“Does the First Amendment Allow the Government to Censor Art?” is an educator’s guide that addresses the relationship between freedom of speech and art censorship using history, discussion questions, and debate prompts.

The National Endowment for the Arts recently published Tech as Art: Supporting Artists Who Use Technology as a Creative Medium, a report focused on artists and organizations working with digital technologies. 

Jeremy Johnson, renowned arts leader and Americans for the Arts member, has recently returned to his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio to serve as the first president and CEO of the Assembly for the Arts. A newly formed nonprofit and advocacy organization, Assembly for the Arts will work to elevate Greater Cleveland’s creative industry.

On Friday, May 14, President Biden issued an executive order to revoke several of former President Trump’s policies, including the cancelation of the “Garden of Heroes” project and the elimination of protections outlined for memorials in response to Black Lives Matter and other social justice protests.

Americans for the Arts mourns the recent passing of philanthropist, arts supporter, and longtime friend Eli Broad. Mr. Broad was a visionary supporter of arts and culture in Los Angeles and across the nation through both the Broad Arts Foundation and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.

As higher education institutions and elected officials have pushed for STEM programs, the resulting technology and innovations have only revealed the need for the arts and humanities within these spheres.

The global airline industry has been hit hard by COVID-19. What is the state of airport art programs during our global pandemic? Are airport art programs staying on course? Are they grounded? Or, are they heading on new trajectories?

In February 2021, the Wallace Foundation is exploring issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to a select group of researchers for one or more studies related to an initiative to invest in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) arts organizations. Researchers and scholars who meet the criteria should submit materials by January 4, 2021.

The statement aims to address AIC’s mission to support conservators by clarifying “the role of conservators as they are tasked with the preservation of monuments deemed to be racist or otherwise offensive or oppressive, especially those located in community spaces.”

In July 2020, President Trump signed an executive order on Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes which, in part, assembled a task force “to establish a statuary park named the National Garden of American Heroes (National Garden).”

While COVID-19 has shut down many theatres across the country, the arts continue to thrive in new and innovative ways.

Soft skills such as creativity and collaboration—skills that benefit from participation in the arts and arts education—were found to be top priorities among managers and HR professionals surveyed for the 4th Annual Workplace Learning Report, conducted by LinkedIn Learning.

The Smithsonian, National Archives, and Library of Congress have launched a social media campaign for the month of August, #19SuffrageStories, to bring stories of suffragists and their fight for voting rights to social media. The campaign marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment and features stories of suffragettes who often have been overlooked.

Dr. Elizabeth Alexander is the President of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the country’s largest funder of arts and culture. This year, they’re working with a grantmaking budget of $500 million, every dollar of which will go towards social justice projects. On the NBC news podcast “Into America,” host Trymaine Lee spoke with Alexander about pain, philanthropy, and poetry.

The process behind the NYC Black Lives Matter (BLM) street mural was just as important as the paint job. While some examples of public art in support of the BLM this summer have been powerful because of their timely reaction to current events, some communities are emphasizing the importance of taking the time to have community input before creating anything and to ensure that those involved with the public art projects are committed to the issue for which the art is seeking to promote.

Matthew Cooper is one of the artists commissioned by the Arts Council of Indianapolis to create murals in response to the Black Lives Matter protests. Previously, Cooper worked with and studied under the artist ISH during the creation of his 2019 mural “Three Kings,” which was commissioned by Jiffy Lube of Indiana (a 2019 Arts and Business Partnership Awardee) as part of their mural project. 

New York City's budget plan for the 2021 fiscal year includes devastating cuts to art education in the city’s public schools, despite a celebrity-backed campaign, Arts are Essential, to keep funding in place. These funding cuts further deprive all students of receiving an equitable education through the public school system. 

Interviews with nine black artists and cultural leaders, described by The New York Times Style Magazine as being "a voice of this moment," discuss their work and personal experiences about being black, and creating and showcasing their art in America. Amy Sherald, Michael R. Jackson, and others discuss the challenges and opportunities of cultivating black audiences and dismantling historically white institutions through their art. 

Broadway shows went dark on March 12, and will remain closed for the rest of 2020, making this the longest shutdown of Broadway in history. Given the unpredictability of the coronavirus pandemic, The Broadway League said it was not yet ready to specify exactly when shows will reopen. Among the logistical issues industry leaders are discussing with government and medical officials: “screening and testing, cleaning and sanitizing, wayfinding inside theaters, backstage protocols and much more.”

The first of its kind in the nation, the new cultural policy provides direction and guidelines for how Los Angeles County and its departments will ensure that every resident of LA County has meaningful access to arts and culture. In its inaugural year of the newly established Department of Arts and Culture, the adoption of the Cultural Policy is another milestone in the County’s support of the arts. 

In the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, artists have been quick to respond with works that seek to memorialize, to provoke and to heal. Whether through sharing illustrations on Instagram, or creating murals in the streets of Minneapolis, many artists have created tributes to give honor to the lives of those lost to police violence and racial injustice.

The 10-city, 3-hour long community event taking place Saturday, June 20 across the U.S. will allow local artists to showcase their work, wares, and performances at a distance, while the public is invited to drive or ride down their city blocks and suburban streets to experience and support the art. 

Three leaders of local arts agencies from around the country in conversation around the issues that led to their agency being formed, what they're facing in their communities, and what the future holds.

Music has long served as a unifying force during challenging times. For Worldwide Day of Gratitude, teachers and students of all ages, as well as the general public, are invited to learn and share the iconic Bill Withers song “Lean on Me,” which has emerged as a rallying cry for the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Buildings, landmarks, and other venues – including arts organizations such as museums, theaters, concert halls and others – that have the capability are invited to light their buildings blue and/or share a message of support for healthcare and essential workers on the front lines during the COVID-19 crisis. 

The new philanthropic organization awarded prizes to nine organizations across the country focused on bringing music to young people. The prize, which is split into three categories and includes both long-term and single-year support, was founded in 2019 by the philanthropist Daniel R. Lewis. 

New legislation calls for creation of the Florida Seal of Fine Arts Program. Lawmakers say the program would recognize and encourage student investment in the visual and performing arts, which are economic drivers locally and throughout the state.

A $200,000 grant to the Columbus Museum of Art will oversee the restoration project of the home of Columbus-native artist Aminah Robinson, part of a greater effort to preserve Robinson’s home as the future site for artist residencies.