The Ford Foundation has given itself 10 years--and a $100 million budget--to positively impact the arts. The foundation’s new Supporting Diverse Arts Spaces initiative funds arts groups undertaking three types of projects; 1) Developing new arts spaces; 2) Launching new programs and addressing sustainability; and 3) Expanding and renovating established facilities. 

In general, the initiative argues that having spaces for art and artists (things like sustainable arts facilities, incubators and affordable living for artists) not only supports the health of the creative economy, it can also impact an entire local economy and revitalize neighborhoods. The initiative involves granting funds for development and redevelopment projects, as well as seminars on “topics related to sustaining arts centers,” which will be presented by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., over a two year period. 

According to the Ford Foundation, “The cultural richness of our country is no less important in times of economic uncertainty. We must promote the creative work of individual artists and institutions in these difficult times," said Luis Ubiñas, president of the Ford Foundation. "We also believe that this investment in arts infrastructure will advance the well-being of our communities because artists and art spaces can play a significant role in boosting local economies,” he said.

Call for Proposals: The Ford Foundation, Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC) and the MetLife Foundation have teamed up to offer Ford Foundation Space for Change planning and predevelopment grants for “organizations that are in the early stages of planning facilities that support artistically innovative and culturally diverse endeavors that will strengthen relationships between the community and artists,” according to the Ford Foundation. Grants of up to $100,000 will be distributed through an open RFP process.

There is a new study on the economic impact of immigrants in southeast Michigan - Global Detroit Study - which was funded by the New Economy Initiative, the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Skillman Foundation. Former State Representative Steve Tobocman authored the report with assistance provided by a 38-person advisory board consisting of “regional leaders drawn from business organizations, universities, ethnic business chambers, race relations advocacy groups, foundations, hospitals, and immigration advocates,” according to the Study Overview. 

Download a copy of the Study Overview and Executive Summary on the New Economy Initiative’s website. A downloadable version of the Full Report is forthcoming. 

The Study Overview explains; “Global Detroit is an effort to revitalize southeast Michigan’s economy by pursuing strategies that strengthen Detroit’s connections to the world and make the region more attractive and welcoming to immigrants, internationals, and foreign trade and investment as a means to produce jobs and regional economic growth.” Beyond providing useful stats and other findings related to topics like education, entrepreneurship, innovation, and “stabilizing neighborhoods and bringing population growth to cities,” the report also suggests 11 Strategic Recommendations aimed at taking advantage of the region’s multiculturalism. 

One of these Strategic Recommendations is to “Develop a Welcoming America Campaign for Michigan,” a topic Steve Tobocman discussed on WDET’s Craig Fahle Show, along with Welcoming America’s Executive Director David Lubell and National Coordinator Ellen Gallagher.

Metromode writer Terry Parris Jr. mentions the Global Detroit Study in a recent article, which asks the question, “Can Immigration Loosen Our Rustbelt?"

Arts and cultural organizations in Michigan are facing enormous challenges--both public and private sector funding are way down, many art lovers are forced to be frugal with their disposable income, and even the very value of supporting arts and culture is up for debate. It's not like there are many people out there who think that having museums, theaters, and non-profit cultural organizations around is a bad thing. However, how much does the average bear working outside the sector really know about what it needs to function at full capacity? Just how much do these organizations really benefit the economy as a whole? The word on the street among arts and cultural organizers and their advocates is that there is a great need for more data.

Michigan has become the eighth state to launch a state-wide Cultural Data Project (CDP) this month, as reported by ArtServe Michigan - a cultural advocacy organization and one of the leaders of the initiative along with twelve more participating leaders and funders. The Michigan CDP is an online management tool, which supposes that "Building Strength Through Information" can lead to greater cultural economic development throughout the state. 

How does it work? According to the Michigan CDP website; "Arts and cultural organizations enter financial, programmatic and operational data into a standardized online form and can then use the CDP to produce a variety of reports designed to help increase management capacity, identify strengths and challenges and inform decision-making. They can also generate reports to be included as part of the application processes of participating grant-makers. This emerging national standard enables participating organizations to track trends and benchmark their progress through powerful reporting tools, empowers researches and advocates with information to make the case for arts and culture, and equips funders with data to plan and evaluate grant-making activities more effectively."

From now through October, 2010, the Michigan CDP is holding Training Sessions all over the state - designed to teach arts and cultural organizations how to use the new reporting system. Otherwise, you can learn more about it by visiting their Online Training website.

(Note: Read this press release to find out which community won the Region 1 CEA honor. View photos from this event on flickr)

EASTPOINTE, Michigan - With more than 40 percent of its population born outside the United States, the City of Hamtramck, Michigan, has a very diverse community. With this diversity brings some challenges, but also tremendous opportunity and a positive outlook for the future.

This was the message of Hamtramck Mayor Karen Majewski during a Michigan Municipal League education seminar Wednesday, May 5, 2010, in Eastpointe, Michigan. The seminar was the first of seven regional meetings the League is having throughout the state this month and next. The meetings will each focus on one of the eight assets identified by the League as making viable communities. The focus of Wednesday’s event was multiculturalism and nearly 40 officials from southeast Michigan attended. It was fitting that the seminar also took place on May 5 – Cinco de Mayo.

"In my one block where I live, we have Bosnians, Polish, Polish Americans, Bangladeshi, African Americans, Ukrainian Americans, and non-differentiated Americans on that one small block," Majewski said. "When you live in a community like this there are many advantages, especially to the children. It also takes us closer to the kind of world we all want to live in and the kind we all eventually will be living in. It's not always easy and fun and it can be a challenge, but it really is a joy. Hamtramck welcomes everyone. The face of Hamtramck is the face of a new kind of America and a kind of America that is closer to all our ideals."

Majewski talked about the many different festivals, unique businesses and restaurants that are in Hamtramck, due in part, to having such a diverse community. Joining Majewski in the multiculturalism discussion was Chandra McMillion, facilitator of the Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust and president of the McMillion Group.

McMillion talked about a venture by police departments in southeast Michigan to work together to break-down ethnic barriers. It was a great discussion and really opened eyes about some of the exciting things happening in our communities. Other topics discussed at the meeting were a presentation by Norma Rivas Ricci about the 2010 U.S. Census; a talk by the League’s Chris Hackbarth about what’s happening in Lansing involving the League’s legislative team; an introduction to the League’s Center for 21^st Century Communities program by the League’s Colleen Layton; information about the environmentally friendly programs by the League’s Sue Jeffers; and a report on the Let’s Save Michigan campaign by Sean Mann.

Southeast Michigan communities represented at the meeting were the cities of Berkley, Center Line, Dearborn, Eastpointe, Garden City, Grosse Pointe Woods, Hamtramck, Howell, Huntington Woods, Inkster, Madison Heights, Monroe, Mount Clemens, New Baltimore, Plymouth, Roseville, Southfield, Sterling Heights, Troy, Utica, Wayne and Utica.

The next regional meeting is May 12-14 in Ispheming. Learn about the other upcoming regional meetings here.

Matt Bach is director communications for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at mbach@mml.org or (734) 669-6317.

In this photo Hamtramck Mayor Karen Majewski (right) and Chandra McMillion talk about multiculturalism. (Read this press release to find out which community won the Region 1 CEA honor. View photos from this event on flickr)