press room
For Immediate Release
04/23/2008Contact:
Beth Garcia
Goodman Media for Americans for the Arts
212.576.2700 ext. 242 or bgarcia@goodmanmedia.com
MetLife Foundation and Americans for the Arts Host National Forum Series on Cultural Leadership
Washington, DC – April 23, 2008 – MetLife Foundation and Americans for the Arts announced today a series of Forums on cultural leadership in 11 cities nationwide. As part of the MetLife Foundation National Arts Forum Series for arts and business leaders, the 2008 series—New Frameworks for The Changing Face of America—examines models that provide a new way to look at diversity in the United States and how it is reshaping our culture. The Forums will be held throughout 2008 in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Des Moines, Hartford, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Providence, and Tampa. This is the third annual national Forum series partnership between MetLife Foundation and Americans for the Arts.
“These forums will help arts and business participants better understand the increasingly diverse nature of our population and how to strengthen the arts, business, and community.” said Sibyl Jacobson, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation
The 2008 MetLife Foundation National Arts Forum Series looks at how both arts and business are addressing the issue of increasing diversity in this country as it relates to workforce development, leadership and management, and product offerings through a new theory being advanced by keynote speaker, author and cultural analyst Patricia Martin. The first event in each series will feature Martin; the second forum will be a follow-up discussion among community arts and business leaders tailored specifically to each community.
Martin's theory says that the “RenGen,” short for renaissance generation, is a cultural movement created by the confluence of art, education, entertainment, and business that has at its center a powerful new player: the cultural consumer. It defines a growing stratum of Americans who thrive on information and ideas to fuel their creativity and shows how it will drive the next wave of innovation. Most importantly, the RenGen is a way of seeing how the issue of diversity has evolved from statistics and quotas to a new reality reflected in this new trend that crosses race, class, age and ethnicity.
“This important initiative was created to address critical issues facing the arts and culture across the country,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “The Forums have been well-attended and very successful in the past. We believe that this year’s topic will interest not only arts leaders, but business leaders as well.”
For more information on the MetLife Foundation National Arts Forum Series, visit
http://ww3.artsusa.org/information_services/arts_business_partnerships/programs/metlife_national_arts_forums/default_001.asp.
About Patricia Martin
Author, consultant, and recognized expert in cultural marketing, Patricia Martin is President of Chicago-based LitLamp Communications Group, the firm she founded in 1995. The firm serves a variety of clients who need to forge and manage innovative communications through marketing alliances. Clients include: Discovery Channel, Art Institute of Chicago, Brooklyn Public Library, Georgetown University, National PTA, New York Philharmonic, Unisys, and Sun Microsystems. To date, her efforts have helped clients yield over $200 million in new revenues through sponsorship, marketing alliances, and cross-promotions.
Martin has been featured for her innovative work in the Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, Advertising Age, and Brand Week Magazine. She also contributes regular commentary for Crain’s Chicago Business. A popular speaker, Martin lectures at the University of Chicago and the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.
About the Series
Forums are presented as part of the The 2008 MetLife Foundation National Arts Forum Series. In the coming year, forums will take place in 11 cities nationwide and will investigate new frameworks for cultural leadership. Excerpts from each forum will be posted on the Americans for the Arts website, www.AmericansForTheArts.org, and a forum will take place in June at the Americans for the Arts 2008 Annual Convention in Philadelphia. Forums are produced by program partners of Arts & Business Council of Americans for the Arts, which focus on developing private-sector support for the arts within the organization’s broader mission of advancing the arts in America.
MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife to carry on its long-standing tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Grants are made to support health, educational, civic, and cultural organizations and programs. Recognizing the vital role the arts play in building communities and educating young people, MetLife Foundation provides grants to cultural organizations throughout the country. Support is emphasized for opportunities to bring cultural experiences to wider audiences and for projects with large and diverse audiences that help promote greater understanding among different cultures and bring communities together. For more information about the foundation, please visit its website at www.metlife.org.
Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it has a record of 48 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.
