On July 7, CFLAC sponsored 21-person delegation to participate in training course on operation and management of non-profitable literary and art organization in USA. This is the first project in cooperation strategy in the wake of the signing of Memorandum of Cooperation and Understanding between CFLAC delegated by Executive Vice President Madame Zhao Shi and New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) in May. In the course of the 19-day-long training, the delegation conducted an in-depth study of the ideals, operational mechanism and actual operational experience on the operation and management of non-profitable literary and art organization.
During the training courses, the trainees conducted inspection of and exchange with 19 non-profitable cultural and art agencies such as National Foundation for the Arts, NYFA, New York American Aviation Theatre, Asian Society, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, American Ballet Theatre, Poet & Writer Company, National Portrait Gallery and New York Contemporary Art Museum. Through the in-depth exchange with those non-profitable cultural and art organizations in USA, Academy of Literary and Art, CFLAC reached agreements with NYFA as regards continuing training courses on non-profitable cultural and art organization, developing Reciprocal Residence Project of Literary and Art Workers between China and USA, and introducing the publication of best-selling books on American cultural and art management.
The non-profitable cultural and art organizations, which account for 90 % of the total art agencies in USA, cover all the areas of USA and almost all the art forms. From National Foundation for the Arts at national level to Arts Committee of New York State and NYFA, from Lincoln Center to Broadway Theatres, from New York Philharmonic Orchestra to Hispanic Ballet Company, live teaching, inspection and exchange enabled the trainees not only to have profound knowledge of the general structure, organizational design, operation and management, but also to get some insight of the living condition and development tendency of American non-profitable agencies through discussions with managers and artists in the art agency.
Non-profitable Cultural and Art Organizations: Abundant and Serious
In the live teaching at Hispanic Ballet Dance Company, two Ballet artists presented excellent performances to the elegant music, which brought the viewers to appreciate the great artistic power from the integration of traditional ballet and modern dance. Though music faded away, we saw the two dancers still in warm embrace. Everyone at present applauded warmly for their touching devotion and perseverance in arts.
No matter in the conference room of Christie’s Auction House, or in the mini-theatre of American Aviation Theatre, the responsible director in departments of arts, administration, marketing and education always provided their answers and detailed explanation to all the questions the trainees raised, which allowed all of the Chinese trainees to have a better understanding of the detail in operation and management of American non-profitable cultural and art organizations. At the same time, the professional compartmentation and intensive cultivation of American counterpart left them a deep impression.
During the entire training, the American non-profitable organizations were persistent in their rigorous style of work. In the classroom of National Foundation for the Arts of America located in Washington, one after another charts of statistics and one group after another of data analysis outlined a clear and accurate image of American non-profitable cultural and art organization for every trainee. Whether in specific composition of financial sources or in calculation of capital dimensions of an individual project, the meticulous management compelled all the trainees’ admiration.
Rockfeller 3rd, the first president of Lincoln Center, once said, “Instead of belonging to the minority of privileged status, arts belong to the mass in an extensive way; arts are not supposed to random at the fringe of daily life, but to enter and stay into the center.” The active presence of American non-profitable organizations in USA undoubtedly provided a vivid interpretation. As a saying goes, Arts Nourish people’s life and life gives birth to living arts.
Learning from Each Other: Stimulate Contemporary Chinese Arts Development
In an overview of the operation and management of American non-profitable cultural and art organization, they inherit, protect and develop arts in the approach of public interest, and thus play an extremely important role in the American public cultural life, especially in multi-origin cultural preservation, support and protection for traditional arts and forming receivers of culture and arts. They also play a basic role in funding new-rising artists. Most of them are equipped with department of education that focuses on the relationship with the community and fostering the interest of people, especially pupils, children and teenagers. For CFLAC, a non-profitable organization at the minister level, those properties bear an active building significance on how to play an active part, strengthen construction of harmonious community, village and family, and advocating peaceful communication and strengthened social basis for peace. As Fu Yixuan, executive vice president of Academy of Literary and Art of CFLAC, suggest, the literary and art voluntary service of CFLAC should be developed by further expansion. “National Foundation for the Arts of USA as well as its local office of cultural affairs takes education and popularization as their main task just to compensate the long-term shortage of art education in the public schools of USA. In daily work, the Non-profitable cultural and art organizations of USA regard their service for the community and people as its basis and stress on strengthening interaction with the above two targets. For example, American Poet & Writer Company organized recitals in the universities, book stores, hospitals and prisons. Whitney Museum designated its educational department of rich experience and successful operation. On the one hand, this department is devoted to showcasing the creation process of an artwork to the audience and introducing the artist’s thinking and working in joint efforts with the artist; on the other hand, the department is enthusiastic with cooperation with those new communities to become the cultural resources and core in the region that lacks artistic institution. Every year more than 100000 people benefit from Whitney educational project, about 9500 students benefit from university project and 1000 senior citizens from 29 elderly service center benefit from elderly projects. As to literary and art voluntary service sponsored by CFLAC, literary and art workers are organized deep into the community, parks, rural areas, factories, mines and enterprises, with special attention to actual effects or artists are invited to give lessons to university students or pupils with entertaining factors, which focuses on frequency, long term and practicality.” Fu explained.
“NYFA is a non-profitable agency in New York that has long been engaged in providing support and assistance for the new rising artist and art agency. They have established scholarship project to fund individual artist, professional development training project, international artists’ residence and exchange project, artworks curatorship exchange and information sharing platform, all of which involve many steps of an artist’s development. As far as the business scope of those independent non-profitable cultural and art organizations at the three levels is concerned, they have a considerably extensive and profound involvement.” Kong Hongtu, a trainee from China Folk Literature and Art Association introduced. Fu Yixuan and Kong Hongtu suggest that CFLAC further strengthen their service for literary and art workers in reference with American experiences. “During the operation and management, those non-profitable organizations attach importance to their relationship with literary and art workers and provide them with the opportunities of training and employment. They are able to provide jobs for artists through the organization, universities and communities. Besides, literary and art workers of each discipline have their own syndicate that will safeguard the interests in salary, vacation, reputation, meditation in dispute and employment.” they added. In reference with this point, Fu Yixuan suggest that CFLAC improve the contact with and service for those literary and art talents, especially those outside the system.
In the operation and management of American non-profitable organizations, foundation of various types have played a key role in supporting literary and art workers and their artworks. For example, NYFA initiated various development plans in collaboration with artists and cultural agencies, provide professional development training for art professionals, and promote artists’ creation in different fields, international exchange and information sharing. The Artist Scholarship Project sponsored by NYFA has provided totally 27 million dollars of unlimited subsidy on cash for 4400 artists in 15 fields to ensure development in their crucial period. Viewing such a remarkable achievement made by American foundations, people from CFLAC will naturally think about CFLAC Foundation. Many trainees suggest that CFLAC Foundation play a further role in supporting literary and art workers, creations and service for the people. Both the financial resources channel and service scope must be expanded and new service ways and methods must be explored. With more extensive channel of finance, the Foundation will serve more artists in a more flexible way. Besides, many trainees suggest the system of exemption from taxation be implemented for those enterprises donating for cultural causes as encouragement.
As Mr. Fei Xiaotong, famous sociologist and master of Chinese culture, concluded, “All cultures create their own beauty, and appreciate each other’s beauty. With various beauties in harmony, the world is perfect”. This time, while learning about American contemporary culture, all the trainees deeply felt that American literary and art circles are eager to get in touch with China and gain an in-depth knowledge of Chinese culture, especially expecting to cooperate with Chinese counterpart to innovate art forms together.
