Rationale

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Advocating for the arts of the future
An Arts Advocacy Partnership between Teachers
College/Columbia Universitys Program in Arts
Administration Harlem Arts AllianceThe
Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations
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MENTORS
Advocating for the arts of the future
Program in Arts Administration Teachers
College/Columbia University Joan Jeffri, Director
  Alliance of New York State Arts
Organizations Judith Weiner, Executive
Director Sherre Wesley, Ed.D. Harlem Arts
Alliance    Voza Rivers Linda Walton, Executive
Director                        
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PARTICIPANTS
Advocating for the arts of the future
Group 1 Harlem ArtistsMatt FreemanKatherine
GresselLaura SoldatiGroup 2 Program
directors and Education Specialists in arts and
cultural institutions in Harlem Lisa
Ellerbee Shino FukuiKristina ToddGroup 3 -
Candidates in Harlem and their platforms/opinions
on the arts and culture in HarlemMarisa
CaseyAmy FittererVirginia GrahamChristina
HuangHeidi NogoyEbonie Pittman
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Rationale

• The lack of cohesive support structures in the
  arts on the national and local levels has
  inspired students, artists, activists, and
  organizations to advocate on behalf of the arts.

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ABOUT HARLEM
Advocating for the arts of the future

• Boundaries
• Demographics
• Perceptions

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Boundaries
Advocating for the arts of the future
165th Street
N
?
96th Street -110th Street, East side 110th
Street - 165th Street, River to River.
110th Street
96th Street
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Demographics

• Experiencing rapid growth from 1990 onward
• Growth of Upper Manhattan exceeds the rest of
  Manhattan
• 5 times more growth of housing units
• 3 times more population growth
• Source Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, 2005
  Annual Report

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Perceptions

• Diversity
• Lack of safety
• Lack of accessibility or transportation

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METHODOLOGYPersonal InterviewsFocus
GroupsSurveys
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Personal Interviews

• Arts Organizations
• Small start-up (0-3 years)
• Adolescent (3-15 years)
• Mature (15)
• Legislators
• City Council
• Assemblymen
• State Senators
• Lieutenant Governor Elect

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Focus Groups

• Harlem Artists
• Concerns
• Wants
• Needs

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Surveys

• Legislators
• Survey sent to 50 New York City elected officials
• Artists
• Demographic analysis of focus group participants
• Recent Harlem Arts Alliance Survey of 70 Artists

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Advocating for the arts of the future
THEMES Gentrification Collaboration Funding
Education
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Advocating for the arts of the future
GENTRIFICATION Impact Elements Possible Solutions
Lt. Governor-Elect Paterson The only way to
preserve the heart of Harlem during heavy
gentrification is to support the arts and culture
of the neighborhood.
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• The Impact of Gentrification
• Rents are increasing because of developers
• Artists appreciate new resources in the
  neighborhood, but recognize that this pushes the
  small business person out
• People come to Harlem, make money and leave.
• Dichotomy between gentrification and persistent
  signs of poverty
• Current residents feel that if they are going to
  have to pay a certain amount for rent, the area
  should be up to a certain standard, which is not
  the case everywhere in Harlem
• Contrast between new luxury housing and
  persistent quality of life issues drug dealing,
  panhandling, poor conditions in older housing

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• Racism within Harlem- Is there a problem with
  identifying Harlem as Black?
• Harlem has internal battles for its identity
• The Black audience does not understand the
  symbols that I use in my work, but the white
  folks do!

Present Harlemites do not know the history of
where they stand.
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• What Can Be Done?
• Vacant storefronts still exist, which could be
  used as studio spaces for artists
• PS 109 Project (Supported by Adam Clayton Powell)
• Aims to transform a former school on 99th between
  2nd and 3rd Avenue into a residence for Harlem
  Artists
• Partnership with ArtSpace to make an appeal to
  the City of New York
• Building on 122nd
• Is this low-income housing or specifically for
  artists?

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Advocating for the arts of the future

• COLLABORATION
• Between
• Legislators
• Artists
• Art Organizations
• Businesses Developers

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• Collaboration Between Legislators
• Working together to have a stronger voice
• Bringing together members of groups like aging
  artists to help legislators advocate for them

Lt. Governor Elect Paterson It is very hard to
advocate for individuals that are not in alliance
with others. If someone would start a non-profit
for aging artists, we could help them far more
than we are able to now.
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• Collaboration Between Artists
• Networking among artists to share information re
  Grants, Support, Information, Promotion
• Assistance from centralized body in health
  insurance/health care
• Expansion of networking opportunities provided by
  arts service organizations, such as the Harlem
  Arts Alliances (HAA) monthly meetings
• A Harlem Arts Alliance survey of 70 Harlem
  artists conducted in Fall 2005 reported that over
  90 of artists found the HAA meetings and
  web/email updates helpful

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• Collaboration Between Arts Organizations
• Increasing benefits created by organizational
  partnerships
• Additional Grants
• Increased Visibility
• Larger Market Reach
• An organization in Harlem is hoping to form a
  collaboration with other Upper Manhattan
  organizations for increased outreach, funding and
  marketing
• Joining forces of local Community Boards

CB 10 Member I dream of arts without borders
in Harlem a collective arts district.
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• Collaboration Between Businesses Developers
• Need for increased incentives for developers to
  include art spaces
• Need for zoning laws for artists live/work
  spaces
• Harlem Childrens Zone and Upper Manhattan
  Empowerment Zone (UMEZ) Benefits Limits
• Need for synergy between arts services,
  organizations and small businesses, and volunteer
  consulting services to help organizations and
  artists secure space and navigate real estate
  market
• East 125th Street Development includes plan for
  30,000 sq. ft of arts space
• Local shops and businesses could provide artists
  with opportunities to sell their work artists
  report that such opportunities are limited,
  especially since vending permit laws are
  perceived as harsh

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Advocating for the arts of the future
FUNDING The Funding Picture Funding Issues
Assemblywoman Rosenthal, on her Art policy
platform As much funding as possible for arts
and not just the big organizations.
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The Funding Picture

• Legislative priority of the arts
• Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA)
• FY2002 Budget 139 million
• FY2006 Budget 133 million
• FY2007 Budget 151.9 million
• .28 of NYC budget of 52.9 billion
• New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA)
• 1975 Budget 34 million
• 1990 Budget 50 million
• 2005 Budget 42.3 million
• 2006 Budget 42.7 million

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The Funding Picture

• Tourism initiatives
• Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone (UMEZ)
• Arts Business Council
• Harlem One Stop (www.harlemonestop.com)

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Funding Issues

• WWhere to find information
• HHow to apply
• MMaking a case for the arts
• FFunding for Harlem-specific artists,
  organizations and initiatives
• FFunding to support increased collaboration

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Education

• Artists, Organizations, Legislators, Educators,
  and General Public.
• Who is responsible for education in each context?
• Each stakeholder has much to teach and much to
  learn.

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Advocating for the arts of the future
ARTISTS ORGANIZATIONS
educational needs include

• Professional Development
• Technology
• Management Marketing Skills
• Funding Sources/Grant-writing
• Resources Available
• Space
• Health care
• Housing
• Politics Advocacy
• Community Outreach

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Advocating for the arts of the future
LEGISLATORS
educational needs include

• Constituents' Needs
• Key Stakeholders
• Arguments for the Arts
• District Arts Participation
• District Arts-related Projects
• Arts-related Legislation
• Outreach
• Arts Advocacy Days

State Senator Schneiderman There should
be a program to educate the government
about the importance of the arts.
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Who is Responsible?

• Artists
• Organizations
• Legislators
• All arts supporters

We all have the potential to be
educators advocates!
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Advocating for the arts of the future
CONCLUSION

• Arguments in support of the arts
• Looking into the future

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Arguments in Support of the Arts
Arana Hankin, Arts and Culture spokesperson for
Lt. Gov. Paterson What officials SAY about
their support for the arts is very different from
the actions they actually take on the floor when
voting for a bill.
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What is next? Looking into the Future

• Political Environment/Changes
• Organizational Management/Technical Skills
• Collaboration Upstate and Downstate
• Networking Opportunities for Artists

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Advocating for the arts of the future
CONTACT INFORMATION
Program in Arts Administration, Teachers
College/Columbia University Joan Jeffri, Director
arad_at_columbia.edu                
  Alliance of New York State Arts
Organizations Judith Weiner, Executive
Director jkweiner_at_thealliancenys.org     
  Sherre Wesley, Ed.D. swesley_at_optonline.net     
      Harlem Arts Alliance    Voza Rivers 
                            vorivers_at_aol.com Lin
da Walton, Executive Director                     
                           
advocacy_at_harlemaa.org