“Remake the Model”

This series is designed to develop new funding models that will support the arts through large-scale economic transformations and inspire the next generation of philanthropists.

Hosted by Sean McManus, Co-founder, AFF and Co-founder, M+D and Melissa Cowley Wolf, Director, AFF and Founder, MCW Projects. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

We extend a very special thanks to our speakers, and are honored to learn from their work. In this discussion, we discussed how cultural communities can advance ethical leadership during a time of crisis and transformation. Here are some of the AFF team’s top takeaways drawn from the ideas and comments of our speakers:

1. Trust artists and take risks
   This past year artists have fearlessly led the way through uncertainty, regularly inspiring us all to build a better and more sustainable world. Boards of directors should listen to this leadership and heads of cultural institutions should take more risks — to reinvent their systems and structures, and embrace change. Communities expect these shifts and the crises of 2020 provide license to take bold actions that would otherwise be politically difficult. The only risk lies in not seizing this moment. 
    

2. Share experiences and embrace collaboration 
   As grantmaking foundations and art funders experiment with how to best facilitate unrestricted funds for those navigating crisis, there is an opportunity for knowledge sharing among our communities. Working cooperatively to explore best practices for new funding models and collectively measuring outcomes improves the industry as well as individual programs and institutions. 
    

3. Expand opportunities through technology 
   The pandemic has changed the very notion of social cohesion, which is the stated mission of so many arts organizations. In cities defined by social fragmentation, where cultural institutions struggle with inclusion, how can cohesion be achieved through new digital channels and programmatic formats? This is the moment to be more creative, think differently and learn how digital technologies can create some of the magic that has been lost. 
    

4. Create space for disagreement and growth 
   It is incredibly difficult for cultural workers to advocate for social justice inside their organizations without risking their jobs, especially during such a vulnerable time. Institutional leaders and boards need to do what great CEOs in the private sector do -- provide channels for employees to question authority, drive change and raise issues without fear.

We extend a very special thanks to our speakers, and are honored to learn from their work. In this discussion we explored how arts funders and cultural communities can broaden audiences and inspire new generations of philanthropists. Here are some of the AFF team’s top takeaways drawn from the ideas and comments of our speakers:

1. Art funders need to become more comfortable with risk. Too many foundations and philanthropic organizations focus on supporting existing infrastructures. Investors have always embraced risk, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley; what opportunities emerge when social investors take more risks? By supporting emerging artists and disruptive cultural institutions, how can funders help drive innovation and reinvent the arts?
    

2. The arts need better alignment with the public and private sectors. As digital media and entertainment create new business opportunities, the cultural sector needs to leverage these trends to create financial opportunities for artists. As many artists transform into “creative entrepreneurs,” municipalities and private investors who support entrepreneurship should also support artists and institutions.
    

3. The current paradigm shift forces us to leave behind antiquated ideas and behaviors. This is a time of reckoning. Institutions and individuals are being asked to recognize and address structural inequities. How can funders and communities support each other to advance justice and shape the ways justice can permeate institutions? What shifts in philanthropy are necessary to democratize funding so communities can have a vote in cultural engagement? 
    

4. It’s imperative to make cultural institutions and artists accessible to broad audiences. The art world is intimidating on many levels. There are too many mental barriers and institutional signifiers of who belongs and who does not. Too much value in the arts is derived by a lack of transparency. We need to grow the pie, both to encourage new audiences and voices but also to motivate next-generation philanthropists to become involved as donors, art collectors, and advisors.

We extend a very special thanks to our speakers. We are proud to count these leaders among our community and to learn from their work. We see this moment of great change as a catalyst for new models of arts funding. In this discussion we explored how art funders can reorient towards the needs of communities to support the arts in more equitable and sustainable ways. Here are some of the AFF team’s top takeaways: 

1. Redefine the role of philanthropy.  Funders should think beyond financial support and consider donations of time, physical space, and intellectual capital. Hands-on participation within arts communities can help build greater understanding of what resources are needed for long-term financial sustainability. Examine new narratives around philanthropy and reimagine what it means to be a supporter, investor, and promoter.

2. The nonprofit model is not the only one. Alternative funding models, such as hybrid and for-profit models, help communities achieve financial self-determination and can provide collective agency. Equity and community should lie at the heart of grantmaking.

3. Traditional philanthropy should operate with intent to solve problems. Foundations should exist to overcome specific challenges and help pave the way for financial independence for grantees. 

4. If it’s broke, don’t fix it—reinvent it. Artists, creatives, and social entrepreneurs should not be required to work within models that are inherently exclusionary. Above all, the model must reflect the goals of artists and communities. 

Our gratitude goes out to our speakers Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, who shared inspiring words and real-world examples of how the arts can drive structural change in society, and David Callahan, Founder and Editor of Inside Philanthropy, who expertly discussed the role of the philanthropic sector in solving injustice and inequality. 

We hope that during these transformational times, this conversation was one small step in building a more just world. AFF will continue to engage with issues of ethics and equality in arts philanthropy. AFF believes we can all contribute to driving meaningful change by asking ourselves these questions every day: 

1. How can cultural institutions create more diverse boards? 

2. How can we steer resources towards social justice? 

3. How can we influence public policy?  

4. How can we drive more attention and funding to organizations run by people of color for people of color?

5. How can we support artists who advocate for change?

6. How can we convince more people of the value of the arts to change the world?

7. How can we turn the current economic crisis into an opportunity to shape the future of cultural philanthropy? 

8. How can we all work to reform the system from within?

We extend a very special thanks to our speakers. Here are six solution-oriented takeaways from the discussion: 

1. Artists and cultural institutions need to embrace technology.  
TikTok, AR/VR, Zoom and beyond...arts organizations should embrace leading tech platforms as a way to engage new audiences and monetize content and cultural experiences. This requires reimagining traditional notions of artistic spaces. 

2. Millennials and Gen Z audiences engage with organizations that speak to their core values. 
To connect with the next generation of funders, institutions need to clearly define and communicate their social impact. Young philanthropists want opportunities to uplift communities and amplify solutions to global challenges.

3. Anyone can be a patron of the arts.
Creating new opportunities for a rising generation of funders to experience cultural philanthropy—without requiring mega donations—is long-term thinking. But it requires understanding changing mindsets and creating high-impact experiences.

4. ⁣Supporting artists is an imperative. 
Art is embedded in everything we do. There would be no Netflix without artists and storytellers, and where would we be without Netflix during a quarantine? As the current crisis makes artists increasingly vulnerable, donors at every level should find ways to support the future of the arts.  

5. The cultural community must advance new narratives to express value.
Artists and cultural institutions have a unique opportunity during this crisis to shape new narratives about the role of the arts in society, and to position the arts as a way to heal and recover. Highlighting this intrinsic value will underscore to new and existing donors the importance of their contributions. 

6. This is the time to experiment with new partnership models. 
The COVID-19 Artist Relief Fund is an example of how quickly new models can emerge when there is collective will and innovative leadership. Now is the time to look to trusted partners, longtime collaborators, unexpected places. As the arts more closely aligns with social impact, new opportunities will emerge to expand conventional partnership models.

We extend a very special thanks to our speakers. Here are five solution-oriented takeaways from the discussion: 

1. ⁣Technology is a mechanism for delivering cultural content, but should also support storytelling and education to express the value of the arts to a wider audience — especially during such a critical and⁣⁣ captive moment.⁣⁣

2. ⁣⁣Grassroots fundraising via tech platforms will democratize cultural philanthropy in the long term. This is the time to think about cultivating smaller donors who can not only make a significant collective impact in the short term, but also develop into larger donors over time.⁣⁣

3. ⁣⁣Cultural institutions should look to lessons from other industries to inform monetization on digital channels. The media industry's painful transition to paywalls and sustainable business models can provide useful insights.⁣⁣

4. Creative partnerships are more crucial than ever before. Digital platforms can be leveraged for collaborations to reach a wider audience, and artists and institutions should look to funders and foundations that are focused on social impact broadly to make a case for their value.⁣⁣

5. Consumers of artistic content and corporations who can afford it, need to step up during this challenging time and support the artists and institutions who are helping communities to heal and thrive during this crisis. Don't wait for government... especially not now.⁣⁣

Be a part of the conversation about the future of arts funding. #ArtsFundersForum