Oh, Canada!

Eh, Canada! Your new Prime Minister is gorgeous, progressive and supports the arts, too?

Why Canada’s New Prime Minister Might Be Good for the Arts, Eh?
by Gabriella Santiago-Vancak, Hyperallergic, October 20, 2015

Vivian Phillips: new leadership for Seattle's arts commission

Vivian Phillips
Chair, Seattle Arts Commission
(Photo by Jerry and Lois Photography)

Last month, the Seattle Arts Commission announced that Vivian Phillips--director of marketing and communications for the Seattle Theatre Group--would become the 16-member commission's new Chair (click here). Ms. Phillips has an extensive background in arts management, marketing and advocacy. She agreed to respond to a few questions about what's stirring with artists, communities and arts policies in Seattle.

*****

EYA: You have a background in media as well as marketing for arts organizations. What motivated you to become involved on a larger scale in arts advocacy and arts policy for your city?

VP: The majority of my work in media has been focused on elevating the arts. I’ve given 100% to arts advocacy, management, and support since the 1980’s. This is my second time serving on the Seattle Arts Commission, and it just happens that this time I’ve become chair. I have training as a political strategist and served a former Mayor as Director of Communications.

Policy is important to me, but assuring that a policy is implemented is often the challenge and even more important. As Chair of the Arts Commission, my experience and passion work together, and with my fellow commissioners, I advise on policy and its equitable implementation. 

The Seattle Arts Commission supports the Office of Arts and Culture as an advisory and advocacy body, so my primary responsibility is to lead the work of the Commission in ways that uphold that responsibility. This year, all of our work will be done with an eye on holding an equity lens up to all of our decisions, be it funding or community engagement. We are working closely with the Seattle Office for Civil Rights and developing a set of tools and philosophies that will help assure that we are being accountable to creating an arts environment that is more racially equitable in all areas.

In January, the entire Commission participated in two half-days of race and equity training so that we could all have a common starting place from which to move for our work together. A number of new initiatives and programs will launch in 2015, some of which could have incredible impacts on communities of color.  My job is to lead the body in a way that leads to successful outcomes.

EYA: What arts-related issues are top of mind today for Seattle's citizens?

VP: Equity! It’s not enough to be diverse. Along those lines, there is a big gentrification issue and we are in the process now of establishing the Central Area, as a Cultural Arts District. The Central Area is experiencing an enormous amount of development and gentrification and so with our capacity for applying an equity lens to all the work and investments we can make, this is a great opportunity to make a big difference. We don’t know yet how we will make it all come together, but we do know that we are willing to take a risk and do it in a way that increases not just the appearance but the true outcomes in an equitable fashion.   

Under the banner of equity, our work plan also touches on increased outreach and engagement with arts and artists from communities of color. Social justice is obviously a big part of achieving equity as well. The Office just held a #SeaArtsFem Twitter conversation yesterday, and the conversation garnered lots of participation. There are a lot of women making moves in the arts in Seattle right now. Women are expressing their leadership in the arts today in beautiful and effective ways. I think this is noticeable and also top of mind.

EYA: Do you see ways in which Seattle can model sound arts policy for other cities across the nation? What arts initiatives, resources or upcoming events are you particularly excited about this year?

VP: Seattle is already modeling. The Creative Advantage, an initiative to restore arts education to Seattle Public School classrooms, is a program out of our Office of Arts and Culture, and the Seattle Arts Commission. This initiative is unique and leading the path toward equitable arts access.

The Office just launched a Spacefinder Tool that literally documents and provides access to information on all of the cultural arts spaces in the city. And Artists Up is a program designed to support access to funding to targeted groups of artists. These are all programs are examples of sound arts policies that are of interest to arts policy-makers around the nation.  

I’m particularly excited about and focused on the successful transition of Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute into a private non-profit organization, and the designation of the Cultural Arts District for the Central Area. These are cultural assets that need to be fully supported in a thoughtful and strategic way and I’m thrilled to be in a position where I can take a more active role in shaping these two things.  

In addition to the two things listed above, Seattle will be experiencing it’s first District-based City Council elections in the coming year. Several current Council members are leaving and the field is getting quite full of potential candidates. The Commission will hold candidate forums this year so we are clear about who supports the arts and how they intend to deliver.  

It’s a very interesting moment in time, and I feel like this is where my experiences, skills, energy, contacts and history can all culminate for the benefit of the arts, artists and community I love so deeply!

*****

Keep up with Seattle's progressive arts initiatives here.

NYC Cultural Affairs chief to launch diversity survey

Measuring Diversity in City Arts Organizations
Department of Cultural Affairs Embarks on Diversity Survey
by Jennifer Smith, The Wall Street Journal, January 4, 2015

Take part in NYSCA's online survey of cultural activity participation

Surveying New Yorkers’ Cultural Landscape
by Patricia Cohen, The New York Times, July 8, 2014

CUNY initiative for choreographers will engage all five boroughs

City University of New York Announces Dance Initiative
by Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times, April 15, 2014

Eligibility: New York City resident choreographers

residency between June 1 and December 31, 2014

DEADLINE: APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED 

BY 11:59PM ON APRIL 30, 2014

Visit cuny.edu/danceinitiative for complete information.

Queens Museum's Finkelpearl gets NYC Cultural Affairs top post

Museum Director to Be Commissioner of Cultural Affairs
Mayor de Blasio Names Tom Finkelpearl of the Queens Museum
by Robin Pogrebin, The New York Times, April 6, 2014

City Comptroller report: NYC's low-income students lack arts education

Arts Education Lacking in Low-Income Areas of New York City, Report Says
by Vivian Yee, The New York Times, April 7, 2014

No safety net for retiring US dancers

'A Dancer Dies Twice': The Unique, Sad Challenge of Retiring From Ballet

Acclaimed ballerina Wendy Whelan is just one of many professional dancers who find themselves struggling to transition into new careers as they hit middle age.

 by Maroosha Muzaffar, The Atlantic, March 7, 2014

State of NYC Dance 2013 report from Dance/NYC

The study you are about to read does more to reveal the activity, economics, and workforce of New York City dance makers than any prior Dance/NYC research. For the first time, it tracks dance trends in the New York State Cultural Data Project (CDP) over time, showing us where the art form has gone and may be headed. By integrating a sample of local dance makers sponsored by Fractured Atlas, it speaks in more inclusive terms about our evolving creative ecology.

Study findings underscore the value of nonprofit groups in the CDP study sample as contributors and ambassadors for our City, with thousands of performances locally and on tour, millions in paid attendance, and $251 million in aggregate expenditures. Findings also demonstrate the industry’s resourcefulness in attracting diverse revenue streams—public, private, and earned—and its efficiency in putting resources to use in making dance, with 83% of dance makers’ expenditures going to programs.

--from the report introduction by Lane Harwell, Executive Director, Dance/NYC

To read the full report or highlights, click the following links:

Download the Full Report PDF.

Download the Report Highlights PDF. 

BRIC House multidisciplinary arts center opens tomorrow

Brooklyn Arts Group to Reopen in Former Strand Theater

by Robin Pogrebin, The New York Times, October 1, 2013

NEA and NEH still lack permanent chairpersons

Vacancies Hamper Agencies for Arts
by Patricia Cohen, The New York Times, August 7, 2013

CSI's Paul Nagle on the mayoral candidate forum on education, arts and culture

Paul Nagle, Executive Director of Cultural Strategies Initiatives (CSI), shared his own take on--and ultimate frustration with--last night's mayoral candidate forum.

Read Nagle's post--"But Seriously Folks"--here.

NYC mayoral candidates interviewed on education and arts policies

WNYC's Leonard Lopate (left) and Kurt Andersen, moderators
(c)2013, Eva Yaa Asantewaa 

Perhaps a month ago, I wondered if any of the current candidates for Mayor of the City of New York had positions on arts policy. As a supporter of Bill de Blasio, a progressive Democrat, I checked his Web site first and then looked at a few others. I didn't find anything. So, I got in touch with Dance/NYC Executive Director Lane Harwell. Harwell said, Hang on: There's a forum in the works.

And now, in no special order, a list of things I learned from last night's Mayoral Candidates forum on The Future of Education, Arts and Culture in New York City at Teachers College, Columbia University:

1. Most mayoral candidates, some of whom have backgrounds related to the educational system, seem on safer, firmer ground when the discussion is posited as "the future of education including the role of the arts in education," not "the future of arts and artists in New York." Which might be why, this event--billed as a forum on the arts when I first learned of it--became one largely addressing arts in our schools.

Lopate and Andersen
(c)2013, Eva Yaa Asantewaa 

2. Leonard Lopate (The Leonard Lopate Show) and Kurt Andersen (Studio 360) possess Herculean stamina and, in the case of Lopate, the sting of a wasp. Mindful of how someone I know always refers to the radio host as "boring," I was amused to hear Lopate ask provocative (and provoking) zingers and give these politicians and wannabes a verbal smack when he didn't care for their replies. Let's get Lopate to follow these guys around and zap 'em each time they equivocate--which should keep him busy.

City Council President Christine Quinn
(c)2013, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

3. The speed-dating format featured about fifteen minutes with each candidate being grilled by moderators but taking no questions from the audience. Surprisingly, these quick takes provided valuable impressions of each of these men and women, if not in-depth, detailed information about their potential arts policies. Democratic front-runner Christine Quinn, for instance, offered a snapshot of her notoriously aggressive personality by being the only person to employ sports lingo, and weirdly so--"We want to put arts on the offensive in the budget"--and use the expression "when I am Mayor," while managing to evade commitment to any specific solutions short of extending the school day by a couple of hours to add literacy-through-arts programming. Giuliani-backed Joe Lhota not only turned on his reputed charm and humor but also parted company with his former boss, criticizing how Giuliani's administration sidelined arts education. All went nicely until Lopate brought up Lhota's role in the Chris Ofili/Brooklyn Museum incident. "I learned a lot," said Lhota. "I made a mistake."

Staten Island's Rev. Erick Salgado
(c)2013, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

4. Fringe candidates you never heard of might not have a chance in hell, but they sometimes bring information and perspectives that broaden the discussion in a useful way. It fell to an actual working artist--poet and painter Abiodun Laurel-Smith, aka Abiodun Oladewa, Abbey or Smithie--to remind the moderators that artists don't necessarily exist just to entertain or even to educate in any kind of a socially-approved way. "You have to go to the people and find what the real art is," said the Oxford graduate. "Fine artists have an edge," and what they do will not always align with politicians' interests. CUNY professor and Green Party candidate Anthony Gronowicz--one of the few speakers to insist on the provision of more spaces in which artists can do their work--also noted the effect of the NYPD's stop-and-frisk policy on students from communities of color. After encounters with the police, "my students come to class shattered," he said. "How can they paint? How can they write?"

George McDonald, 
Founder and President of The Doe Fund
(c)2013, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

5. Then again, not every also-ran-to-be brought experiences and insights of value. George McDonald, founder and president of The Doe Fund--an organization serving the homeless, the formerly incarcerated and people with substance abuse histories--got off on the wrong foot with both moderators and audience by strangely rambling on about houses he owns. Andersen finally cut him off: "Congratulations on owning all this fantastic real estate on Long Island." Matters did not improve as McDonald swiftly went on to hail Bloomberg as an improvement over Giuliani, claiming that Bloomberg's willingness to hold meetings with Black people made New York a less racist place. McDonald put forth his idea for solving the trouble that both the arts and education face in our times: "New York City employees must pay for their health insurance." The topic of public school test scores brought to mind a family member's situation: "Not all students test well," he said. "My grandson, for instance." Andersen could not ignore this transgression, dryly replying, "You've just embarrassed your grandson." Clueless but ever optimistic, McDonald lobbied for our votes--or, at least, our willingness to tap our Republican friends--and ended with a cheery, "I'm conservative with your money and liberal with your rights!"

The Rev. Erick Salgado argued for community-based nonprofits having access to school buildings after hours. This made me wonder if he was talking about churches utilizing space in schools--a controversy--but, as noted before, the audience could ask no questions. Salgado went on to sidestep the topic of arts in education, finally saying he supports the idea of it. Clearly, though, he has no ideas for the integration of the arts and education but seems laser-focused on charter schools and tax breaks for parents who utilize them. John Catsimatidis, the Gristedes and Red Apple mogul, passionately took on the current administration's preoccupation with "bike lanes and building hills on Governors Island." Although he agreed with Andersen's suggestion that every school should have a full-time arts teacher, his main solution to the education dilemma seemed to concede to failure: Why must every student go through an academic program?  Let's offer them trade schools, instead, as a pathway to the middle class. Citing his immigrant family's experience, he said, "Let's teach people how to earn a living. You know what people are looking for? They're looking for hope. I made it, and you can make it, too."

Bill de Blasio, NYC Public Advocate
(c)2013, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

Joe Lhota, ex-MTA chair/CEO

(c)2013, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

6. Bill de Blasio needs someone to light a fire under his ass. Seriously. I can understand that he's being a realist and reasonable about the looming challenge the next mayor will face as he or she simultaneously deals with renegotiating multiple union contracts. Committing to an ambitious increase in arts funding across all five boroughs--such as promoted by One Percent for Culture, a co-presenter of this forum--might be foolhardy, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't come to an event like this prepared for the excellent opportunity to rev people up about why this issue matters to you, what you value and hold dear, what you're willing to fight for. Instead, de Blasio argued that he did not want to pander to us. Okay, no pandering, but Bill, give us something! Maybe the media largely ignore his campaign because--short of the noble, if quickly forgettable, act of getting arrested at a protest while other candidates slinked away--there's no real excitement there. But to give my favored candidate a break, at least he knows how to treat family. Referring to public speaking and noting his son Dante's presence in the front row, he took a moment to laud the teenager's talents as a speaker. Maybe Dante should run for mayor.

John Liu, Comptroller of the City of New York
Above and below (c)2013, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

7. Politics is a far nerdier profession than I'd ever imagined. Bill Thompson--another basically cautious soul--revealed that, as a child, he'd had "a love affair with dinosaurs." Quinn, quickly rounding on the moderators, defended the right of science to be considered culture: "Ask the Museum of Natural History!" John Liu, after critiquing the Board of Education's reliance on expensive consultants, and after laying out boilerplate, sounds-good stuff about nurturing talent in small community groups and immigrant neighborhoods--joked that he's "an actuary--that's an accountant minus the personality." The only certified comic on hand--Randy Credico--might consider updating his shtick. A Louis Armstrong impression in 2013? Really?

Jack Hidary, Founder and Chairman of Samba Energy
(c)2013, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

8. "Twenty years ago, I studied art and painting in this building," said Democrat Jack Hidary, an energy and Internet entrepreneur. He spoke those words with pride and a refreshing sense of living connection to the issue on the table. He ticked off benefits of the arts: economic development, revival of neighborhoods, increased tourism, investment in students and in teachers. Through a public-private partnership, he said, the 1% target is achievable. He vowed to get there and to forge partnerships between arts institutions and the 300 New York City schools that do not have these valuable links. He spoke of creating shared collaborative space for artists in neighborhoods of all five boroughs. Citing the dramatic drop in arts in education funding from $65 per student (ten years ago) to the current $2 per student, he argued that he would seek restoration of that money over a period of two years.

"Art," he said, "is core and part and parcel" of the educational experience. It should not be relegated to after-school activities. He exhorted New York to "teach for the real world, not the test," a world of industries seeking innovative people. "Get the kids participating in teams and on real projects," he said. "We're not in the 18th Century anymore. We're in a century that values teamwork, problem solving and creativity."

Sal Albanese, former City Council member
(c)2013, Eva Yaa Asantewaa

Other candidates appearing--or not:

Sal Albanese, former City Council member: Uses words like "synergy" and "holistic." Does not advocate an art tax but thinks that One Percent for Culture's call for an increase in city arts spending to a full 1% of the budget "makes a lot of sense." He would work in concert with the unions to modernize the city's pension plan--"a clunker"--along the lines of the Toronto system. He would partner with insurance companies to bring down healthcare costs. He is not against tax breaks for arts organizations. His campaign does not accept money from developers, lobbyists or anyone doing business with the city. He wants to set up pediatric wellness centers--one in each borough--to deal with the root causes of many issues our children face.

Ceceilia Berkowitz, accountant and academic: last in the forum lineup, and the less said, the better about her bizarre presentation in front of two probably exhausted moderators and a nearly-empty hall

Hilda Broady-Fernandez: not present

Adolfo Carrión, former Bronx Borough President (2001-2009) and Deputy Assistant and Director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs: Arrived as the forum progressed, sat in the front row for a short while, then got up and left.

Neil Grimaldi, Assistant District Attorney (Bronx County) and Special Narcotics Prosecutor, background in high school and grammar school teaching: not present

Walter Iwachiw, registered nurse: not present

James McMillan, famed Rent Is Too Damn High Party candidate and Viet Nam vet: not present

Carl Person, attorney: not present

And last, certainly not least...

Anthony Weiner: No, neither Weiner nor his alter ego, Carlos Danger, had time for this forum. New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd ("Quit is the Way to Roll," July 31) explained the whereabouts of the embattled warrior and most of the media, too.

At an event Tuesday evening in Times Square with advocates for New Yorkers with disabilities, the 48-year-old seemed tired, slight and young as he was thronged by the fierce Hydra-headed press beast. He looked as if he were running on raw will.

He apologized for being late, saying something about the “time-space continuum.”

Weiner tried to focus on the issues at hand, like wheelchair-accessible cabs. The auditorium was mostly empty, except for reporters following Weiner to see if he was going to drop out or admit that he had sexted recently.

*****

Forum co-presenters:

One Percent for Culture

Teachers College, Columbia University

Young Audiences New York

Dance as a sustainable art: a panel at 92Y

92nd Street Y

presents

MovementTalks: 

Sustainable Arts - Policy, Practice and Programing

Lise Brenner, Paul Nagle and Judy Hussie-Taylor

moderated by Edward Henkel

Friday, April 5 (8pm)

Let’s talk about artistic communities as tangible social assets, both for the artists themselves, and the role that protecting art-making plays in the daily life of our neighborhoods. What does maintaining the possibility for arts production (i.e. studio space, affordable housing, etc) give to the city? What do small business incentives, producing and curating contemporary dance, zoning laws, ConEd electrical rates for non-profits, and planting street trees have in common? This will be a discussion about choices and the creative ecology that results.

Program and ticket information

92nd Street Y (Buttenwieser Hall)
Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street, Manhattan
(map/directions)

Also: See Dance and the American Sacred Cows: Meat and Money, May 31, with Carrie Ahern and Zefrey Throwell

The fiscal cliff threatens dance and arts funding

 How the fiscal cliff will affect dancers and dance companies
 by Steven Weisz, The Dance Journal, Dec 28th, 2012

Dance Umbrella director will resign after 2013 season

Director of Britain’s Dance Umbrella to Step Down
by Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times, November 19, 2012

(How) Do we value dance and dancers?

How does the current climate affect our lives and artistic work, and vice versa? What creative insights and understandings, structures and alternatives, have manifest during this time of financial challenge. 

Movement Research held its third annual town hall last evening at Joyce SoHo, hosted by Diana Crum (MR's Development Manager) and MR's Artist Advisory Council and moderated by Dana Whitco (Director, Center for Creative Research). The roughly three-hour discussion forum encouraged artists to share perspectives on the impact of the US recession on their personal and professional lives. Offering an overview of the evening's theme, choreographer Kathy Westwater spoke of "living in the worst economic environment of our lifetimes" but also noted that the arts have often flourished in times of economic crisis. "Does that create an opening for us?" she wondered.

In a structured forum--five minutes per speaker--Jen Abrams, Ilona Bito, Daria Fain, Jill Sigman and Enrico Wey shared varied experiences and ideas. These ranged from remarks on how both trust and fear are lodged in our kidneys and the necessity of changing our paradigms (Fain) to Occupy Wall Street as "performance score" (Bito) to a cautionary tale of how landing an apparently stable Broadway gig--thereby becoming "one of the 1%"--doesn't necessarily promote well-being (Wey).

Sigman--decrying the prevailing scarcity-mindedness of artists--redirected our attention to "what we do have" and described how a sudden awareness of the ongoing potential in trash led to her notable series of site-specific works, The Hut Project built around all kinds of recycled, re-purposed garbage. She spoke of how this new approach shifted her attention from conventional dance audiences and their expectations to people who share her values, who care about the same things. She found herself to be "not interested in meeting budget projections" but connecting to existing subcultures such as dumpster-diving meetup groups. She pondered how to "choreograph your values." Abrams--a co-creator of the bartering organization for artists, OurGoods--also chose to turn away from conventional channels of exchange and validation where, she says, artists experience a paucity of respect and acknowledgement. "How I know that my work is valuable is through the relationships I have forged with colleagues."

Underlying all of these sharings, and the subsequent contributions by others in attendance, was an often internalized conflict of values. In a money-driven society, artists feel pressured to fit their work--how they define it, package it, promote it--into a narrow, consumerist framework in which their only value, and the purpose of their creative labor, lies in growing into a strong economic engine for their communities. Fain noted our society's fixation on "stars." She said of more process-oriented artists, such as the ones drawn to Movement Research, "We're not perceived to be affecting culture."

The conversation circled back to issues of getting paid vs. not getting paid-- there are bills to pay, after all, and they can't be bartered away--and the fear of asking for what you need and deserve. How many artists feel empowered to ask about pay before they commit to a project?

Side discussions with Dance New Amsterdam's Catherine Peila during the break and, afterwards, with Peila and Fain led me to the conclusion that none of the opportunities hidden in crisis will be seized until dance artists reclaim a power ceded to others--presenters, funders, media--the power to name their own work and uphold their own values. I wish there had been time to begin this process last night. Perhaps Movement Research or some other community organization can hold a forum to create new language and tools to make this transformation possible.

Jean Davidson: Saving dance in the US

A Chance to Dance in America
by Jean Davidson, The Huffington Post, August 17, 2012

New lease, new life for Dance New Amsterdam

State Senator Daniel Squadron at DNA press conference (photo by Eva Yaa Asantewaa)

l-r: State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick; Squadron; Community Board 1 Chair Julie Menin; DNA's Executive/Artistic Director Catherine A. Peila; Board of Directors Co-Chair Martha Chapman (Photo by Joon Shin)

Supporters, advisors and colleagues of Dance New Amsterdam's unsinkable Executive/Artistic Director, Catherine A. ("Kate") Peila, gathered at the studio, theater and exhibition center on Friday to learn how, after three years of dogged work, DNA had finally reached agreement with landlord Fram Realty for a substantial decrease in its rent and debt. Removing the threat of eviction from this institution, hit hard by the economic downturn, is not only a big win for the dance community but also for Lower Manhattan, where many small arts groups--such as 3 Legged Dog and Access Theater--maintain a tenuous hold in a high-stakes environment dominated by financial institutions.

"What we did was, basically, whatever it took," said State Senator Daniel Squadron. "At the end of the day, [Fram] did the right thing."

Peila exulted in her center's new, 10-year lease on life, the possibility to move forward with plans to restructure its educational department and engage artists with visions for the future of dance. Moreover, she said, the organization's new-found stability means that donors--some who stayed and others who chose to withdraw--can be assured that "their money will not disappear. We will be here."

The organization will still need to raise the more than $1.2 million needed annually to maintain its facilities.

DNA has 18 full-time employees and extends programming that supports 400 artists in commissioned and produced work. The organization also services over 11,000 individual students and dance company members yearly. Its location in The Sun Building includes six studios, a 130-seat theater, two art galleries and artist administrative space. DNA provides jobs for over 650 teachers, choreographers, technicians, visual artists and musicians through its programming. Dance education programs, performances and rehearsals are estimated to reach more than 11,000 students and dance company members along with the 20,000 plus community visitors resulting in an economic benefit of over $1 million to local businesses, MTA and the government.

While celebrating DNA's survival, State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick delicately noted the ever-present threat.

"This is a tough city in many ways," she said. "We do not do enough to nurture the soul of the city. It's a tough place because real estate runs this city."

That was the underlying theme of an informal roundtable following Squadron and Peila's press conference, attended by representatives of several at-risk arts groups from Lower Manhattan. Speakers questioned how public officials and funding agencies can expect artists to be "more entrepreneurial" with odds stacked against them and little practical support.

Participants described a long-standing atmosphere in which artists, having pioneered and transformed New York's neighborhoods, are considered, at best, temporary place-holders, at worst, barriers to economic progress. Public officials, paying lip service to the notion of helping small businesses, actually give zoning preference and tax breaks to corporate tenants with big pockets. There's little recognition of the prominent role that the arts have always played in driving New York tourism as well as stabilizing and developing neighborhood communities.

While DNA's 2010 crisis, now resolved, served to identify powerful allies such as Squadron, Glick, former City Councilmember Alan Gerson and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, arts organizations will need to educate and sensitize many more public officials and mobilize communities to demand respect for the artists who make their neighborhoods more vital, safe and nourishing places to live and work.

Sign at 2010 press conference/support rally for DNA at City Hall (Photo by Eva Yaa Asantewaa)

Click here for DNA press conference and roundtable mp3 (1:33:11)

Statement from Catherine A. Peila

Almost exactly two years ago, Dance New Amsterdam (DNA) informed the public that we were threads away from eviction. DNA’s current space, which was renovated and made possible as a result of post 9/11 revitalization efforts and more than $4 million of contributed and public funding along with DNA programs revenue, was not affordable. The community supported DNA with more than 4,000 signatures of support to Mayor Bloomberg. A vow of support from the DNA dance community was further showcased on the steps of City Hall including dancing and speeches in the pouring rain.

After three years of appeals to landlord Fram Realty LLC and Abro Management, building owner, Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) – and with the help of extraordinary political leaders State Senator Daniel Squadron, Assemblymember Deborah Glick, City Council Member Margaret Chin, Community Board 1, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, former council member Alan Gerson and advocates Dance/NYC and policy expert Paul Nagle,– DNA was able to secure an affordable amended lease and reduce debt. None of which would have been possible without our dedicated pro bono lawyer Meredith Kane of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP as well DNA Board Co-Chair Richard Reice of Fox Rothschild LLP. Additionally many city agency leaders committed their time and energy to supporting DNA in finding creative solutions to our lease and cash flow conundrum.

DNA is forging ahead powerfully, building relationships and partnerships with other community arts and cultural groups. We are working personally with Michael M. Kaiser of the DeVos Institute (supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies) who is renowned for assisting world-class cultural institutions to build business models that provide the healthy atmosphere necessary for artists to thrive. We are in partnership talks with cross-discipline cultural and academic organizations, along with cross-sector businesses and institutions – allowing DNA to support and augment college accredited courses, film and acting related connections for dancers.

We are also building international contemporary partnerships that not only support the training and creation of jobs for artists but also help artists legitimize their own contemporary dance styles. We are increasing our network within the contemporary dance world and the entertainment industry such as Broadway, television and film. We are also developing an innovative entrepreneurial program that provides tools and practices to artists for developing and sustaining a creative career including merchandising and sales. We expect to announce further details within the next few months on many of these initiatives.

However, with this good news, DNA is not out of the water. Still to tackle is our debt from the original build-out (which was fraught with set-backs) and bridge loans (a result of delays and recalling of promised funding due to the economic downturn). The news of a possible eviction resulted in loss of support from funders wary of awarding grant monies to an organization that may not exist in the near future thus resulting in a severe cash-flow strain along with a reevaluation and redevelopment of budget projections, programming and administration. Today’s news is one more nod towards DNA’s
commitment to thrive in New York’s dance community. It is also an opportunity to reiterate how vital DNA is to incubating and supporting dancers, choreographers, related visual and complimentary discipline artists as well as presenting innovative cultural programming and artist commissions, quality dance education and resource sharing for dance artists of diverse dance genres.

We also hope that today’s press conference will make a statement that DNA is here to stay – we will not give up on artists whether it be lengthy multi-year negotiations, debt consolidations or loss of funding. DNA’s staff is working tirelessly to keep our doors open and we are restructuring so our programs are relevant in today’s environment. DNA’s mission is to support the development of the whole dancer through educational and creative opportunities and in a professional atmosphere – from studio-to-stage and beyond. We’ve refined our schedule of core classes and increased contemporary workshops led by Guest Artists who are active in the field of education and performance. We’re committed to artists through long-term (multi-year) residencies from conception to final product focusing on projects beyond DNA – we encourage development of touring and merchandise development and sales along with career development through cross-sector collaborations. DNA continues to offer opportunities for artists to create and be presented at DNA, to seek and develop partnerships with our cultural neighbors and businesses, advocate for arts institutions as sustainers of communities, and increase our creative and economic footprint in Lower Manhattan and New York. DNA is here to stay - and we dance on.

Undebatable: Arts fuel the economy

Arts Fuel the Economy
by Clyde Valentín and Kamilah Forbes, Room for Debate, The New York Times,  May 1, 2012