• Article

    2013, a year for learning and sharing

    Published December 30, 2013 by

    Why Contests Improve Philanthropy from Knight Foundation on Vimeo. At Knight Foundation our work carries across program areas, from the arts to journalism and media innovation to community and national initiatives that improve the cities where we all live. We issued several reports this year, designed to share lessons we have learned while working in a variety of sectors. Here are some of the highlights: “Case Studies: How Four Community Information Projects Went From Idea to Impact”: Through the Knight Community Information Challenge, more than 80 foundations have stepped up to invest in everything from local and state reporting to citizen dialogue and digital literacy, all to help their communities thrive. This report examined four community foundations and asked the questions why are they working in media and how does that connect to their overall goals? It includes lessons on design and planning, community engagement and project development. “The Emergence of Civic Tech: Investments in a Growing Field”: This report offers a broad look at civic tech, including an overview of investments in the sector and the funders behind them. It also features a data visualization component that tracks investments. The study isn’t static, either. We’ll be expanding it in 2014 and encourage input from others to help refine the data.  If you have any feedback, please send your contributions to Jon Sotsky, our director of strategy and assessment, at [email protected]
  • Article

    Connecting college students to the arts in college and beyond

    Published December 20, 2013 by

    By Erica Hawthorne, Campus Philly Campus Philly held their Annual Meeting on Thursday, December 5 at WHYY in Philadelphia, where 240 stakeholders gathered to learn about the organization’s focus and progress on accelerating internships and connecting Philadelphia college students to community. The meeting highlighted Campus Philly’s newest connector initiative: Open...
  • Article

    Exhibit to see in “Present Tense”

    Published December 20, 2013 by

    Work from Duron Jackson (left) and Deborah Grant. In the back corner of the Carol Jazzar gallery, a large (72” X 72”) sculpture of a cross leans against two walls. It’s made of white birch wood and is inlaid with dominoes – it is the piece...
  • Article

    “Rhythms of Africa”

    Published December 20, 2013 by

    Rhythms of Africa, a Knight Arts grantee, is a documentary film produced by SteadyImage and Solutions in Music. The film takes the viewer on a historical, geographical and musical litany of rhythms captured on camera. William Stewart. The hour-long documentary follows percussionist and former Third World...
  • Article

    Dreaming of Sugar Plums

    Published December 19, 2013 by

    By Emily Parkinson, Miami City Ballet Sugar Plums have been dancing in the heads of ballerinas everywhere — and for many more nights than just the night be for Christmas;-) Whether it’s the moment a little girl puts on her first pair of ballet slippers, or sees the Sugar Plum...
  • Article

    COSACOSA creates Unity in North Philadelphia

    Published December 19, 2013 by

    By Kimberly Niemela, COSACOSA art at large, Inc. Following a year of community planning and art-making, COSACOSA art at large, Inc. opened the first of three new Site and Sound Gardens in North Philadelphia’s Nicetown-Tioga neighborhood. Funded by the Knight Arts, the project is transforming abandoned city lots into public...