The Art of Giving: An Analysis of Arts Organizations, Their Outreach Programs, and How They Are Funded

This project took place in two phases. In phase one, I reviewed existing literature on the funding challenges that confront programs in the arts across the United States. Based on this initial review—which was archive-based and showed diminishing funds for the arts—I proposed a solution involving after-school programs that would not require the hiring of additional arts faculty. I then tested my initial solution by interviewing David Zobell, Director of Education at Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA; Saki Kawakita, DanceDC Director at The Washington Ballet in Washington, DC; Lauren Campbell, Development and Education Manager at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD; Jasper Cox, Director of Finance at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD; Carlyn Madden, Arts Education Grants Manager at the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities in Washington, DC; and Terry Liu, Arts Education Specialist at the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, DC. These individuals are all major players in the Washington, DC area and hold key roles along what I have called the “cycle” of arts funding. From these interviews I discovered that my original solution was too narrow and failed to take into account several factors that are essential for a comprehensive solution. While a fully realized and comprehensive solution is beyond the scope of this thesis, I do argue that one can only emerge by understanding all the key components of the arts funding “cycle” and understanding how to find common ground across the diverse interests they represent.