AMS recently worked with the Washington, DC, Commission on the Arts & Humanities to help the agency craft its next strategic plan. As part of the process we researched and interviewed leaders of five public arts agencies as well as two national service organizations to understand current trends, best practices, and creative solutions being developed in other communities.

Among the topics AMS sought to understand were: how agencies were handling the economic downturn, emerging priorities in serving artists and arts organizations, and creative partnerships deemed to be particularly successful, especially those that enhanced arts education initiatives or increased agency visibility.

While every public agency must respond to the unique characteristics of its authorizing entity, governance structure, and arts and cultural community, we discovered some common "best practices" themes worth noting:

Support of Individual Artists is a priority. In agencies where direct funding of individual artists is not possible, leaders seek to support the presence of artists in creative ways. In New York City, for example, the Department of Cultural Affairs partners with five local agencies to fund re-granting programs for individual artists. The San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs has identified individual artists as the heart of the arts, developing events to brand the city with this message. According to Deborah Margol, Deputy Director of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, direct investment in individual artists is key to the vitality of the arts in South Florida. "I tell people that if you want individual artists to stay in Florida they must be supported. Artists don't get paid for the creative process - the creation of a dance by a choreographer, a new play by a playwright or a film by a media artist - there is little subsidy available to these people to enrich our lives through their work It's like general operating support for organizations. It's the hardest money to come by."

Arts Education Initiatives are taking an important role. Public officials and educators are laser-focused on improving education and engaging increasingly-diverse cultures and communities, and the arts are a crucial bridge to learning. The San Francisco Arts Commission provides a "report card" to measure how successfully schools are implementing an approved Arts Master Plan. The New York Commission on the Arts worked with the Department of Education to develop a Blueprint in Schools program for K-12 arts education focused on reaching underserved communities and diverse cultural groups. Public agencies are moving outside of the schools, supporting after-school programs, teacher training, opportunities for lifelong learning in community centers, on-line tools, and pre-professional training for young artists.

Data Collection and Dissemination is a critical tool. With ever-tightening municipal and state budgets, administrators and elected officials need to see data on how the arts support key government priorities: jobs, education, social concerns, workforce development, and economic development. Seven states are now participating in the Cultural Data Project, an initiative to collect financial, programmatic, and operational data on cultural organizations using a standardized online form. Launched by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Pew Charitable Trust and other major Pennsylvania foundations and local agencies, the goal is to provide comprehensive information on the sector, and to inform cultural policy, grant-making, and evaluation (another ten states are in the process of launching CDP). Participating state agencies require standardized, on-line reporting by all grantee organizations.

This data allows individual organizations to develop longitudinal analyses which help build their financial and management capacity. It is used by researchers and advocates to develop fact-based advocacy. It provides standardized application and reporting to several major funders, easing the burden on applicants. Perhaps most importantly, it is creating a centralized, stand-alone repository of historical financial and organizational information, which can be used to demonstrate the impact of the arts sector.

An Engaged Board is one key to success. There is no substitution for those individuals who possess the ability to influence decision-makers and be a high-profile champion for the arts. The Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs credits the efforts of its highly-effective Cultural Affairs Council with the reinstatement of $8.7 million in grant-making funds (going from a proposed 2010 budget cut of 45.7% to a reduction of 10.2%). The San Francisco Arts Commission boasts several active board committees with significant responsibilities, such as Civic Design Review, Arts and Education, and the funding of seven cultural centers. Councilors of the Maryland State Arts Council are known to possess a depth of knowledge about the Council and its programs as well as a breadth of understanding of the arts and cultural opportunities throughout the state. Their efforts have resulted in a series of initiatives including tax incentives for artists and the establishment of eighteen Arts & Entertainment Districts as a statewide policy strategy for enhancing economic vitality.

Partnerships and Collaboration Strengthen Advocacy Efforts. In its recent publication Tough Times: Advocacy Strategies in an Economic Downturn (available in PDF format), the National Association of State Arts Agencies recommends that arts advocates work in coalition to advance a collective strategy. Collaborative lobbying with other advocacy groups (teachers' organizations, travel and tourism groups, organizations serving youth, chambers of commerce) on issues of mutual interest strengthens the impact and reach of the message. Partnerships broaden the arts agencies' constituencies and can lead to a strong network of grass-roots advocates for the arts. Agencies also must open the lines of communication with grantees and audiences to communicate their message, promote cooperation on advocacy, and eliminate duplication.

These are, indeed, challenging times. Our research has identified a number of best practices of arts agencies working collaboratively, conducting data-based advocacy, building capacity, finding creative ways to support artists and powerfully communicating the positive impact they make in their communities. Ongoing contact with peer organizations and others who can serve as models or provide examples of success provides fresh insights and sparks creative problem-solving.