog. Become a fan of Arts Advocacy Day on Facebook! Nancy Hanks Lecture - Reserve Your Free Tickets Now! March 15, 2010—Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy Concert Hall The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Monday, April 12, 2010 This year's Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy will feature Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., of Charleston, SC, and founder of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design. Please reserve your free tickets by Wednesday, April 7, 2010. The Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy is a leading national forum for arts policy intended to stimulate dialogue on policy and social issues affecting the arts. It is held each year in the spring on the evening before Arts Advocacy Day. The annual lecture is named for Nancy Hanks, former president of Americans for the Arts and chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, who devoted 15 years of her professional life to bringing the arts to prominent national consciousness. Congress Passes Health Care Reform March 25, 2010—Americans for the Arts commends Congress on passing comprehensive health care reform legislation. This bill ensures that the nation’s artists and arts workers will now receive increased access to the health coverage they deserve. The final legislation included major reform policies supported by Americans for the Arts and its national health care coalition of 20 other arts organizations. The bill provides tax credits for small businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 25 full-time employees and average salaries less than $50,000. The provision will have a positive impact on the nation’s 668,000 nonprofit and for-profit arts businesses in the U.S. that employ 2.9 million people and many of which are small businesses. As the legislation is enacted, Americans for the Arts is also working to ensure that national health benefit exchange provisions include individual artists and cultural nonprofit organizations that are currently excluded for all practical purposes from employer-based insurance plans. For more information, visit the press room and online Arts Action Center. Lt. Governors Association Honors the Arts March 25, 2010—The National Lieutenant Governors Association recognized the 50th Anniversary of Americans for the Arts at the group’s recent meeting in Washington, DC. Americans for the Arts and the NGLA are strategic partners and present the Lieutenant Governor Arts annually as part of the Public Leadership in the Arts Awards series. In photo from L to R: Jay Dick, Americans for the Arts; Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton; Dorothy McSweeny, Americans for the Arts Board of Director; and Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling Private Sector Blog Salon, Week of March 8 March 08, 2010—All this week on ARTSblog, the Private Sector Initiatives team at Americans for the Arts is leading a special blog salon. Follow the Private Sector Blog Salon from March 8-12 as more than twenty leaders from across the country discuss issues related to private sector giving and the arts. Join bloggers Janet Brown, Colin Tweedy, Larry Thompson, Mark Brewer, Mary Trudel, John Killacky and many others in discussing why and how the private sector supports the arts. We’re hoping that these discussions will be provocative and inspire some new thinking on the future of arts support. Visit http://blog.artsusa.org/category/private-sector/ to be part of the conversation. Chart the Future with Green Papers February 25, 2010— As a way to celebrate the successes of the past 50 years in the arts field, Americans for the Arts has collected Green Papers from a variety of national arts service organizations and peer groups representing more than 20 different perspectives and disciplines. These Green Papers are short, easy to read, visions of the future meant to inspire a nationwide dialogue on the future of the arts. You can participate in one or more conversation topics by visiting the Green Papers section of the ARTSblog at http://blog.artsusa.org/category/greenpapers/. Green Papers are a chance for you to talk about a particular discipline or interest area in a facilitated, open forum. Each participating organization who authored a Green Paper also selected an emerging leader Ambassador to facilitate discussion about the related Paper. The Green Papers ambassadors will continue this dialogue throughout the year--capturing and synthesizing the ideas, changes, and themes that arise from online discussions. Ambassadors will be led by a group facilitator, Eric Booth, and at the end of the year, new Green Papers will emerge that will reflect the overarching changes and ideas proposed through this open forum. Funding Changes for the Arts February 01, 2010—Today the White House released President Obama's budget recommendations for FY 2011. Below is a statement from Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts on arts and arts education funding in the budget: “At a time when the Americans for the Arts National Arts Index shows that because of the current economy support for the arts is at its lowest point in a decade, arts organizations have been relying on one area where funding has been on the increase—the leveraging power of federal funding for the arts and humanities. The Administration’s FY 2011 budget request of $161.3 million for the National Endowment for the Arts—while just a fraction of the $6.3 billion of direct expenditures for all arts nonprofits in the U.S.—is unfortunately a $6 million decrease from what Congress appropriated for FY 2010. We now turn to Congress to continue its investment trend in providing additional appropriations for the NEA. The FY 2011 NEA budget also includes an announcement of a new agency program called Our Town. We are excited to see that this important initiative is designed to strengthen communities through the arts. The backbone for the arts starts at the local level and having the federal government strategically invest in this kind community-based direction will spur further support for the arts. But why hamper the potential impact of this new initiative by reducing the NEA’s overall budget? “The President’s budget also includes a number of new proposals to strengthen our education system and build a 21st workforce. However, the consolidation of the Arts in Education (AIE) program within the Department of Education’s new ‘Effective Teaching and Learning for Well-Rounded Education’ category puts us at unease and could lead to a diminished focus on arts education. This consolidation of the only identified arts-specific education program at the Department of Education seems to be in contradiction to the Administration’s previous strong vocal support of the arts. While the total available AIE grant funds are unknown at this time, it is an unbeneficial move at a time when arts education cuts are happening across the country. The arts are a proven integral part of every child’s development, preparing them for school, work, and life in the competitive 21st century global economy. “The nation’s creative industries and arts workers are ready to continue to play their role in assisting with economic recovery, job training and creation, and the development of a well-rounded education that includes robust learning in the arts in order to provide workers of tomorrow with the creative and innovative skills they need today. The 5.7 million jobs and $166 billion in economic impact from the nonprofit arts sector alone hang in the balance. Further commitment from the federal government is needed to allow these groups to reach their full potential.” Young Professional Development Opportunities January 25, 2010—Americans for the Arts is pleased to announce that Chicago-based Joyce Foundation has renewed its support for Americans for the Arts' Professional Development Fund for Emerging Arts Leaders of Color. A total of five Joyce Fellows from the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin) will be selected to participate in this program. Fellows will receive stipends of $3,000 to support their attendance at the 2010 Americans for the Arts Half-Century Summit, 2010 National Arts Marketing Project Conference , and Arts Advocacy Day 2011 . In addition, fellows will have special opportunities to meet field leaders, work alongside mentors, and receive individualized career coaching. In order for our sector to remain healthy and vibrant, we need to ensure that we are identifying and retaining young professionals within our workforce. Further, we need to actively cultivate, expand and support talented, culturally diverse, emerging leaders. Based upon recommendations from the Emerging Leaders Council, Americans for the Arts has been working to enable more emerging leaders to fully participate in national meetings and events for their own development and so they can connect with the broader community of arts professionals from across the country. Therefore, this Professional Development Fund has been designed to target an important segment of our workforce: emerging arts leaders of color. Download application materials and eligibility information here, or for more information contact Stephanie Evans at leadership@artsusa.org or by phone at 202-371-2830 ext 2036. First National Arts Index Measures Health and Vitality of the Arts January 20, 2010—Americans for the Arts today announced the National Arts Index at a press conference held at the National Press Club and kicking-off its 50th anniversary year. The National Arts Index is the first study designed to measure the health and vitality of the arts industries in the United States. The National Arts Index is composed of 76 national-level research indicators produced by the federal government and private research organizations. The National Arts Index fell 4 points in 2008 to a score of 98.4, reflecting losses in charitable giving and declining attendance at larger cultural institutions, even as the number of arts organizations grew. The 2008 downturn in the Index was not wholly unexpected. With 100,000 nonprofit arts organizations and 600,000 more arts-related businesses, 2.24 million artists in the workforce, and billions of dollars in consumer spending, the arts industries largely track the nation’s business cycle. Want to Learn More To read and download the full report, visit www.AmericansForTheArts.org/go/ArtsIndex. Go to ArtsBlog to and hear Randy Cohen's blog cast Are your an Americans for the Arts member? Sign-up for the National Arts Index webinar Watch out for more conversation on ArtsBlog US Conference of Mayors Honors the Arts January 21, 2010—Today, Americans for the Arts and The United States Conference of Mayors presented the 2010 Public Leadership in the Arts Awards to Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, and musician Michael Feinstein. The awards honor elected officials and artists that have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the advancement of the arts. Gov. Kulongoski receives the 2010 Award for State Arts Leadership for advancing both policy and budget initiatives that brand culture and creative endeavors as critical to the state’s economy and future. Mayor Hannemann receives the 2010 Award for Local Arts Leadership for creating opportunities to use the arts as a catalyst for economic development and community revitalization in Honolulu. Michael Feinstein receives the 2010 Award for Artist-Citizen. He is a multi-platinum selling, five-time Grammy-nominated entertainer dubbed “The Ambassador of the Great American Songbook,” and is considered one of the premiere interpreters of American popular song. This evening, the U.S. Conference of Mayors is also honoring Americans for the Arts with the President’s Award. The award is in honor of Americans for the Arts’ 50 years of outstanding work in promoting, serving, and advancing arts and culture throughout the country. For more information about both awards, visit the online press room. PSA Featured on MTV Screen in Time Square! January 12, 2010—This week, The Arts. Ask for More. PSA campaign’s Brahms Breakfast PSA will be running on the MTV 44 ½ screen located in Times Square. This is a fantastic way to get the word out to the public about the importance of arts education in kids’ lives. If you find yourself in Times Square this week, stop for a moment and look for the ad which will be playing at :10, :20, :30, :40 minutes after the hour every hour. The MTV 44 ½ screen is directly across from the MTV studios. New Chair of BCA Executive Board Named January 08, 2010—Business Committee for the Arts (BCA), a division of Americans for the Arts, announces the selection of Joseph C. Dilg, Managing Partner of Vinson & Elkins LLP, to serve as chairman of BCA’s Executive Board. The BCA Executive Board is a 14-member group of corporate leaders who provide leadership and expertise on key BCA initiatives including messaging, advocacy, and strategic alliances within the private-sector community. He succeeds J. Barry Griswell, former chairman of the Principal Financial Group and president of The Des Moines Foundation, who is stepping down after three years of service as chair. Mr. Dilg is Managing Partner of Vinson & Elkins LLP, one of the world’s leading energy law firms and is based in Houston, TX. He joined the BCA Executive Board in 2002 and serves on its nominating committee. Vinson & Elkins was honored by BCA in 2005 as one of the inaugural BCA TEN companies for the firm’s support of the arts among its employees and service to the Houston arts community. Councils Elect Members December 15, 2009—The Arts Education, Emerging Leader, and Public Art networks of Americans for the Arts announce the election of new members to serve on their advisory councils. ARTS EDUCATION COUNCIL Ron Jones - Dean of the College of the Arts, University of South Florida - Tampa, FL Stephanie Riven - Director, Center of Creative Arts - St. Louis, MO Victoria J. Saunders - Victoria J. Saunders Consulting - San Diego, CA Donna Collins (re-elected)- Executive Director, Ohio Alliance for Arts Education - Columbus, OH Steven Tennen (re-elected) - Executive Director, Arts Connection - New York, NY EMERGING LEADER COUNCIL Michelle Grove - Events and Grants Manager, Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County - Silver Spring, MD Letitia Ivins - Civic Art Coordinator, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Civic Art Program - Los Angeles, CA Charles Jensen - Director, The Writer’s Center - Bethesda, MD Gabriela Jirasek - Marketing and New Media Associate, Chicago Humanities Festival - Chicago, IL Ian David Moss - Blogger, Createquity.com - Providence, RI Scarlett Swerdlow - Advocacy and Communications Director, Arts Alliance Illinois - Chicago, IL Bettina Swigger - Executive Director, Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region - Colorado Springs, CO PUBLIC ART NETWORK COUNCIL Renee Piechocki - Artist/Public Art Consultant - Pittsburgh, PA Lajos Héder - Environmental Artist/Architect, Harries/Héder - Cambridge, MA Martha Peters (re-elected) - Vice President, Public Art, Arts Council of Fort Worth & Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX For more information on the council elections, please visit the press room. Ruth Lilly, Arts Patron, Passes Away December 31, 2009—The Board and Staff of Americans for the Arts are saddened to share the news that Ruth Lilly, noted philanthropist and arts patron, died on Dec 30 at age 94. Ms. Lilly was a lifelong supporter of the arts, in both her home state of Indiana and throughout the country. In 2002 Ms. Lilly generously presented a $120 million gift to Americans for the Arts. "The selfless vision and generosity of Ms. Ruth Lilly has benefitted numerous arts groups, artists, and cultural audiences across the United states. Her extraordinary gift to Americans for the Arts allowed us to greatly expand our work in serving nonprofit arts groups and local arts agencies, as well as advancing the arts for all. She will be deeply missed." said Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts. Ruth Lilly was the last surviving great-grandchild of pharmaceutical magnate Eli Lilly. Over the course of her life, Lilly gave away the bulk of her inheritance; an estimated $800 million reported USA Today. A great deal of her philanthropic focus was given to institutions in her native Indiana. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels said Lilly ''personified the family tradition of overwhelming generosity and special devotion to the state of Indiana.'' ''Her countless gifts will keep on giving for generations,'' he said.


Login	7/29/2010

americans for the arts news