Causes:
Alliances & Advocacy,
Arts & Culture,
Arts, Culture & Humanities,
Arts Services,
Management & Technical Assistance
Mission: Advocating for the power of the arts, culture, arts education, and creative industries in michigan, and cultivating the creative sector through professional development and strategic communications.
Programs: Michigan cultural data project - led outreach, fundraising and research as the intermediary for this online data system originally owned and operated by the pew charitable trusts, and now operated by the cultural data project (www. Culturaldata. Org) as of april 1, 2013, to affirm the impact and vitality of nonprofit arts and cultural organizations on a state-by-state basis. Organizations benefit from no-cost trend and comparison reporting, funders gain comparable grantee data informing grantmaking decisions, and advocates gain reliable comprehensive data strengthening case-making for the arts. This year, --continued on schedule o-- artserve worked in partnership with the pew charitable trusts and the cultural data project and in michigan with the council of michigan foundations, leading funders, the michigan council for arts and cultural affairs to guide this initiative. Now in its fourth year, the michigan cdp (www. Miculturaldata. Org) is continuing to build momentum with 943 organizations registered in the system as of november 20, 2013. Of this total, 789 organizations had data profiles in the michigan cdp. In addition, there were a total of 2,131 data profiles in the michigan cdp of which 1,689 profiles had been submitted. Arts and cultural organizations are also continuing to use the reporting functions of cdp increasing the benefits of these capacity building tools. By year end, 22 funders had invested in the initiative and 16 michigan funders required or recommended use of the cdp by its grant applicants or for grant reporting. Artserve also led grantmaking in partnership with the pew charitable trust, and subsequently the cultural data project and assisted in securing funding for the program budget. As of august 27, 2013 84 new user orientation sessions were conducted benefitting 698 attendees in onsite session and michigan and national webinars. A total of 54 reports orientation sessions were also held benefitting 140 attendees also in onsite and webinar sessions. Statewide, a total of 630 arts and cultural organizations benefitted from these training opportunities.
capacity building programs - art services/education: kresge arts in detroit fellowships - delivered annual program of professional development experiences designed to meet needs of the kresge foundation's year 4 (12 visual artists) fellows and year 5 (19 literary and performing artists) in southeast michigan to help them plan, cultivate and sustain their creative practices. Program includes strategic planning retreat with creative capital, monthly workshops with state, national and international arts experts, and two --continued on schedule o-- rounds of individual consultations. Also participated in the planning and presentations for the second artx detroit exhibition in april 2013 featuring the work of the artist fellows for years 3 and 4. Creative many seminars - delivered regional professional practice seminars in partnership with universities and local arts partners - planning, resourcing, promoting, and protecting your practice - to strengthen professional practices for michigan artists and creative practitioners. This statewide program launched in fall 2010 with support from the emily hall tremaine foundation and the first two-year cycle concluded in september 2012. In september 2012, the foundation awarded artserve with a second two-year grant to allow continued growth and expansion of this program that has served more than 500 artists in 8 regions statewide. In september 2013, artserve also hosted its first statewide creative many summit, convening artists and creatives in a 2. 5-day forum exploring the expanding role of artists in community placemaking initiatives. This summit was supported by grant funding from the michigan council for the arts and cultural affairs. Lawyers for the creative economy - led continued program planning for the lawyers for the creative economy initiative launched with cultivation events in november 2012 in grand rapids and december 2012 in detroit with steering committee comprised of attorneys engaged in former volunteer lawyers for the arts program. This initiative is designed to provide pro bono or low-fee intellectual property and creativity-related legal resources for artists, creative practitioners, business and nonprofit organizations in partnership with the arts communication entertainment and sports section of the state bar of michigan, detroit creative corridor center and national endowment for the arts. This year, artserve hired a new contractual coordinator to assist with finalizing efforts to officially begin providing program services - legal referrals, seminars, online resources and code dialogue events for artists and attorneys on legal issues in the creative realm. Community supported art (detroit pilot) - initiated this pilot program in partnership with springboard for the arts and the james l. And john s. Knight foundation to connect local artists to local arts collectors and patrons through the donation of shares of an "art harvest" season. Piloted in detroit in 2012 with 9 juried artists who received a 1,000 stipend to create 50 individual works of art for the program to be distributed to local patrons. Shareholders and artists connected at local share "pick-up" events. The pilot program ended this year but remains available for replication in other michigan communities interested in its opportunities.
strategic communications - positioned arts, culture and arts education as essential to the public well-being and michigan's economic resilience and connected constituents to information and resources while engaging dialogue on issues facing the creative sector - through its website, communications and media outreach, social media. Continued partnership with tanner friedman in the delivery of media outreach and public relations services for artserve and its statewide work achieving over 425 media placements in the calendar year. Used independent contractor services to manage social media and online --continued on schedule o-- communications. Initiated a new institutional marketing committee to guide artserve's marketing and communications strategies. Continued publication of creative impact michigan e-magazine this year to affirm and raise awareness of the significant impact of arts and culture across michigan through custom-produced feature stories, spotlights on organizations, artists or creative community news, and monthly videos. Included statewide events calendar for arts and cultural organizations and artists to promote events and build new audiences. Selected tanner friedman as new publisher partner for second-year operations beginning in june 2012, and adjusted the publication schedule from bi-weekly to monthly basis based on reader feedback. Supported by the michigan council for arts and cultural affairs, the michigan state housing development authority, and leading michigan foundations.
advocacy and public policy - led research, grassroots organizing, coalition building and lobbying to advance policies and sustainable public/private funding supporting the arts, culture and arts education. Artserve's case is grounded on the belief that arts and culture is an essential ingredient to michigan's reinvention - contributing jobs and economic benefits, creating vibrant communities to attract/retain business and talent, supporting statewide cultural tourism aims, and transforming lives of people of all ages. During this year, artserve released its second creative state mi report affirming economic, audience reach and cultural tourism impacts of michigan's nonprofit arts and cultural sector using data from the michigan cultural data project (www. Culturaldata. Org). The report revealed that arts and cultural organizations generated more than billion dollars in michigan's economy, contributed 22,335 jobs, and served more than 15. 7 million people; the next creative state mi report will be released in january 2014 (www. Creativestatemi. Org). This report positioned artserve to successfully engage its statewide networks and advocate for the first meaningful increase in state arts funding in back- to-back years - a fy 2014 appropriation of 8. 15 million for the michigan council for arts and cultural affairs. Artserve also shared information online with candidates and constituents on issues related to the arts, culture, arts education and creative industries. Represented michigan on the americans for the arts' state arts advocacy network, was represented at afta's arts advocacy day in washington, dc where information was shared with michigan congressional leaders, and attended and represented creative state mi at afta's national convention in pittsburgh. Also led efforts to inform and engage a statewide network of effective advocates for the importance of k thru 12 arts education in michigan as member of the michigan youth arts roundtable, working together with the interlochen center for the arts, michigan youth arts association, the michigan council for arts and cultural affairs, and the michigan department of education, and a consortium of 16 statewide arts education organizations. These efforts were supported by the baseline information on arts education released in september 2012 from the first michigan arts education survey on the status of arts education in michigan's k thru 12 schools and included efforts to further develop and disseminate an arts education policy platform and recommendations. As part of these efforts, shared information with the partnership organizations, the michigan board of education and legislative leaders. Was represented at the kennedy center alliance for arts education network annual meeting where information was shared with michigan congressional leaders. This year, artserve continued efforts to further establish the artserve michigan arts action network as an affiliated, independent 501(c)4 nonprofit organization formed to strengthen advocacy capacity and impacts, engage advocates and leverage resources to influence positive change for arts, culture and arts education at the federal, state and local levels in michigan (www. Miartsaction. Org). While the network was not actively engaged this year due to capacity challenges, artserve contributed modest funding to continuing its support of start-up costs for the new affiliated corporation. Changes to programs there were no changes to artserve's mission or priorities during the fiscal year. Certain programs were added or expanded during the fiscal year in alignment with the organization's mission: the creative state mi research and reporting initiative was continued this year with the release of the second report in january 2013 using data from the michigan cultural data project and other sources to document the contributing impacts of michigan's arts and cultural sector to the economy, communities, education, and audiences statewide. Under this brand, a new two-year partnership continued with the detroit creative corridor center for private sector creative industries research, reporting and case- making. The first report was released in january 2014. The community supported art detroit pilot program was initiated during last fiscal year in partnership with springboard for the arts (st. Paul, mn) and the james l. And john s. Knight foundation to connect local artists with local arts patrons through the distribution of shares of an "arts harvest" season. Designed as a pilot program, the initiative was concluded but remains available for replication in other michigan communities. No significant activity was reported for this year. During this year, artserve provided professional consulting services to western michigan university and the department of fine and performing arts in the development of a study evaluating opportunities to equip arts students with entrepreneurial skill building. Artserve also provided consultant services to artscenter traverse city in the facilitation of an online artist and community survey to assist the organization in exploring opportunites for a new arts center. More information about artserve artserve michigan is the statewide nonprofit organization leading advocacy for the arts, culture and arts education, and the transformative power of the creative industries in michigan. Our mission is to "cultivate the creative potential of michigan's arts and cultural sector to enhance the health and well-being of michigan, its people and communities. " collaboration is at the heart of artserve's work. The organization was formed in 1997 through the merger of the arts foundation of michigan, business volunteers for the arts, concerned citizens for the arts in michigan, and the michigan alliance for arts education - bringing together 32 years of statewide arts leadership. Artserve's 2006 merger with the michigan association of community arts agencies further strengthened the voice for the arts, culture and arts education in michigan. Artserve is the designated michigan representative to the americans for the arts state arts advocacy network and the kennedy center alliance for arts education network. Crain's detroit business recognized artserve as a best managed nonprofit award finalist in both 2009 and 2010. Artserve serves three primary constituent groups statewide -- artists and creative professionals comprising the creative industries, arts and cultural organizations and leadership, and arts educators. The organization seeks to engage local, regional and statewide partners and stakeholders sharing our belief in the essential and contributing role of arts, culture and arts education, and the creative industries for the future of michigan. Sustainability - continued efforts to increase artserve's financial capacity through development efforts focused primarily on grantmaking for programs and operations, individual donor cultivation, organizational memberships, increased program income, and coordination of year-end and mid-year fundraising campaigns. These activities were primarily conducted by the president and ceo due to the elimination of the director of development position in september 2012.
