Conduits and Catalysts: A National Study on Local Arts Agencies
Part of the 2024 GIA Conference Blog
Grantmakers in the Arts
“Conduits and Catalysts: A National Study on Local Arts Agencies” was organized by Eleanor Billington (National Endowment for the Arts) and Randy Engstrom (Third Wave Creative) and co-presented by Sally Dix, Randy Engstrom, Patricia Mullaney-Loss, Tracey Knuckles, and Dennis Okyere.
Local Arts Agencies (LAAs) provide a wide range of programs and services to strengthen the arts infrastructure in nearly every county across the United States. LAAs play a central role within an ecosystem of creative workers, residents, visitors, and arts and cultural organizations, local municipalities, and other partners. They are always evolving and innovating to meet the needs of their communities—whether a single village or a multi-state region. LAAs even take part in community and economic development by collaborating with entities in tourism, social services, business, housing, transportation, public education, and public safety. For the first time in its history, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has embarked on a national survey to better understand, document, and connect the LAA field. The NEA’s contractor, 2M Research, is producing a comprehensive mixed-methods study framework for mapping the Local Arts Agency ecosystem nationwide. This panel will give attendees a first look at some of the data and research to date.
Graphic Recording capturing the conversation from the breakout session “Conduits and Catalysts: A National Study on Local Arts Agencies.” Drawn by Urban Wild Studio for GIA.
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