Contact:
Eduardo Robles
Senior Manager of Communications
eduardo@caforthearts.org
For Immediate Release
July 15, 2024
Ted Russell, longtime philanthropic leader in the arts, will partner with CA for the Arts to establish a Grassroots Artists Advocacy Program in San Francisco and Oakland. A grant from the Kenneth Rainin Foundation will support this work.
Ted Russell will join CA for the Arts as Program Consultant Lead to help launch the Grassroots Artists Advocacy Program. He is charged with developing a program that centers artists in grassroots advocacy efforts and cultivates more support for arts advocates statewide. This innovative grant program will establish a partnership between CA for the Arts and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation to test new philanthropic models to achieve the following:
- Identify and connect a diverse and inclusive network of artist advocates working toward policy change.
- Share knowledge and participant learnings with others in the field to strengthen statewide efforts.
- Grow philanthropic support for arts advocacy efforts.
Shelley Trott, Chief Program Officer at the Rainin Foundation, said: "We are thrilled to support California for the Arts in launching the Grassroots Artists Advocacy Program. Under Ted Russell’s leadership, this initiative is uniquely positioned to help artists thrive by empowering them to advocate for solutions critical to their livelihoods."
“I want to thank the Rainin Foundation for their leadership in supporting arts advocacy and welcome Ted Russell as a consultant to the California for the Arts team,” said Julie Baker, CEO. “This is not only an incredible gift to our organization but also to the communities we serve. Providing grant funding for artists to become advocates engaged in public policy combined with Ted’s strategic leadership and experience in the field of both philanthropy and arts programming is an innovative approach. We applaud the Rainin Foundation for their vision."
Ted Russell has over thirty years of experience launching and scaling initiatives, building the capacity of organizations and helping artists and creative workers thrive. His consultancy focuses on arts advocacy, research, strategic planning, and coaching. Previously, he served as Director of Arts Strategy & Ventures for the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, where he led the strategic direction for the arts, supporting diverse, visionary artists and collaborating with artists, partners, and funders to advance systemic change and foster an equitable ecosystem.
“I’ve seen arts advocacy evolve and grow in sophistication and effectiveness in recent years. The next frontier is empowering individual artists. Drawing from my years serving the arts as a funder, I'm joining forces with the incredible CA for the Arts team to revolutionize how we support artists to be powerful advocates on their own behalf,” said Ted Russell.
More information will be released in the coming months about the Grassroots Artists Advocacy Program (GAAP) for artists in San Francisco and Oakland to participate in this opportunity.
About CA for the Arts
CA for the Arts is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary advocacy service organization focused on building resources and public awareness of the value and impact of arts, culture, and creativity across California.
