This March, the Institute is hosting three stand-alone webinars focused on two essential themes for the culture and arts sector: the NYC culture budget and open data. These webinars help arts administrators, nonprofit leaders, cultural workers, researchers, and policy advocates seeking to better understand:
- How the NYC budget process works
- How open data supports transparency and advocacy
- How cultural funding moves through city government
Each webinar stands on its own and can be attended independently.
UNDERSTANDING THE NYC BUDGET:
A Guide for Culture and Arts Workers
A practical introduction to how NYC’s budget works — and why understanding it strengthens culture and arts advocacy.
March 16, 2026 | 1:00–2:00 PM
New York City’s budget shapes where public investment reaches communities, which programs continue, and how services grow — yet the process behind those decisions can feel difficult to navigate. Join us for a practical introduction to how the City’s budget works and why understanding it matters for our sector.
Learn the difference between day-to-day operating funds and long-term infrastructure investments, how the budget is organized, and the key moments in the annual decision-making calendar when advocacy can make a difference. We will also examine how negotiations with the New York City Council shape funding outcomes that affect nonprofit and cultural organizations across the city.
Let’s demystify the process and build shared budget literacy. A clearer understanding of how budget decisions are made leads to stronger, more coordinated advocacy.
OPEN DATA 101 FOR CULTURE AND ARTS:
Understanding Open Data and Why It Matters for the Sector
A practical introduction to open data and how it can strengthen transparency, research, and advocacy in the culture and arts sector.
March 23, 2026 | 1:00–2:00 PM
Data increasingly shapes how decisions are made about funding, policy, and public investment — yet many culture and arts organizations have limited access to the tools and knowledge needed to engage with it effectively. Join us for an introduction to open data and why it matters for the culture and arts sector.
Together, we will explore what open data means in practice, how it differs from internal or private organizational data, and how shared data can help organizations better understand their impact, advocate for resources, and strengthen transparency. The session introduces basic standards, common tools, and examples of how open data is being used in the United States and internationally to inform policy and support cultural ecosystems.
Our goal is to build shared understanding and confidence so participants can engage more meaningfully in open data practices across the sector.
NYC CULTURAL FUNDING DEEP DIVE:
Mapping DCLA, City Council Funding, and the Systems That Shape Cultural Investment
How culture and arts funding moves through DCLA, City Council, and multiple agencies, and what it means for advocacy.
March 30, 2026 | 1:00–2:00 PM
Public funding for culture and arts in New York City does not move through a single system. While the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is the largest local public funder of culture and arts in the United States, funding decisions are shaped across multiple agencies, budget negotiations, and political processes that can be difficult to navigate.
This session looks beyond DCLA to map the broader ecosystem of cultural funding across City government, including education, youth services, parks, libraries, and creative economy programs. Participants will also learn how City Council negotiations and discretionary funding shape outcomes for organizations across the five boroughs.
Together, we will unpack how funding decisions work in practice — and how a stronger understanding can support more effective advocacy across the culture and arts sector.
Who Should Attend?
- Arts administrators and nonprofit leaders
- Cultural workers and teaching artists
- Policy advocates and organizers
- Students in arts management and cultural policy
- Researchers focused on cultural governance and policymaking
- City officials