Dispatches

Reflections of 2021 & Questions at the Top of 2022

Arts leader Diane Ragsdale shares some takeaways and reflections from her work in 2021, followed by a handful of questions surrounding issues within the arts sector as 2022 begins. (Jumper)

From Immersive Everything to the Rise of Museum Unions, These 7 Trends Defined the Art World in 2021 – and Will Shape the Year to Come

Artnet News takes a look at the movements that defined 2021 in the artworld, and how they may evolve in the year ahead. (Artnet News)  

Sharing Ownership of a National Research Agenda for the Arts

Next month, the National Endowment for the Arts will release a new strategic plan, welcoming project proposals that align with priority research topics of the agency. The new research agenda notes: “Rather than focus exclusively on why and how the arts matter, today’s agenda needs to consider for whom are such benefits realized, and under what optimal conditions – and how can cultural providers use this knowledge in their own work.” (By Any Measure) 

A Blueprint for Public Realm Leadership

In this latest report, A Blueprint for Public Realm Leadership, the Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) builds upon the initial call for a Director of the Public Realm in 2019’s Bright Ideas report and their previous policy brief outlining the structure of the office, A Public Champion for the Public Realm. This document is a roadmap for the creation of a Deputy Mayor for Placemaking and the Public Realm, a position within New York City government dedicated to improving intergovernmental coordination and oversight of public spaces and innovatively connecting people and the places they experience. (MASNYC)

The British Government Should Return Tipu’s Treasures to India

"The UK government’s attempted export ban on Tipu Sultan’s treasures is a double travesty for objects it acquired through loot and plunder," says art consultant Anindya Sen. (Hyperallergic)

In ‘African Origin’ Show at Met, New Points of Light Across Cultures

Art critic Holland Cotter asks how wondrous works from Ancient Egypt and sub-Sahara Africa came together in a masterpiece show at the Met. (The New York Times) 

Arts Groups Innovate to Battle COVID-caused Revenue Downturn

The arts and culture industries have been battered during the past 21 months as organizations furloughed staff, canceled shows and slashed budgets to weather the pandemic. While Americans as a whole donated more to charity last year, a record $471.4 billion according to a report from Giving USA, nonprofit arts organizations saw a decline. (AP News) 

Uffizi Director Calls on Museums to Confront Society’s ‘Toxic’ Past

Uffizi Galleries director Eike Schmidt believes that displaying works by the ‘greats’ is not enough, and that the museum's role in highlighting the issues of today is crucial to confront the ‘toxic social structures’ of the past. (The Guardian) 

MoMA Curator Martino Stierli Wants to “Destabilize” The Western Canon

The Architect’s Newspaper editor in chief Aaron Seward spoke to Stierli recently about how the Architecture and Design department sets architecture within broader contexts, MoMA’s commitment to changing the culture’s outlook on the climate crisis, and how the department is expanding its curatorial approach while working to “destabilize” the Western canon. (The Architect’s Newspaper)

Digital Brings People Together at the National Gallery of Art in Washington

The museum’s chief digital officer, Nick Sharp, talks digital strategy and the importance of an authentic voice. (Blooloop) 

The World’s Most Sustainable Museums

From green buildings to hard-hitting exhibitions, Blooloop explores how museums are adapting in the face of the climate crisis. (Blooloop)

Harnessing an Unusual Kind of Natural Energy: Dancers’ Body Heat

The power of dance? It’s literal at a Glasgow arts center that is installing a geothermal heating and cooling system that runs on heat from dancing bodies. (The New York Times)

Participate in an Arts Council England Survey!

Arts Council England invites not-for-profit arts organizations based in England to participate in the Private Investment in Culture Survey. 

AEA Consulting has been working with ACE on the latest version of the survey to help understand trends in cultural fundraising, provide more effective support for cultural organizations, and better advocate for the sector. 

Survey responses will be collected through January 24. Learn more and participate. 

AEA Consulting is a global firm setting the standard in strategy and planning for the cultural and creative industries.

We are known for our candid and impartial advice that draws on deep knowledge of the cultural sector as well as robust research and analytical insight.

Since 1991, we have successfully delivered more than 1,200 assignments in 42 countries, helping clients around the world plan and realize vital and sustainable cultural projects.