A History of the SCFD
Commissioned Paper for WESTAF's 2008 Seminar on Cultural Taxing Districts about the history of the Science and Cultural Facilities District in a seven-county area around Denver, Colorado.
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An Assesment of the Field Impacts of Funding Support Provided by the Hawai
The Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) commissioned this study, which was completed over a six-month period, to document the effectiveness of the support the Foundation has distributed to Hawai'i's artists and nonprofit arts organizations.
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Building for the Arts: A Guidebook for the Planning and Design of Cultural Facilities
Published in 1989, this comprehensive guidebook is a valuable resource for anyone involved in the planning and design of theaters, symphony halls, dance studios, museums, art galleries, convention centers, school auditoriums and other facilities. This edition was expanded to include new sections on real estate, site specifications, outdoor amphitheaters, studio spaces for artists and craftspeople, and changes in the tax law, as well as updated case studies, worksheets, resource lists and bibliography.
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Creative Vitality Index Technical Report
This technical report details the results of a research project designed to establish an indicator of the relative health of an economy's arts-related creative sector. The
research was commissioned by the Washington State Arts Commission and Seattle's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. Their intent in sponsoring the project was to develop a more inclusive and robust diagnostic tool related to the arts elements of the creative economy and to expand the array of advocacy tools available to the arts. The study was completed by Hebert Research of Bellevue, Washington, and managed by WESTAF.
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Cultural Identity in the West -- Full Proceedings
Convened in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, in November, 2004, Cultural Identity in the West grew out of the conversations and discussions of WESTAF’s Multicultural Advisory Committee. The gathering brought together a diverse group of leaders in the arts—arts administrators working in the visual and performing arts, cultural workers, and working artists—to share their personal stories and discuss issues related to multiculturalism and the arts.
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Cultural Policy in the West - Full Proceedings
In September 1999 WESTAF convened a symposium to stimulate discussion about the nature of cultural policy in the West and to identify features of the region's policy environment that influence and shape cultural policy in the region. The full proceedings of the event are available here.
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Cultural Policy in the West - Summary
A shorter summary of the 1999 Cultural Policy in the West proceedings.
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Cultural Policy in the West II - Full Proceedings
In October 2000 WESTAF convened a second symposium at the Aspen Institute on topics that affect cultural policy in the West. Experts in the fields of technology, youth culture, demographics and politics were invited to share their perspectives on important trends and to discuss the relationship of these areas to the culture sector.
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Cultural Policy in the West II - Summary
A shorter summary of the Cultural Policy in the West II proceedings.
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From Nascar to Cirque du Soleil: Lessons in Audience Development
This WESTAF-sponsored research paper first examines marketing trends and principles in the realms of entertainment and performance. The bulk of the study then concentrates on case studies of entertainment presenters in five categories: nonprofit arts organizations, mega-concert promoters, for-profit entertainment conglomerates, sports promoters and religious organizations.
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Perspectives on Cultural Tax Districts
Proceedings from a seminar on cultural tax districts sponsored by the Washington State Arts Commission and WESTAF. Held in Seattle, Washington, in February, 2008, seminar participants focused on the benefits, drawbacks, structure and impact of cultural tax districts. Participants examined several proposed, unsuccessful, and current tax district structures such as Denver's Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, which yields more than $42 million annually for arts and culture in a seven-county area. Printed copies of the proceedings are available upon request from WESTAF. For more information, please contact Erin Bassity at erin.bassity@westaf.org.
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Proceedings of the 2007 Association of American Cultures Conference
Open Dialogue XI: Global Connections to Cultural Democracy included a WESTAF-sponsored symposium and brought together policy makers, academics, arts administrators, theorists, and artists to discuss global migration, cultural democracy, diversity.
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Re-Envisioning State Arts Agencies -- Full Proceedings
Convened in Denver in October, 2003, the symposium on Re-Envisioning State Arts Agencies brought together arts policy theorists, practitioners, and volunteer arts leaders to explore a wide variety of approaches to address current and future issues in the area of state arts agency structure and process. The resulting discussions were thought-provoking and are expected to inform continuing dialogue on the topic.
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Reflections by Jane Hansberry
Commissioned Paper for WESTAF's 2008 Seminar on Cultural Taxing Districts about the experiences of Jane Hansberry, the former executive director of the Science and Cultural Facilities District in the Denver, CO, metro area.
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Statewide Arts Education Assessment (SAEA)
This report is the result of the survey conducted in conjunction with the Statewide Arts Education Assessment (SAEA), a project developed by practitioners in the field of arts education in collaboration with the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF). The SAEA was developed in response to a call for a more comprehensive snapshot of the status of K-12 arts education in individual states and is structured to be a low-cost tool that can be administered annually. The SAEA offers an opportunity for those interested in arts education development to track essential K-12 arts education statistics over time.
The 2009-2010 Statewide Arts Education Assessment report serves as a valuable resource for all who want to advocate for a high-quality, well-rounded education for students. SAEA report findings can be used to advocate for the arts as a core subject and identify areas at the state and local level that require attention and support. The initial four partner states of Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming are now better positioned to understand the strengths and opportunities for improvement of arts education within their states as a result of the SAEA report.
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Take Part! A Look at Trends in Leisure and Cultural Participation Among Mississippi Residents
This is the published summary of research conducted by WESTAF in 2002 on behalf of the Mississippi Arts Commission.
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The New Face of Arts Leadership in the West
Convened in Boulder in 2005, this symposium was a follow-up gathering to the previous year’s symposium, Cultural Identity in the West. The forum focused on emerging young leaders from culturally diverse communities in the West. Topics included: Language as it relates to ethnicity, leadership and people working in the arts; Perspectives on diversity in the arts; Leadership styles in ethnically based communities; and Emerging leaders in the arts.
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Unified Field Summit on Art, Science and Spirituality :: Full Proceedings
The United Field Summit, which was convened at the Aspen Institute in October 2002, brought together 22 prominent artists, scientists, writers and spiritual leaders working to establish a nexus between artistic, scientific and spiritual thought. Managed by WESTAF, in cooperation with the Mid-America Arts Alliance, the convening was moderated by Douglas Rushkoff, a professor of media culture at New York University and a noted commentator, columnist, and theorist of new media and popular culture.
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