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MAY 2013
5-23-13
Watch the Scholastic Awards Ceremony LIVE. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is broadcasting their National Awards Ceremony LIVE from Carnegie Hall this year! Join them and special guests Sarah Jessica Parker and Zac Posen on May 31 at 6pm ET / 3pm PT to honor National Award winners from across the country by watching the Ceremony right here on their Webcast page. You can also salute these talented students and engage your community around this one-time only event by hosting a Local Webcast Celebration! Check out their toolkit overflowing with fun tips and ideas to make planning your local event a success. And be sure to tell them about your local celebration plans by posting them to their Facebook page.
The DESIGN-ED Coalition presents // Designed Future 2013: Design Education Conference, June 28-29, 2013, University of the Arts, Philadelphia. You are invited to be part of this historic event to bring together design educators and designers to shape the future of preK-12 design education. This hybrid conference/un-conference will provide speakers as well as a forum to allow discussion groups to evolve. During the conference segment, speakers will present on topics such as the STEM to STEAM initiative, gamification, design history, Extreme by Design projects to design thinking. There will be planned workshops on drawing for design, model-making, video production, the Visioneer competition, and how to create a design-based school or program, among others. During the unconference portion on day two, time and meeting space will be provided for anyone to lead sessions on relevant topics, share experiences and knowledge and to be inspired by creative ideas. Unlike the traditional conference format of the first day, the flexible, participant-driven format favors discussion, debate and interactive participation on emerging trends, the latest issues and new projects. YOU build the unconference agenda around your interests, needs and areas of expertise, with interactive participation driving the sessions. FEATURING: Steven Heller, Kevin Werbach, Pamela Pease, Dan Hunter, Karl Kapp and others...and an UNCONFERENCE featuring you. FEE: $225 / Standard, $175 / Student
Wolf Trap Institute Unites the Arts and STEM in Early Childhood Learning. When Wolf Trap Teaching Artist Amanda Layton Whiteman arrives at the preschool classroom, all the children are excited that it’s time for dance — and for math. The teacher is amazed at how much the children love math, she tells Whiteman. The Early Childhood STEM Learning Through the Arts Program is pairing teaching artists with preschool educators to develop math teaching and learning experiences in pre-K and kindergarten classrooms. With support from the Office of Innovation and Improvement, the program is pioneering an arts-integration approach for early math learning that will soon be replicated in Wolf Trap's 16 regional programs. Click here or on the above title to read the full story about this innovative program. (ED.gov)
Young Children Learn Math Through the Arts. President Obama, in the 2013 State the Union address, challenged the country to move forward simultaneously on two key educational fronts — providing high-quality preschool for all four-year olds and preparing a new generation of Americans in STEM (Science, Technology, … (ED.gov)
Reminder from Artsonia: May iPad promo ends soon! Remember to publish your 50th piece of artwork to the "Naea" school gallery on Artsonia by May 31, and you will be entered into a drawing to win a free iPad! About 100 teachers have qualified for this drawing so far this month, so your chances to win an iPad are VERY GOOD! Blick Art Materials is also generously providing a $35 giftcard to every teacher who successfully publishes his/her 50th piece of artwork! Simply login at artsonia.com/teachers to access your teacher account. Once you've logged in and browsed the teacher section, if you have questions or need help getting started, don't hesitate to give them a call at 800-869-9974. They are happy to walk you through any aspect of publishing artwork.
Common-Core Update: Implementing Common Core: A Steep Climb for D.C. (Education Week)
Is District Participation in Race to the Top Waning? (May 22, 2013, Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog)
Study: Of NCLB Sanctions, Restructuring Spurred Most Improvement (May 22, 2013, Education Week/Inside School Research Blog)
Alaska, Hawaii, West Virginia Win NCLB Waivers (Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog, 5/20/13)
5-20-13
Call for Virginia Art Education Association (VAEA) Officer Nominations for President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer
What is Federal ESEA Flexibility all about? (ED.gov)
Obama Administration Approves Three More NCLB Flexibility Requests—37 States and DC Now Approved for Waivers. The Obama administration today approved three more requests for waivers from No Child Left Behind (NCLB), in exchange for state-developed plans to prepare all students for college and career, focus aid on the neediest students, and support effective teaching and leadership. The approved states include Alaska, Hawaii and West Virginia. (ED.gov)
Update on OII’s 2013 Grant Competitions. This year (fiscal year 2013, or FY13, which runs through September 30, 2013), the Office of Innovation and Improvement will be running six grant competitions: Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination, Charter Schools Program Non-SEA, Investing in Innovation (i3), Magnet Schools Assistance Program, School Leadership Program, and Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED). Five of the six competitions are already underway, and the sixth — the Charter Schools Program Non-SEA competition — will be launched shortly. Click here or on the above title to read more about this year's OII grants competitions. (ED.gov)
ESEA Ready to Spring Forward
House and Senate Panels Talk ESEA Renewal (ASCD Capitol Connection, May 20, 2013)
How coding brings out students' creativity. The role of computer programming in education has been uncertain in the past, but new emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math in today's education arena is shining a brighter light on the subject. Educators say student-friendly programs such as Alice, MicroWorlds and Scratch are making it easier for them to integrate programming into the curriculum and show students the creative sides of math, science and other subjects. (T.H.E. Journal magazine, 5/2013)
5-14-13
Bill Gates: I Wish I Had Steve Jobs' Sense of Design. In an interview with CBS' 60 minutes, Microsoft founder and chairman Bill Gates answered several questions about his long time rival Steve Jobs. Reminiscing their last meeting — in May 2011, when Jobs was already very seriously ill — Gates remembers Apple's co-founder fondly, highlighting his design ideas and the fact that he was still very enthusiastic about the future despite his illness. "What did he have that you wish you had," Charlie Rose asked Gates during the interview. "Oh, his sense of design. That everything had to fit a certain aesthetic. The fact that he, with as little engineering background as he had, it shows that design can lead you in a good direction...and so, phenomenal products came out," answered Gates. (Mashable)
AEP ArtsEd Digest - May 14, 2013 , Vol. 5, No. 8. In this issue:
• AEP's latest research bulletin, Preparing Students for the Next America: The Benefits of an Arts Education, offers a snapshot of how the arts support achievement in school, bolster skills demanded of a 21st century workforce, and enrich the lives of young people and communities. It draws on the research in AEP's ArtsEdSearch.org, the nation's first clearinghouse of research on the impact of arts education on students and their school communities. Order hard copies online or download the PDF for free!
• AEP’s ArtsEdSearch—the nation’s first and only research and policy clearinghouse focused entirely on student and teacher outcomes of arts learning—has a fresh new look! The new design includes more ways to help you search for information, a news feed, and a discussion feed. Visit ArtsEdSearch today, and check out the 36 new studies that have recently been added.
• IMLS Awards 2013 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. On Wednesday, May 8, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Director Susan Hildreth and First Lady Michelle Obama presented the 2013 National Medal for Museum and Library Service to ten museums and libraries from across the country. The National Medal is the nation’s highest honor conferred on museums and libraries for service to the community and celebrates institutions that make a difference for individuals, families, and communities. This year’s diverse honorees include a science center; children’s, music, art, and cultural museums; and public and county libraries from seven states. Click here to learn more about this year’s awardees.
• National Endowment for the Arts Announces Second Round FY13 Art Works Grants. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced that the NEA plans to award $26.3 million in grants to nonprofit national, regional, state, and local organizations nationwide. These grants support exemplary projects in 13 artistic disciplines and fields including: arts education, dance, design, folk and traditional arts, literature, and visual arts. Art Works grants support: the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and enhancement of the livability of communities through the arts.
Study suggests artistic graphics may hinder students' ability to learn. A recent study by psychology researchers from Ohio State University finds that increasing the artistic appeal of graphics, such as charts and graphs, could lessen students' ability to understand them, education reporter Sarah D. Sparks writes in this blog post. "Those who design material need to consider the possibility that inclusion of extraneous perceptual information may divert attention from the to-be-learned information," the study's authors concluded. (Education Week/Inside School Research blog, 5/9)
Grant Competition to Provide $150,000 for Summer Youth Programs - Digital media and learning competition funded by MacArthur Foundation in collaboration with the Born Brave App. A new grant competition will award $150,000 to libraries, museums, and other nonprofits to provide hands-on learning opportunities this summer for youth across the country to help make the online experience more civil, safe and empowering. The Project: Connect Summer Youth Programming Competition is administered by the Humanities, Arts, Science, and Technology Advanced Collaboratory (HASTAC), with support from the MacArthur Foundation through a grant to the University of California, Irvine, and in partnership with the Born This Way Foundation. Grants of up to $10,000 will support a series of local hands-on events July through September where young people collaborate and compete through activities such as hackathons, maker spaces, digital journalism and communications labs, and mentoring workshops. Funded programs will show that learning happens anywhere, anytime and should be equitable, social, participatory, and reflect kids’ interests. Applications are due June 10.
How teachers use Pinterest in the classroom. How teachers use Pinterest in the classroom Long a favorite among craft enthusiasts, the popular DIY site Pinterest, in which users “pin” online images to virtual pin boards for later reference, is gaining ground in education. Educators using Pinterest in the classroom (eSchool News)
Calif. school district connects art, math. Students in the Pasadena Unified School District in California are learning creative problem-solving skills through the district's Artful Connections with Math program. The program brings together classroom teachers and local artists. In one project, students were asked to create a sculpture using only the art supplies they could afford to purchase. "The sooner we can teach our kids how all these subjects interweave, I think the better off we are," teaching artist Melanie Moore Bermudez said. (KPCC-FM Los Angeles/Pass/Fail blog, 5/10)
Important i3 Announcements and Updates to the i3 Website. On May 3, 2013, the Department published two documents in the Federal Register: the Notices Inviting Applications for the 2013 Scale-up and Validation competitions. For entities interested in submitting a 2013 Scale-up or Validation application, please go to the “What’s New” section of the i3 “Purpose” web page to view the PowerPoint overviews of both the i3 Scale-up and Validation competitions.
i3 Scale-up and Validation Competitions Commence. This morning, the Department of Education announced the release of the Notices Inviting Applicants to the i3 program’s competition in the Scale-up and Validation categories. Click here or on the above title to learn the details of the 2013 competition and link to i3 application information. (ED.gov)
Rewards for Schools Key Facet of NCLB Waivers. States that got flexibility under the No Child Left Behind Act have promised cash bonuses and other rewards to high-performing schools and those that show significant progress. (Education Week)
NCLB waivers include recognition for top schools. States seeking waivers from No Child Left Behind are being asked to identify so-called "reward schools." Such schools can be consistently among the top schools or ones that have made significant gains in student achievement. However, methods for recognizing these schools vary among the 34 states and the District of Columbia that have secured waivers. (Education Week)
Museums help enhance history curriculum for schools in Minn. The Freeborn County Historical Society in Minnesota is working with educators to provide local students with hands-on lessons to enhance their learning. In one project, Albert Lea High School students create their own lessons and then don period costumes to make presentations to the district's fifth-grade students. Museums increasingly are linking exhibits to local curriculum, such as state requirements that students learn about Minnesota's Civil War past has been connected to an exhibit at the Minnesota History Center. (Star Tribune, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., 5/1)
5-3-13
“The Cream Does Not Always Rise: The Plight of Visual-Spatial Learners and the Power of Art Education” by Michele Sommer in Harvard Educational Review, Spring 2013 (Vol. 83, #1, p. 40-42). What Art Did for One Child
“My vivid and colorful imagination turned me into a hopeless daydreamer in elementary school,” recalls award-winning New York art teacher Michele Sommer in this poignant Harvard Educational Review memoir. “Once, in first grade, I was so completely absorbed in a daydream that I didn’t notice all the children had been dismissed. I found myself sitting completely alone at my desk, my teacher glaring at me… I was keenly aware even as a child that the adults in my life regarded my daydreaming as a defect, and so I was deeply ashamed of it. I worked hard to learn to pay attention and follow directions like everyone else. What I wouldn’t give today, as an artist, to once again have that extraordinary mental capacity!”
In second grade, Sommer had difficulty with subtraction, so one day she drew vertical lines through all the subtraction signs, turning those problems into addition, which she knew how to do. Her teacher was not fooled and put a big red F on her paper. On the way home, Sommer disposed of the paper under the neighbor’s pine tree. “My earliest failures in school set the tone for my entire kindergarten through twelfth-grade education,” she says. “The negative academic expectations were somehow passed on from grade to grade, teacher to teacher. I felt I could never be an A student.”
As she went through elementary school, Sommer did well in art and was praised for her ability. But was it a gift she might lose? “I have a distinct memory of the moment of terror I experienced entering the fourth grade,” she says, “wondering if I ‘still had it’ or if I had somehow lost my artistic ability over the summer months. What if I couldn’t draw anymore? How would I get through the school year?”
In junior high school, she still felt “dumb, humiliated, and worthless” as a student. But on graduation day, she was astonished to hear her name called by Mrs. Kiester, her art teacher, to receive an award for a colored-pencil drawing she had done of a geranium. The teacher’s note on the back commended her for her work – for “the satisfaction and happiness it has brought to me and others who have known, loved, and marveled at your creativity while you joined us here.”
“My art teacher saved my life that day,” says Sommer. “The feeling of success and the knowledge that I had a valuable skill that I could share with others did buoy me and set me on the path to my bright future… Art continues to save my life every day. I need the elements of art like I need food and water; to me these elements are the basic building blocks of life.”
As an art teacher, she continues, “I often get to see another side of a student who is struggling in academic subjects. For parents and teachers of these students, having someone witness this side of them is extremely valuable in working toward a deeper understanding of a child. I have an important role in discovering how children learn and how they see and feel about themselves and the world around them. I know that every child can experience success and become excited about learning. Art education has the power to make that happen.”
Principal fires security guards to hire art teachers — and transforms elementary school. The community of Roxbury had high hopes for its newest public school back in 2003. There were art studios, a dance room, even a theater equipped with cushy seating. A pilot school for grades K-8, Orchard Gardens was built on grand expectations. But the dream of a school founded in the arts, a school that would give back to the community as it bettered its children, never materialized. The school was plagued by violence and disorder from the start, and by 2010 it was rank in the bottom five of all public schools in the state of Massachusetts. That was when Andrew Bott — the sixth principal in seven years — showed up, and everything started to change. “We got rid of the security guards,” said Bott, who reinvested all the money used for security infrastructure into the arts. (NBCnews.com)
How was the Department of Education’s Arts Education Program Affected by Sequestration? The U.S. Department of Education has released the post-sequester FY13 funding details. On page 6 of the PDF link below, you’ll see that the final FY13 number for the Arts in Education program is $23.648 million, reflecting the sequester’s 5.23% cut from FY12 funding levels. (ED.gov)
Ovation’s Arts Ed Toolkit Presents New Education Resources – FREE Lessons Available for Visual Arts and Dance. Ovation announces its newest arts education materials including streaming program clips and downloadable, National Standards-based lessons. Educators can log onto www.ovationtv.com/educators to access resources for grades 9-12. Ovation presents materials based on two recently featured arts documentaries. Baroque! From St Peter’s To St Paul’s, explores the English Baroque tradition commencing in the 17th century, and highlights distinctive architecture and paintings of this period. Manet: The Man Who Invented Modern Art presents insights into the life, career, and many masterpiece paintings of the 19th century modern artist, Édouard Manet. Also featured is a specially produced lesson for dance, entitled The Innovators – American Modern Dance Pioneers, highlighting the emergence of modern dance in America in the first half of the 20th century. The Toolkit features a lesson by Ovation’s education partner, The J. Paul Getty Museum. Ovation’s Arts Ed Toolkit, a partnership with Cable in the Classroom, was designed in collaboration with the New York City Department of Education, Office of Arts and Special Projects.
CT: Artucation showcase promotes student, teacher artwork at Artwell Gallery. The art work of local students and their art teachers will collide in Artwell’s annual showcase, Artucation, set to open this Saturday. The Artucation opening reception will run from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The show will close on May 12. (The Register Citizen)
Philadelphia Museum of Art Museum lessons, in the galleries and via distance learning, encourage students to examine objects and ideas through a variety of activities including discussions and small group work. Lessons offered for all grades connect to a wide range of curricula and align with PA, NJ and Common Core standards. Learn more about our education opportunities and our Teacher Workshops and Visual Arts as Sources for Teaching.
Flint Arts on the Road Brings a Community Together for Education. The U.S. Department of Education was proud to host the Flint Institute of Arts, Flint School of Performing Arts, Flint Youth Theatre, and Tapology for the Flint Arts on the Road student art exhibit, which opened on April 22. Flint Arts on the Road is the first initiative of Flint Cultural Center institutions to produce cross-disciplinary collaborative programming showcasing the special talents of exceptional students in the visual and performing arts. The visit to D.C. for the opening also provided them a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience as they met and performed with their peers at several D.C.-area arts education institutions. Click here or on the above title to read about the opening and see photos from the event. (ED.gov)
Integrating the '4Cs' into instruction (eSchoolNews)
OH: Art Gallery Preps for Move to New High School. Teachers and students are getting everything ready for the relocation next school year. Come this fall, Westlake High School will be in a new location, along with its art gallery. In preparation for the move, former art teacher Christine Filmer and a team of National Art Honor Society students will remove, clean, categorize and restore the current art in the Art Gallery, according to a press release from the district. The art will be stored in the Westlake Schools Administrative Offices until it can be re-installed in the new high school. (Westlake Patch)
House Republicans Investigate NCLB Waivers. In a firmly worded letter (PDF) to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, House Education Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and K–12 Education Subcommittee Chairman Todd Rokita (R-IN) ask several pointed questions about the Obama administration’s No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waivers. (ASCD Capitol Connection, 5/1/13)
Arkansas Governor Approves Whole Child Legislation! Arkansas Governor Michael Beebe signed a new bill into law that promotes a whole child approach to educating the state’s children. The legislation (PDF) establishes a Whole Child Whole Community recognition program and aims to measure the comprehensive well-being of children and how well stakeholders are meeting their needs according to the five whole child tenets (healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged) and their indicators as identified by ASCD. (ASCD Capitol Connection, 5/1/13)
WI: Student artists sell their work to the Wauwatosa School Board. The Wauwatosa School Board has made its annual purchase of student art, and the framed work was put on display in the School Board meeting room Monday night. The purchases were made from a selection of student art submitted by school district art teachers, who chose pieces for their originality and quality. This year the board bought nine works, paying $35 to elementary students, $50 to middle school students and to high school students who used photography, and $100 for artworks by high school students. (Wauwatosa Now)
NY: Proposed Teacher Layoffs Prompt Student Response. Northport High School students launch campaign to "Save the Arts." (Northport Patch)
Smartphones a Standard for Majority of Students by High School, Survey Finds. A new nationwide survey reveals the extent to which mobile devices have become an inextricable part of students' and families' lives—while also indicating that parents see potential benefits, and drawbacks, to those technology tools. (Education Week)
The next generation unfriends Facebook. What are the kids doing these days? It's an age old question. But when it comes to echnology, it's an important one. To get some insight, we went to the source -- high schoolers. We found out what apps they use (...Snapchat), what devices they like (iPhones, iPhones, iPhones), and whether they are concerned at all about privacy (that would be a YES). (marketplace.org)
2013 Investing in Innovation Competition Continues with Invitation for Scale-Up and Validation Applications. Following the launch of the 2013 Investing in Innovation (i3) Development competition earlier this spring, today the U.S. Department of Education announced the start of the competition for the i3 program's Scale-up and Validation categories. (ED.gov)
Social-Emotional Learning Gets Race to Top Boost (Education Week)
5-1-13
DC: Maiah Khin, 8th grade RMS student and NINJA *extraordinaire, will be interviewed live on Thursday morning, May 2, during the weather segment on WUSA tv9!!! She was the first place middle school winner in the poster contest sponsored by the Clean Air Partners, which is a nonprofit partnership chartered by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. Over the past decade, this group has strived to improve public health and the environment by working with businesses, organizations and individuals throughout the region to raise awareness and reduce air pollution through voluntary actions. Maiah and the other two RMS winners, Mika Hayashi and Aaron Salenga, also NINJAS, will be honored at a reception Thursday night at the Koshland Science Museum in Washington, DC. *National Junior Art Honor Society = NINJAS, but not martial arts!
ALABAMA CENTER FOR THE ARTS CALL TO ARTISTS FOR WORK FOLLOWING THE THEME, CIVILITY. Mail work to Dr. Mary Beth Johns, Athens State University, 300 N. Beaty Street, Athens, AL 35611, mary.beth.johns@athens.edu. In light of a seemingly increasing violent culture, as evidenced by recent public bombings, campus shootings, and virulent school bullying from the elementary grades through higher education, public figures have called for and have pledged to a new civility. Such a call provokes the following questions: What does civility mean to us? How do we interpret civility from social, critical, and aesthetic perspectives? What role can visual art, and indeed all art, play in such a call? What is the relationship between civility and civilization? How can we be more civil in our day-to-day human interactions, as well as in our more formal institutional and political debates? How can we measure civility? What impact does an increasing lack of civility have on our own lives? The Civility Show will feature a collection of 5” x7” images that reflect on, perpetuate, and inspire a new cultural dialogue in the spirit of cooperation and sense of community. Submissions can represent diverse mediums and styles. Artwork should be received no later than June 30th.
Smithsonian Announces Sequester Closures: From May 1 through September 30, the Smithsonian Institute will be forced to close at least three areas at its Washington D.C. facilities due to budget cuts engendered by sequestration. The three closures announced thus far are the Commons room at the Smithsonian Castle, a room in the "African Mosaic" exhibition in the National Museum of African Art's permanent collection galleries, and sections of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden's third-floor permanent collection galleries. (The Washington Post)
Greetings from the United States Mint! Batter up! The United States Mint is giving kids ages 13 and younger the chance to create a coin design. This nationwide challenge is the perfect way for kids to unleash their inner artist and celebrate the sport of baseball. And 15 of them will win prizes if they do a great job telling the world “What’s Great About Baseball”!
Reminder – The Asthma Awareness Poster Contest deadline is quickly approaching! May is Asthma Awareness Month. EPA would like to invite 3rd-8th graders in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin to participate in the Asthma Awareness Poster Contest. Students will create a drawing or painting that illustrates different aspects of the condition. Possible poster topics include, but aren’t limited to: good asthma control and management, avoiding asthma triggers, physical activity and asthma, asthma and the environment, and asthma medication. All participants will receive a certificate of recognition for participating. 1st place winners in each category will receive recognition on EPA websites, an Award Certificate and a prize pack; 2nd place winners in each category will receive recognition on EPA websites, an Award Certificate and a Planet Earth DVD set; and 3rd place winners in each category will receive recognition on EPA’s website. All entries must be received by Friday, May 10, 2013.
NYC: Drawing Out: Student Artwork from the Drawing Connections Program, May 15–19, 2013, The Lab. Reception: Thursday, May 16, 5–7pm. The Drawing Center presents Drawing Out: Student Artwork from the Drawing Connections Program, an exhibition of drawings created as part of the program that pairs practicing artists with teachers in Lower Manhattan public schools to develop projects that relate classroom curricula to exhibitions at The Drawing Center. Now in its ninth year, Drawing Out features group projects by approximately one hundred students from four classes in the participating schools of: P.S. 42 Benjamin Altman School, P.S. 130 Hernando Desoto School, and Chelsea Career and Technical Education High School.
Crayola's Creative Corner - May 2013. Celebrate May Day! Enjoy the beautiful weather and paint a portrait to capture the beauty of May.
APRIL 2013
4-29-13
CCAC Grant Applications Due Soon! Early Bird Applications Due June 10. Regular Deadline for the 2013 Champion Creatively Alive Children® Grant Program is June 21 | View e-Flyer
In collaboration with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), Crayola is offering up to 20 grants to help schools implement an innovative leadership program that will build creative capacity and collaboration. Click here for details and instructions. Urge your principal to apply by June 10 to receive a free Crayola product Classpack ™.
Arts Education and Artists for Education. This Tuesday, CBS and other television affiliates across the country will air a celebrity-studded special from The Real Change Project called Real Change - Artists for Education, which will feature an A-list cast of actors and musicians talking about the teachers who inspired them. Dig just beneath the surface and a critical truth emerges: Many of the leading artists of our time were set on their path by teachers who exposed them to drama, music and the creative process when they were young. (The Huffington Post)
CA: Shepard Fairey Asks Students For Inspiration For Arts Education Campaign. Street artist Shepard Fairey, made famous by his "Hope" poster for President Barack Obama, is tapping LA students for inspiration. He's the third artist to agree to create designs for the "Arts Matter" public awareness campaign by the LA Fund for Public Education, according to the LA Unified School District. But he's the first to ask LAUSD students to send him ideas. “Imagine your life without limits. What would you create?” That's the question Fairey is posing to LA children, LA Fund explains. He will then create visuals to go along with at least one of their answers. (The Huffington Post)
Kansas Art Education Association Announcement: Submit a Workshop Proposal. Deadline: June 15, 2013. The KAEA 2013 Professional Development Conference, "Ready, Set, Grow: "Art Cultivates the Core", will be held October 24-26 in Overland Park, KS at the Courtyard Marriott Overland Park.
KS: McPherson College Hosts Area High School Artists for Competition, Workshops. Best of Show: “A Penny for Your Thoughts” by Yasmine Maskil, Sterling Works of art: 300. High school artists: 100. Length of exhibition… just 5 hours. The Central Kansas League Art Festival is - hands down - the shortest art exhibition McPherson College hosts. On April 24, the college’s Friendship Hall exhibition space was a whirlwind of noisy activity as high school artists from all around Central Kansas converged and brought out their best work.
NY: Experts Take a Closer Look at How to Bolster Arts Education. Arts educators, college professors, students and higher ed administrators alike gathered Wednesday and Thursday at the City University of New York’s Baruch College for an intensive look at how arts education can be bolstered with outside organizations during the conference, “Museums and Higher Education in the 21st Century: Collaborative Methods and Models for Innovation.” The Rubin Museum of Art in New York City co-hosted the event, which opened with a reception and tour of its space in the Meat-packing District on Wednesday night and closed after a day’s worth of presentations on Thursday at the school. (Diverse: Issues In Higher Education)
MT: McDonald family, Wendy's make $90,000 donation to secure arts education at YAM. Wendy’s of Montana and the McDonald family donated $90,000 to the Yellowstone Art Museum on Friday to support education. Greg McDonald, president of Wendy’s of Montana, said he is carrying on his late father Sam McDonald’s mission to support children and education. McDonald also vowed to continue making annual donations of $5,000 to support education programs. The $90,000 donation will establish the Wendy’s of Montana and McDonald Family Art Education Fund, creating an endowment that will secure the future of art education at the YAM, said Robyn Peterson, executive director of the museum. (The Billings Gazette)
NJ: Kean University partners with NJWA to offer fine arts academy in Union. This summer, the New Jersey Workshop for the Arts (NJWA) will partner with Kean University’s Fine Arts Department and Art Education Program to offer the inaugural session of a dynamic new three-week summer arts intensive for young people entering grades nine-12. (nj.com)
Ireland: ‘The seeds sown are rarely wasted’: A charter for change in arts education. The role of the arts within education over the years has been patchy, to say the least. And with relations between teachers and Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn fluctuating between high drama and stony silence at this year’s annual conferences, it might not appear to be the most auspicious time for the Government to launch a long-term initiative in this particular area of pedagogy. (The Irish Times)
RI: Rich enrich museums as art education fades. Thomas Campbell directs the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. He's smiling a great deal these days. Why? Campbell has just received something that museum directors only dream about: a donation of paintings, drawings, and sculptures worth over $1 billion. (The Providence Journal)
Art symposium inspires Wyoming high school students. The words “inspiration and imagination” are how Evanston High School sophomore Sydney Jordan summarized the annual showcase of more than 5,000 artworks from Wyoming high school students. Jordan pointed to a watercolor tree framed by names of people killed in public acts of violence. Inside the bare, dark trunk were words: Boston Marathon, Sandy Hook, Aurora shooting, Virginia Tech. The roots formed words: deceit, hatred, greed. (Wyoming Tribune)
PLANET ART: The Best Art From Around the World, April 2013 (blouartinfo)
Vans Custom Culture has announced the top 50 Semi-Finalists! Check out the designs and cast your vote for your favorite entries in each region from now until May 13th! What's your favorite style?
4-26-13
A Design Challenge to Students: Solve a Real-World Problem! Creating a safe recreation space for teens; protoyping a recyclable lunch tray; setting up a water delivery system to guard against urban fires; building a public awareness campaign to combat hunger. These are just a few of examples of the types of tasks students are taking on when they participate in the Design Learning Challenge, an effort to get students to figure out how to solve real-world problems in their communities. (KQED Mind Shift)
TX: Summer Institute of Forensic Art with Lois Gibson, 7/29 - 8/1/13, Houston, TX. Her class will give you instruction materials and techniques to give your students entrance into a profession that stops murderers, robbers, rapists, and manner of predators. There is no class at any level in this country, the forensic art leader, where a student can take more than a five-day class from a private instructor. Class includes a DVD with all of her PowerPoint presentations. For further details, go to LoisGibson.com and click on "classes" or email Brian Schroeder at instituteforforensicart@yahoo.com.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: 90th Anniversary National Awards Ceremony - A LIVE Webcast from
Carnegie Hall in New York City, Friday, May 31, 2013, 6pm ET / 3pm PT. Host a Local Webcast Celebration! The Celebration Starts With You! Plan your event with their Toolkit and Sample Invitation.
KY: Young artists' works on display at Carnegie Center show. The current exhibit at the Carnegie Center for Art & History in New Albany is wide-ranging, with paintings, charcoal sketches, dresses, digitally manipulated images and even a fanciful dragon-themed teapot. And everything in it was produced by young local artists. The exhibit is the 41st Annual New Albany Floyd County Schools Secondary Art Show. Running through Saturday, the show offers around 210 works of art created by students in grades 5 through 12. (The Courier-Journal)
Read Americans for the Arts Arts Watch - April 24, 2013 e-Newsletter, A Cultural Policy Publication of Americans for the Arts. In this issue:
Washington: Bill Introduced to Include Arts into S.T.E.M. Education (The Western Front, 4/17/13)
"A bill introduced in the state Senate...would expand the current emphasis on education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, widely referred to as S.T.E.M., to include an “A for art.” S.T.E.M. doesn’t go far enough, and an emphasis in the arts would support creativity and improve innovation, according to the bill...The prime sponsor of the Senate Bill 5909 is Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe, D-Bothell. One of the co-sponsors of the bill, Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, said there is a significant link between math and the arts, and it makes sense to promote both in education. 'I believe arts education is critical to furthering creativity and innovation,' Kohl-Welles said in an email. The bill is one of several introduced in the legislature this year as part of a state and national push for increased emphasis on S.T.E.M. education in both K–12 and higher education that has picked up steam in the last five years."
Mississippi: Getting Creative to Attract Tourists (WADM.com, 4/20/13)
"In this time of economic struggles, Mississippi is looking at outside-the-box ways of bringing more revenue into the state...The Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Center is putting on a two-day art retreat with the help of a grant from the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA). Pat Odom is hoping to help people discover their artistic passion with her stenciling class. The Art By the Sea retreat also offers an opportunity for participants to try out everything from jewelry making to working with fused glass so people can see what they're good at.
Vote! Vans Custom Culture Narrows Field to Top 50 Shoe Designs. As a Vans Custom Culture national charity partner, Americans for the Arts is proud to work closely with the brand to reinforce the importance of arts education in schools across the country. With the launch of the 2013 Vans Custom Culture competition on January 2, budding artists and designers entered to become the first 1,500 U.S.-based public or private high schools to enter. And now that field has been narrowed to the top 50 schools and designs in five regions: California, Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast. The public now has an opportunity to vote for their favorite designs in each of the five regions from April 22–May 13! The five schools as determined by online voting will be notified on May 14 and provided with a travel budget to fly to New York City for the finals later this summer with the winning school receiving $50,000 for its art program!
Read Art21 News - April 24, 2013. In this issue: New Videos in Exclusive and New York Close Up; 100 Artists: New Videos, Images, Interviews, and More; Access 100 Artists: Host or Attend a Screening; Highlights from the Art21 Blog; and Art21 Translation Project: Bringing Artists' Words to Global Communities.
IN: Art teachers' exhibit lacking in turnout. Art teachers vary in their approach to and management of their art rooms. In nearly all rooms, however, what goes on is highly individualized instruction. That means mentoring every student at his or her current level, not only teaching material usage and artistic technique, but also encouraging independent, creative thinking and problem solving. Undergraduate and graduate art education students during the early 1970s were encouraged to become not simply art teachers, but artist-teachers. Not only should art teachers teach, but they should also create their own art. (jconline.com)
Department of Education Announces 2013 Race to the Top Competitions. The U.S. Department of Education just announced two new Race to the Top competitions for FY13. About $370 million will be used for another round of the state-focused Race to the Top—Early Learning Challenge (RTTT-ELC) and about $120 million will support a second round of the Race to the Top—District (RTTT-D) competition. The RTTT-ELC money will fund a new competition to help states increase their high-quality early learning opportunities and will also provide supplemental awards to six states—California, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin—that only received 50 percent of their initial request in the previous competition. Just as before, the RTTT-D competition will support local plans to deepen student learning and prepare them to succeed in college and their careers. The department is seeking public feedback on its proposed priorities for this year's competition. Similar to last year, the competition emphasizes efforts to create personalized learning environments. But this year, the department is proposing an additional priority focused on district partnerships with public or private organizations that work to address students' social and emotional needs. Both of the FY13 competitions are being funded at significant reductions compared to previous competitions (-$130 million for RTTT-ELC and -$263 million for RTTT-D), and the maximum award for the district competition has been reduced from $40 million to $30 million. See the proposed RTTT-D priorities and submit your comments by May 16, 2013. (ASCD Capitol Connection)
ED REVIEW - April 26, 2013...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders. (ED.gov)
What does a principal look like in 2013? THE EFFECTIVE PRINCIPAL. The topic of principal effectiveness and its role in comprehensive, sustainable school improvement has been on our minds as we bring our ASCD Forum discussion to a close. We asked readers of ASCD SmartBrief , a free daily e-mail news service that provides summaries and links to major education stories and issues, what best defines effective principals. More than a third (34 percent) of readers agree that the most important standard is for principals to have a clear vision and inspire and engage others in developing and realizing it. At a secondary level, about one in six educators felt that one of the following four standards were equally important and most descriptive of an effective principal... (ASCD The Whole Child)
The United States Mint - Kids’ Baseball Coin Challenge. Parents, guardians, and teachers, the United States Mint is inviting young people through age 13 to unleash their inner artist talents by creating a coin design that captures the theme “What’s Great About Baseball.” Please encourage them to be a part of this historic competition. Children and students have an opportunity to become a part of a historic competition designed to connect America through coins and the mutual celebration of our national pastime, Baseball. Children ages five and under, six to ten, and eleven to thirteen are encouraged to enter. The competition runs through May 23, 2013.
DC: National Gallery of Art, Washington: Inside Photography: The Role of Art in Diplomacy, April 30, 2013, 1 pm, East Building Concourse, Auditorium. Tina Barney, artist; Sarah Greenough, senior curator and head of the department of photographs, National Gallery of Art; Sarah Lewis, art historian, author and curator; Clifford Ross, artist; and Robert Storr, dean of the Yale School of Art, chairman of FAPE’s Professional Fine Arts Committee, and consulting curator of modern and contemporary art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In collaboration with the Foundation for Art and Preservation in Embassies (FAPE), the National Gallery of Art will host a panel discussion on the role of art in diplomacy on April 30, 2013. The panelists—Sarah Greenough, Sarah Lewis, and Robert Storr— will present an overview of FAPE’s photography collection in American embassies around the world. Tina Barney will discuss her recent gift to FAPE, and Clifford Ross will talk about the photographs acquired by FAPE for display at the US Mission to the United Nations in New York as well as his recent projects in China.
LA: West St. John High holds first art show and forms art honor society. Parents and community members were invited inside West St. John High School on April 23 for a special event that highlighted the artistic talents of its students. The first school wide Art Show coincided with the induction of seven students into West St. John’s newly formed National Art Honor Society. (The Times-Picayune)
Art Teachers Celebrate Earth Day. Happy Earth Day! Today is a day when many science and environmental teachers plan creative activities for their students that often extend beyond the classroom. But did you know that art teachers are getting involved as well? Here are a few of the ways that schools used art classes today to increase awareness of the environment. (Education Week Blogs)
ALABAMA CENTER FOR THE ARTS CALL TO ARTISTS FOR 5" X 7" WORK FOLLOWING THE THEME, CIVILITY. In light of a seemingly increasing violent culture, as evidenced by recent public bombings, campus shootings, and virulent school bullying from the elementary grades through higher education , public figures have called for and have pledged to a new civility. Deadline for submission of artwork: 6/30/13. Questions? Contact Dr. Mary Beth Johns at (256) 260-4291 or mary.beth.johns@athens.edu.
NY: Young Audiences Arts for Learning Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant to Support the Young Audiences Professional Arts Learning Series. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced today that Young Audiences Arts for Learning (YA) will receive an NEA Art Works grant. YA is recommended for a $25,000 grant to support the Young Audiences Professional Arts Learning Series. The Professional Arts Learning Series is a year-long professional development program for teaching artists, staff, and executive-level thought leaders in the field of arts in education. The comprehensive and intensive series will promote program innovation and artistic excellence, influence best practices in successful arts integration, and build the capacity of YA’s 30 regional affiliates and other participating arts organizations and individuals throughout the nation. This three-pronged program model emphasizes the extended involvement of participants over the course of one year and encourages ongoing dialogue, communication and mentorship amongst participants.
Tips for using Pinterest as a teaching tool. Tips for using Pinterest as a teaching tool Many aspiring crafters and cooking fanatics are familiar with Pinterest, a social media site set up like a virtual bulletin board in which users “pin” favorite home décor, cooking, and craft ideas. [Read more] (eSchoolNews)
4-24-13
Read AEP ArtsEd Digest - April 23, 2013
AEP's latest research bulletin, Preparing Students for the Next America: The Benefits of an Arts Education, offers a snapshot of how the arts support achievement in school, bolster skills demanded of a 21st century workforce, and enrich the lives of young people and communities. It draws on the research in AEP's ArtsEdSearch.org, the nation's first clearinghouse of research on the impact of arts education on students and their school communities.
DC: AEP Director to Address Kennedy Center Arts Integration Conference June 24-26. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will present its third annual Arts Integration Conference: Exploring an Approach to Teaching on June 24-26, 2013. The Conference explores the “how” of arts integration and provides many strategies that can make arts integration a part of every teacher’s approach to engaging students in learning. During this conference, AEP Director Sandra Ruppert will address attendees on the topic of the Common Core State Standards and the arts. This conference is appropriate for teams of teachers, principals, school district administrators, and partnering arts organization staff and teaching artists. Registration is limited and will fill quickly.
TX: Call for Proposals for Houston Arts Annual Partners Conference. The 2013 Houston Arts Partners Conference will be held Sept. 13 and 14, 2013 in downtown Houston, TX. The annual conference attracts hundreds of educators and administrators and has galvanized the Houston arts and education community. This year's theme is "Arts Work," focusing on the benefits the arts bestow on individuals, classrooms, communities, and the economy. The conference combines inspiring arguments for the power of the arts from national arts-in-education leaders with dynamic, innovative, interactive, evidence-based, and fun presentations on how the fine arts can supply tools to teachers of core foundation subjects. The Request for Proposals are due May 15.
P21 Webinar Series on Implementing 21st Century Education. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) and EdLeader21 have teamed up to present an eight-part webinar series entitled: "The Implementation Challenges of 21st Century Education: 7 Steps for Schools and Districts.” This free webinar series addresses topics of innovation, professional capacity, curriculum and assessment, and more. Join EdLeader21; P21; and district leaders from Kentucky, Colorado, Virginia, and Tennessee for a fascinating discussion of the role of a 21st century vision for education for the first webinar in the series: “Adopt Your Vision” on April 24, 12pm PT/3pm ET.
Virtual Arts Integration Conference is Now Open for Registration! Registration is now open for Connectivity 2013—the only virtual arts integration conference—to be held on July 26th, 2013. This year's theme focuses on the incredible connections the arts make to the Common Core and includes: Nationally-renowned speakers and leaders in Arts Integration, Common Core and the Arts, and STEM connections; A digital copy of the book STEAM Point about planning and assessing integrated arts and STEM lessons; A professional development certificate with hours of completion for the full conference experience.
View the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - AYAW Times, Issue 37. In this issue: 2013 marks the 90th year of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards recognizing our country's most creative teens; FROM OUR STAFF: What Is Your Creative Inspiration?; TOP STORIES: 7 Ways to Build A Sustainable Art Career This Year; MEET OUR ALUMNI: Chris Columbus & Ned Vizzini?s House of Secrets; FROM THE VAULT:
Uncovering Greatness; MEET OUR WINNERS: Regional Student Highlight: Urim Apocalypse.
DC: Free online resources from Smithsonian museums. Today the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) announced three new online resources for teachers. Teachers across the country and around the globe can access some of the best education resources from the Smithsonian Institute, now without ever stepping foot in Washington, DC. (examiner.com)
MI: Leslie Donaldson: Art education is central to economic successes. Some of my fondest memories are from my elementary school art classes. In second-grade, my art teacher helped get my artwork into a juried art exhibition, where I received my first award. In fifth-grade, I learned to play the viola and developed the confidence to perform in front of the whole school. Through these experiences, I learned discipline, teamwork and creative risk-taking. The encouragement I received from my art and music teachers motivated me to succeed in all my subjects and to explore new ideas. Like many Lansing students, I was an “at-risk” child and I wouldn’t have had access to high-quality art or music classes or the life skills I learned if it weren’t for public education. (LSJ.com)
MA: World-renowned artist Tim Rollins brings art education talents to Springfield's Renaissance Public School in W. E. B. Du Bois inspired workshop. “I think art is the best way to learn math, science, political studies, anything because it’s about making knowledge, it’s not just about the consumption of knowledge and the tests and what not, it’s about creativity and the kids love it,” said Rollins. “My kids in New York, they hated school but they loved art, so I took their love of art and made them love education, and that’s how most of them got into major art schools and colleges.” (masslive.com)
CANADA: Advocating for arts in education. Okay friends, it's the time of your school districts are making plans for next year, Arts Advocacy Day just happened here in the USA, and politicians are planning for fall elections before people check out for the summer. Therefore, this blog is devoted to fabulous writings and research on the importance of arts education and arts at the heart of common core academic learning.
EPA’s Asthma Awareness Poster Contest. May is Asthma Awareness Month. EPA would like to invite 3rd-8th graders in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin to participate in the Asthma Awareness Poster Contest. The purpose of the poster contest is to promote asthma awareness among children, parents and school faculty. Students can show what they know about this chronic condition that affects more than 25 million Americans. Students will create a drawing or painting that illustrates different aspects of the condition. Possible poster topics include, but aren’t limited to: good asthma control and management, avoiding asthma triggers, physical activity and asthma, asthma and the environment, and asthma medication. Entries must be no larger than 11x17 and must be flat (i.e., no 3-dimensional projects). There will be two categories: 3rd-5th grade and 6th-8th grade. All participants will receive a certificate of recognition for participating. Winners will be chosen based on the most creative and accurate depictions of asthma awareness as judged by EPA experts. 1st place winners in each category will receive recognition on EPA websites, an Award Certificate and a prize pack; 2nd place winners in each category will receive recognition on EPA websites, an Award Certificate and a Planet Earth DVD set; and 3rd place winners in each category will receive recognition on EPA’s website. All entries must be received by Friday, May 10, 2013.
UK: AccessArt is looking for visual artists who would like to be the face of AccessArt! AccessArt is the leading provider of artist-led, visual arts, teaching & learning resources. They will be giving over prominent screen space on the home page of AccessArt for a 2 week period, before handing the space over to another artist. AccessArt wants to celebrate the individuality and diversity of creative practitioners across the world. They are a very well-respected, award-winning organisation with a passionate global audience and want to share this audience with artists – giving them a unique chance to represent AccessArt and tell the world about your work! By declaring “I am AccessArt” you will be showing your belief in the importance of collaboration and creativity – see their core values. Open to visual artists: of every discipline; from every country; of every level of standing – from students just starting out to established international contemporary practitioners.
NY: International Studio & Curatorial Program: Spring Open Studios. The International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) Spring Open Studios is a three-day exhibition of international contemporary art. The 27 artists from 20 countries currently in residence present work in their studios. The studio is a generative space—part production site, office, laboratory and situation—and it can be argued that it is more significant today for artistic process than ever before. Open Studios invites the public to 27 "studio visits" to experience art in its place of origin and to share conversations with artists from all over the world. Spring Open Studios, April 26–28, 2013. International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP), 1040 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211. Opening reception: Friday, April 26, 6–9pm. Hours: Saturday and Sunday, April 27–28, 1–7pm.
Northern VA: ART BASH Featuring Critique the Critics, Saturday, May 4th, 7 to 11 pm, Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201, Metro: Virginia Square Orange Line. ART BASH featuring Critique the Critics is an improvisational art competition and party where critics and local notables become the artists! Philippa Hughes, founder of the Pink Line Project will act as the mistress of ceremonies relying on the crowd's participation to select this year's winner. With catering provided by Spilled Milk, chocolates provided by Artisan Confections, the dynamic art of OPTIONS 2013 and Social Construction, and a silent auction; the evening of May 4th will be one to remember!
UK: Middleton Honors Art Therapists. Tonight the Duchess of Cambridge hosts a charity gala at the U.K.'s National Portrait Gallery honoring one of her preferred charities, The Art Room, which provides art therapy for young people through painting and drawing classes. Kate Middleton will not only meet with the art therapy professionals who operate dedicated art rooms at schools in Oxford, but also the children who have been empowered and helped by their art classes. (Mirror Online)
4-22-13
The President’s 2014 Budget Proposal and The Arts (The Dance Journal)
April is Arts Month: Everyone can be an arts advocate (stevenspointjournal.com)
MI: Arts Council: Lansing School District's plan to eliminate arts/music teachers is 'unacceptable'. You may have followed recent events regarding the Lansing School District and the private contract negotiations to cut as many as 87 teachers, many of whom are certified to teach art, music, and physical education to elementary students. You may have also learned that Lansing School District representatives decided to take these actions as a part of a deficit reduction plan, and that, according to the Lansing State Journal and Michigan Radio, the district's plan is not to eliminate art and music but to "redesign the PE, art and music program" for elementary children. (mlive.com)
In D.C., Art Program Turns Boys' Lives Into 'Masterpieces'. Life Pieces to Masterpieces is an arts program that's not entirely about the art. It's an after-school program based in a struggling neighborhood in Washington, D.C., that teaches black boys and young men what they call "the four C's": "Connect, create, contribute, celebrate." From ages 3-25, they learn to express themselves by conceiving their paintings together. And those paintings will often reflect what's going on in their lives. (NPR, 4/18)
Howard University to Present 24th Annual James A. Porter Colloquium - Featured Artists Include DJ Spooky, Bjorn G. Amelan and Bill T. Jones. The Howard University Department of Art is pleased to announce the 24th Annual James A. Porter Colloquium on African American Art from April 11-13. The Porter Colloquium is the leading forum for scholars, artists, curators as well as art enthusiasts in the field of African-American art and visual culture. (Howard University Newsroom)
FindYourArtSchool.com. Teachers and School Counselors have used our site to help students interested in a career in the Arts. They are dedicated to helping serious students make an informed decision about their future. They offer professional advice for choosing a field of study, finding the perfect school, and launching a successful career in the Arts. Scholarships and Financial Aid may be available to incoming students.
4-19-13
New! NAEA pARTners Membership Growth Rewards Program. Learn more today!
Military Children Share Their Experiences Through the Arts at the Department of Education. Students cut the ribbon to officially open the exhibit.In celebration of the Month of the Military Child, the U.S. Department of Education Student Art Exhibit Program partnered with the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) to host the art exhibit “America’s Children.” The exhibit features some 50 works of visual art and writing from students based around the U.S., including Puerto Rico, and Canada and Germany. (ED.gov)
Arts Advocacy Day Focuses on Arts Education’s Pay-Off for All Students. Arts Advocacy Day brought thousands of arts education advocates from across America to the Nation’s Capital on April 9th. Armed with an ever-increasing body of research-based evidence about the contributions of arts education to a well-rounded education for all students, the advocates reminded members of Congress that supporting arts education is a smart, pay-forward investment in every child’s education and future. Click here or on the above title to learn more about the case for arts education by connecting to the "Arts Education and Advocacy: An Investment in Every Child's Future" ED blog. (ED.gov)
Art and Accomplishment - Put to the Test. Over the years, there have been a lot of claims about the benefits of the arts on the mind: Listening to Mozart makes you smarter; playing an instrument makes you better at math. One program — funded in part by the federal government — is putting these theories to the test. The Turnaround Arts Initiative, spearheaded by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, is using an intensive arts curriculum to try and improve eight low-performing schools. (Causes.com)
MA: Harvard kids use 3D printing to help the blind ‘see’ paintings. For the visually impaired, the basic problem with art is that, well, they can’t see it, the Washington Post reports. But with a project called “Midas Touch” a group of Harvard kids say they have a fix: Use 3D printing to help the blind ‘see’ what they cannot actually see. “We want to bridge the gap between the visually impaired and the visual world of art,” Constantine Tarabanis, one of the brains behind the project, told me. Basically, what Midas Touch does is take a flat image — say, of Starry Night — and use 3D printing to add layers of texture to it, creating an image that’s half painting, half relief sculpture. (eSchool News)
IL: Nine schools in 12 years: One teacher's tale of life in Chicago's public schools. Art on a Cart is the program where art teachers pile supplies on a cart and schlep that cart from one classroom to another. They do this because they don't have their own art rooms. They don't have their own art rooms because the system's either too broke to build them one, or the school's so overcrowded they had to convert the old art room into a classroom. Look for more Art on a Cart programs now that Mayor Emanuel's decided to save public education by cramming more kids into fewer schools. (Chicago Reader)
IA: Future art teachers fired up for kiln lesson. My Simpson College students in my secondary art methods class are future art teachers who spend the semester learning a variety of concepts and processes to give them a stronger understanding of appropriate art methods to use in teaching high school students. (DesMoines Register)
Young Prodigy Autumn De Forest Sells Six-Figure Paintings to Major Collectors. Autumn de Forest is certainly creating a name for herself in the art world. At the young age of 12, the child prodigy has commissioned six-figure works of art and has garnered national and international acclaim for her colorful tributes to Marilyn Monroe. Her artistic style has been compared to iconic abstract painters including Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock and the Picasso. (Highbrow Magazine)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RETREAT FOR EDUCATORS FOCUSES ON TAKING STEM A STEP FURTHER - Pioneering Arts In Education Organization, Journey 360, Offers STEM To The Art Power™ July 8 & 9 In Historic Granville, Ohio. Journey 360, a new subsidiary of Granville Studio of Visual Arts, announces a two-day summer retreat for teachers in all grades and subjects focused on arts integration in the classroom. Making Connections Retreat: STEM, STEM to the Art Power promises to use creativity and design as the catalyst for innovative teaching and learning. This is an intensive two-day professional development retreat and creative experience for inspired teachers wishing to hone their skills in quality integration design and instruction. The retreat programming will be conducted at Granville Studio of Visual Arts design lab and Skipping Rock Farm, both in historic Granville, Ohio. Teachers will leave renewed, motivated, and armed with creative courage to take their passion back to the classroom and engage students. No prior art experience is required. The cost is $499 per person with group discounts available.
American Academy of Pediatrics Children's Art Contest. Each year, the American Academy of Pediatrics hosts a children's art contest for grades 3-12 (categories broken up into 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12). First and second place winners in each category can win $500 or $250, respectively, with a matching amount for their school. First place winners in each category will be flown to our annual conference in Orlando, FL for the awards presentation. This year's theme is "A World Free from Tobacco and Secondhand Smoke" and we're encouraging students to envision a world where they are not exposed to smoke, or to industry marketing that tries to lure them into becoming young, addicted tobacco users. Information about the contest can be found online including information for educators who wish to create a lesson around the topic of tobacco use prevention and/or cessation as a way to bridge creativity with learning. They are hoping to get more schools, day camps, overnight camps, and afterschool activity organizations involved this year to increase the number of students participating.
4-17-13
The Case For The Arts In Overhauling Education. One of the ongoing debates in education is whether so much testing in schools is taking away time for young people to develop their own critical thinking and creativity. At the same time, the White House has talked about the importance of innovation when it comes to staying competitive in the global market. The intersection of both of these issues could be the arts. Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel talks with NPR's Elizabeth Blair about her reporting on the role the arts play in helping low performing schools improve, and in nurturing creativity that can help young people in all subjects. (npr.org)
Creative Classes: An Artful Approach To Improving Performance. This is the first in a three-part series about the intersection of education and the arts. Over the years, there have been a lot of claims about the benefits of the arts on the mind: Listening to Mozart makes you smarter; playing an instrument makes you better at math. One program — funded in part by the federal government — is putting these theories to the test. The , spearheaded by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, is using an intensive arts curriculum to try and improve eight low-performing schools. (npr.org)
Arts Education and Advocacy: An Investment in Every Child’s Future. Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” April 9th was Arts Advocacy Day here in Washington, D.C., and thousands of advocates from across the country came to … (ED.gov)
Smithsonian to begin temporarily closing galleries due to budget cuts from Congress. Budget cuts from Congress will soon reduce the number of free exhibitions on view each day at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. According to written testimony, Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough (CLUFF) plans to tell Congress on Tuesday that the museum complex must reduce its security contract for gallery attendants because of the budget cuts. As a result, the Smithsonian plans to begin rolling gallery closures after May 1. (The Washington Post)
Education Department Announces Next Rounds of Race to the Top, Including Another Key Investment to Expand Access to High-Quality Early Learning Opportunities. The U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced they will invest the majority of the 2013 Race to the Top funds for a second Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge competition. About $370 million will be available this year for states to develop new approaches to increase high-quality early learning opportunities and close the school readiness gap. (ED.gov)
Nearly $500M From Race to Top to Fund Early Learning, District Ideas (April 16, 2013, Politics K-12 Blog)
Obama's arts budget plan goes beyond restoring 'sequester' cuts. President Obama’s budget proposal for the coming fiscal year would boost federal arts spending 10% above where it stands at the moment, lifting it to $1.58 billion for the 2013-14 budget year that begins Oct. 1 and more than compensating for cuts from the "budget sequestration" bill that went into effect last month. Those reductions sliced 5% across the board from three federal cultural grant-making agencies as well as the Smithsonian Institution, the National Gallery of Art and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, lowering their combined spending from $1.51 billion to about $1.44 billion for fiscal 2012-13. (The Los Angeles Times)
Call for i3 Peer Reviewers. Attention all teachers, principals, college and university educators, education evaluators, social entrepreneurs, strategy consultants, grant makers, and others with education expertise. The U.S. Department of Education is seeking peer reviewers for the next round of its Investing in Innovation (i3) grant competition. (ASCD)
Art Authority Summer Intern Program, Year 3. The Art Authority Summer Intern Program offers art and art history majors a 21st century alternative to traditional art docent internships. By working on their cutting-edge app and database, technology-focused students gain experience with and exposure to a set of tools they'll need as "art goes digital." Art Authority has learned a lot over the past two years, both as far as how to run the intern program and as far as what's needed to keep the app line on top. And it's been working, as exemplified in Apple's current Celebrate the Arts campaign. Students have learned a lot too, gained credit towards their major, and even found jobs as a result of the program (one of them works here!). And of course it's not just the Art Authority app now, but also Art Authority K-12, Art Alert and community.artauthority.net. Even an iBook. So they're really looking forward to another great and meaningful summer for all concerned. If you or anyone you know is curious about the program, please check out the Summer Intern Program Web site for more information and an application form. The number of spaces are limited, so anyone interested should apply as soon as possible. Below are links to their blog post overview of the program and today's press release regarding it.
http://blog.artauthority.net/art-authority-summer-intern-program-year-3
http://prmac.com/release-id-56602.htm
SC: Artfields Invites Guests To Lake City For The Largest Art Competition In The Southeast. Art lovers of all ages will make their way to Lake City, South Carolina from April 19 – 28, 2013 for ArtFields, the largest arts competition of its kind in the Southeast. This 10-day epic Southern artfest will feature a wide variety of art events, including an art competition, workshops, lectures, talks, public art and more. Most events are free, and ticketed experiences start at $5. The spotlight will be on 400 pieces of two- and three-dimensional artwork selected from artists in 11 Southeastern states. These original works will be exhibited in more than 40 downtown businesses and other venues during the ten days of ArtFields. Art Competition finalists are vying for $100,000 in total cash prizes. A special twist: attendees vote for their favorite to determine the $25,000 People’s Choice Award, which also factors into the $50,000 Top Prize.
4-15-13
What the Brain Can Tell Us About Art. THIS month, President Obama unveiled a breathtakingly ambitious initiative to map the human brain, the ultimate goal of which is to understand the workings of the human mind in biological terms. Many of the insights that have brought us to this point arose from the merger over the past 50 years of cognitive psychology, the science of mind, and neuroscience, the science of the brain. The discipline that has emerged now seeks to understand the human mind as a set of functions carried out by the brain. (The New York Times)
ED REVIEW - April 12, 2013...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders
ARTS EDUCATION. Director of Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs Monique Chism was on a panel on “Embracing Arts Education Strategies to Achieve Title I Goals” at the recent Arts Education Partnership National Forum. Research demonstrates the value of certain kinds of arts programs to achieving the goals of the federal Title I program to support the achievement of students from low-income families. Yet, despite this evidence (http://www.artsedsearch.org/) and statements from Secretary Duncan that Title I funds may be appropriately used for arts education (http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/secletter/090826.html), schools and school districts are often reluctant to do so. The panel specifically discussed efforts in Arizona and California to connect advocacy, policy, and research to embrace rigorous arts education programs. Also, a public webinar on April 17 (2-3 pm ET) hosted by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will look at how federal agencies are using arts education to foster the well-being of the youngest populations.
Createquity - Around the horn: Kim Jong-un edition (4-14-13)
• Yo-Yo Ma gave this year’s Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy at Arts Advocacy Day, and you can watch the video here.
• The NEA has unveiled a new four-point plan for its arts education program, and Kristen Engebretsen has the details.
What Matters Most For an Artist Website: Rules to Be Followed (or Broken). As the art market becomes less reliant on the gallery space, the Internet has become an increasingly important tool for artists to self-promote and guide people to their work. The most basic way that artists can mark their territory in cyberspace, allow collectors to peruse their works, and put a face to their artist statements, is by making a website. (BlouinArtInfo)
How Is the Sequester Affecting the Arts? With the government sequestration now a fact of life, we've been looking on the program at how cuts are affecting or might affect various sectors. Today, we look at the arts and arts organizations with a leading advocate, Robert Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. (PBS News Hour, 4/12/13)
MetLife Survey of the American Teacher. The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, conducted annually since 1984 by Harris Interactive, shares the voices of teachers and others close to the classroom with educators, policy makers and the public. The Survey findings also inform MetLife Foundation's support for education. The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Challenges for School Leadership examines the views of teachers and principals on the responsibilities and challenges facing school leaders, including the changing roles of principals and teachers, budget and resources, professional satisfaction, and implementation of the Common Core State Standards for college and career readiness (2012). View Webinar
DC: Mayor's proposal cuts millions from Arts and Humanities Commission budget. Local arts advocates, including members of the D.C. Council, are calling for the council to maintain the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities’ budget at the current level. The mayor’s proposed 2014 budget slashes it to $7 million. (Examiner, 4/12)
Maryland arts budget back to pre-recession levels. The Maryland State Arts Council will receive $15.2 million in state funds during fiscal 2014, bringing the organization back to pre-recession funding levels. Gov. Martin O’Malley’s budget allocated an additional $2 million for the arts council, which had its budget slashed during the recession. (Baltimore Business Journal, 4/11)
Turn STEM into STEAM with Arts Education By John Maeda, Rhode Island School of Design. We need to add an "A" for art to the national STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education agenda and turn it to STEAM. ... I remain convinced that artists and designers will be the innovators of this century, and that the problem-solving, the fearlessness and the critical thinking and making skills that I see every day are what is needed to keep our country competitive. Read the op-ed. (The Seattle Times)
MI: Educators as Designers. New 3-day immersion experience called Educators as Designers to be held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 29, 30, and 31, 2013. Flyer describes the course, its goals, and processes. Professional development and/or graduate credit is available. Please share this information with anyone that you think might like the opportunity to participate. If cost is a barrier, scholarships are available. For more information please contact Katie Oddleifson Robertson at Katrin@wholemindesign.com.
CA: Coachella festival doubles down on art. The California music and arts festival has placed additional emphasis on the latter this year, commissioning artists to create new works for seven of the eight major installations around the festival grounds, including the pyramid-like misting chamber and trance pavilion "Do Lab" and "PK-107 Mantis," a 125-foot-tall sculpture of a robotic praying mantis. "In the past, people rented more off-the-shelf artwork, but now we're making an effort to commission all-new pieces specially built for the show," said Paul Clemente, the festival's art director. (Los Angeles Times)
FL: LeMoyne Chain of Parks Art Festival offers community quality art, education. The festival, which is in its 13th year, is constantly evolving to fit the needs of the community. It serves as the largest fundraiser of the year for the LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts and its three full-time staff members. Last year the festival brought in more than $60,000, which went to covering administrative costs for LeMoyne. (Tallahassee.com)
CO: Four Inspiring Organizations Changing Lives Through the Arts. The arts do more than make our lives more beautiful. Visual arts activities can provide hands-on ways to learn about geometry, playing music with other kids demonstrates the power of team work, and, through the arts, kids explore the world and how to express themselves in it. High-quality arts programs keep kids engaged in school and learning, and give them a sense of their own creativity, power, and potential to do great things. Here are four inspiring ways organizations and parents are changing kids’ lives through the arts. (babble.com)
CT: Our schools need more arts education. Our schools need more arts education. Despite including the arts as being one of the 10 core academic subjects, the No Child Left Behind law has helped to push arts classes to the side. Schools, especially those struggling, can retain their best teachers by becoming incubators for creativity and innovation; places where students want to learn and teachers want to teach. Students with an education rich in the arts have better grade point averages, score better on standardized tests in reading and math, and have lower dropout rates-findings that cut across all socio-economic categories. Congress should support an expansion of the federal arts education program to provide the best models for schools to include the arts in their curriculum. (The Hour online)
MD: Call to youth art educators. Plein Air-Easton! is seeking youth art educators to participate in expanded children's arts programming during Plein Air-Easton! The Next Generation on Sunday, July 21. This event will provide students with hands-on experience and art education showcasing children creating art en plein air (in the open air, in the moment). The day will consist of a series of workshops and art-related stations held outdoors in downtown Easton for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Students may rotate through the workshops, spend time at stations or simply "paint out" on their own (any artist age 25 and under may participate in the freeform paint-out). Plein Air-Easton! The Next Generation will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. It will be held rain or shine. Plein Air-Easton! will provide all art supplies and stipends for educators. Youth art educators must complete an application outlining proposed programming. Applications are available online at www.pleinaireaston.com. Completed applications should be emailed to Colleen Brighton at colleen@theavalonfoundation.com. For more information, call 410-822-7297. All applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. April 30. Selected educators will be notified by May 15. (myeasternshoremd.com)
Artsonia "Yo soy...Je Suis...I am...My Family" Call for Children's Art. In partnership with the Kennedy Center and its affiliate VSA, Artsonia invites you to submit your student artwork to the 2013 "Yo soy...Je Suis...I am...My Family" call for children's art. This call provides a unique opportunity for student-artists with disabilities from around the world to present their artwork side-by-side in an online exhibition. A selection of artwork from the online entries will be chosen for a live exhibition at the United States Department of Education in Washington D.C.! Visit artsonia.com/yosoy for further information or to begin submitting artwork. Submission deadline extended to July 1, 2013.
Northern VA: May 4 Glass Fusing Workshop. Please join Vicky Eichler at Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria, VA on May 4, 2013 from 10am-4pm for a Glass Fusing Workshop. Instructor: Allison Jachowski from Chesapeake Ceramics. If you missed the glass fusing session at November’s conference or would you like to go farther in depth in the art of glass fusing, this all-day workshop would be perfect. Allison will cover the ABC’s of glass in the art room and you will create 3 projects to fire in your own ceramics kiln– with in depth instructions. $15.00 per person for supplies. Bring your lunch. Please RSVP to nvaeanews@yahoo.com.
4-12-13
Obama Administration 2014 Budget Prioritizes Key Education Investments to Provide Opportunities for All Americans. The Obama Administration continued to prioritize education in the 2014 budget released today by proposing key investments in education that would strengthen the middle class, grow the economy and provide opportunities for success to all Americans–especially our nation's most vulnerable children. (ED.gov)
2014 Education Budget: What’s the Bottom Line? As Education Secretary Arne Duncan often says, budgets aren’t just numbers in a ledger – they are a reflection of our values. President Obama’s 2014 proposal, released today, demonstrates his belief in education as the engine that will keep … (ED.gov)
ArtsEd Digest, April 10, 2013, Vol. 5, No. 6 from Arts Education Partnership
Announcing AEP's New Research Bulletin! AEP's latest research bulletin, Preparing Students for the Next America: The Benefits of an Arts Education, offers a snapshot of how the arts support achievement in school, bolster skills demanded of a 21st century workforce, and enrich the lives of young people and communities. It draws on the research in AEP's ArtsEdSearch.org, the nation's first clearinghouse of research on the impact of arts education on students and their school communities.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will present its third annual Arts Integration Conference: Exploring an Approach to Teaching on June 24-26, 2013. The Conference explores the “how” of arts integration and provides many strategies that can make arts integration a part of every teacher’s approach to teaching. During this conference, AEP Director Sandra Ruppert will address attendees on the topic of the Common Core State Standards and the arts. This conference is appropriate for teams of teachers, principals, school district administrators, and partnering arts organization staff and teaching artists. Registration is limited and will fill quickly.
USDOE Now Accepting Applications for Arts in Education Grant Program. The U.S. Department of Education’s Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Grant program (AEMDD) is accepting applications for fiscal year 2013. The AEMDD program supports the enhancement, expansion, documentation, evaluation, and dissemination of innovative, cohesive, research-based models. These models must effectively demonstrate: (1) integration of standards-based arts education into core elementary and middle school curriculum; (2) strengthening standards-based arts instruction; and (3) improving students’ academic performance. Please contact Diane Austin at 202-260-1280 or email the program at artsdemo@ed.gov with any questions.
Wolf Trap Foundation Fellowship. A 12-month, full-time paid Fellowship position within the Wolf Trap Foundation is available beginning September 2013. Intended for a young professional of color who has recently earned a Master’s degree in the arts or a related discipline, the Fellowship will provide substantive arts management experience in a variety of areas within the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. The 2013-14 Fellow will rotate across three departments within the Foundation over the course of his or her 12 month tenure. A $24,000 stipend is provided in addition to a housing and transportation stipend, if needed. Funding for attendance at selected national conferences is also provided. The Fellow will be eligible to receive certain Wolf Trap Foundation benefits, including health insurance and paid time off. Fellowship applicants are required to submit an application cover sheet, a statement of purpose, a resume, and two letters of recommendation. For further information, please call 703-937-6304. Applications are due May 1, 2013.
P21 Welcomes New Strategic Council Members. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) welcomes the addition of two new nonprofit members to the leading national organization advocating for 21st century readiness for every student. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Destination Imagination announced they are joining P21’s Strategic Council. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to save and improve children’s lives, providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF’s work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States. Destination Imagination, Inc. is a non-profit that helps kids around the world discover their creativity by hosting international challenge tournaments. All DI programs are challenge based, and they teach the creative process from imagination to innovation.
National Endowment for the Arts Hosts Webinar about Early Childhood Arts Education, Wednesday, April 17, 2013, 2:00 – 3:00 pm, ET. Why is arts education important to early childhood development? Tune in on Wednesday, April 17 for a free public webinar hosted by the NEA Interagency Task Force on the Arts and Human Development. This webinar looks at how federal agencies are using arts education to foster the well-being of the youngest populations. Representatives from Head Start and the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will discuss current efforts to incorporate arts education into programs for young children. The webinar will also share recent research that measures the school readiness of children involved in Head Start arts enrichment programs.
Smithsonian Collections Archived Conference Sessions Now Available. On February 6, 2013, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, presented the Oh Freedom! Online Conference which explored Civil Rights and Smithsonian collections with curators, experts, and educators in live presentations, interactive demonstrations, and moderated forums. Watch the archived conference, explore resources in the Virtual Exhibit Hall, and participate in ongoing discussions.
The Arts and Passion-Driven Learning Institute. Deepen your understanding of how learning takes place in and through the arts. Join diverse artists and educators from around the world as the Harvard Graduate School of Education convenes the Arts and Passion-Driven Learning Institute Aug 7-9, 2013. This 2.5 day institute is a collaboration between the Silk Road Project and Harvard, uniting artists and educators interested in passion-driven learning and arts integration. Yo-Yo Ma, artists from the Silk Road Ensemble, Harvard faculty members and leading arts integration practitioners will lead a series of arts experiences, workshops, panels, and discussions designed to investigate the intersection of theory, practice, research, and policy. To attract the most diverse group of artists and educators, a limited amount of financial aid is available to assist with travel and tuition needs; requests can be made as part of the institute enrollment process.
Summer Internship Opportunities with South Arts. The South Arts internship program provides learning opportunities and on-the-job experience to college juniors or seniors, graduate students, and recent college graduates with a professional interest in arts administration. Interns are expected to work 15-20 hours per week (30-35 hours during the summer), participate in daily activities, contribute skills and ideas, and produce excellent work. All college juniors, seniors, current graduate students, or recent college graduates are invited to apply for three opportunities to intern with South Arts this summer.
Teaching Artist Handbook Available on Amazon. Leaders of the Teaching Artist Journal— Becca Barniskis, Barbara Hackett Cox, and Nick Jaffe—have written a new book entitled The Teaching Artist Handbook: Volume 1: Tools, Techniques, and Ideas to Help Any Artist Teach. The book is now available on Amazon.com at a pre-publication discount of under $14.00.
Europe: Universities should unite art and science in quest for knowledge. Art and science are generally regarded as opposites, as having widely different goals, values and methods. This outlook is reflected in the traditional organisation of higher education, where the education of professional artists is conducted, not at universities, but in specialised schools or academies. (Public Service Europe)
IN: Turtle, Humpty Dumpty, and Jack and Jill Announce Winners of 13th Annual Cover Contest. Award-winning children’s magazines Turtle, Humpty Dumpty, and Jack and Jill announced the winners of the 13th Annual Cover Contest. Designed to stimulate creativity and promote art programs in schools across the country, the contest encouraged children ages 3-12 to submit entries fitting with the theme, “My Best Day Ever.”
MI: Fraser H.S. NAHS Inductions. Fraser’s National Art Honor Society hosted its annual induction ceremony on March 25th. This year, over 35 members were inducted into the club. Among these 35, 14 seniors were rewarded with graduation chords. Throughout the years, the club has maintained a decent size; however, this year’s participants were the second largest group to be accounted for. As far as graduation chords go, NAHS has seen as many as 20 chords distributed, but as little as eight. This year’s senior class fell in the average rank for receiving such a prestigious accomplishment. (The Flash)
PA: DeKenipp, Rieutort are national winners. Seniors Alyssa DeKenipp and Julie Rieutort of Western Wayne High School were named national winners in the 2013 Scholastic Art Awards. (WayneIndependent.com)
Canada: CNA arts program cut, students upset: Instructor says cut will impact community. Visual arts students at the College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville are lamenting the loss of their program. The two-year course, established in 1980, was eliminated with the recent provincial budget cuts. (cbcnews.com)
NE: Don't forget the visual arts. Many times when we think of the arts in our community we think just of the performing arts. That makes sense, a concert or a play is an event, it exists in the moment and then it is gone so it cries out for immediate attention. One of the key boosters of the visual arts is the Beatrice Area Arts Guild, a group of local artists, meets once a month to plan events, trips, art shows, and participate in a group art or craft project. The group is comprised of painters, photographers, carvers, sculptors, fabric artists, and others interested in art.
VA: You're Invited to join the Arlington Art Center for ART BASH! An art-and-party experience that supports a great cause! ART BASH featuring Critique the Critics is an improvisational art competition and party where the critics and local notables become the artists! Philippa Hughes of the Pink Line Project will act as mistress of ceremonies relying on the crowd's participation to select this year's winner. DETAILS: Saturday, May 4th, 7-11 pm, Arlington Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201.
4-10-13
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION 2014 BUDGET PRIORITIZES KEY EDUCATION INVESTMENTS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AMERICANS. President Obama releases the Administration’s FY 2014 budget request highlighting key education investments in early learning, furthering the K-12 reform agenda, college affordability and quality, school safety, expanded opportunities for both middle- and low-income communities, and overall, the protection of formula programs for at-risk populations. (ED.gov)
Nancy Hanks Lecture 2013: Yo-Yo Ma, Streamed live on Apr 8, 2013. Drawing on his training as a musician and what he has learned traveling the world for more than 30 years as a touring performer, Yo-Yo Ma will discuss where in nature, society, and human interactions we can find the greatest creativity, and what we can all do to help students grow up to be contributing and committed citizens. (Americans for the Arts)
FLINT ARTS on the ROAD Exhibition & Performances. Flint Arts on the Road is the first initiative of Flint Cultural Center institutions to produce cross-disciplinary collaborative programming showcasing the special talents of the exceptional students in the exhibit and opening, and provide them a once-in-a-lifetime educational experience at the U.S. Department of Education and in Washington, D.C. Opening and Ribbon-Cutting, Monday, April 22, 2013, 11 am, U.S. Department of Education, Lyndon Baines Johnson Education Building Auditorium, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, DC. Questions? Contact Jackye Zimmermann at 202-401-0762 or at jacquelyn.zimmermann@ed.gov.
School Arts - May/June 2013. Your May/June 2013 digital edition of SchoolArts magazine is now available. Simply click here to begin reading the current issue.
$20K for Arts Education - Partners in Arts Education. The National Guild has received a $275,000 grant from MetLife Foundation to continue the MetLife Foundation Partners in Arts Education Program. The national initiative—now entering its ninth year—aims to improve teaching and learning in the arts by supporting and promoting exemplary partnerships between nonprofit arts education organizations and public schools. Eligibility: Nonprofits and public schools. Grant Deadline: Thursday May 16th, 2013. Grant Value: $20,000
Johnsonville's Search for the Best of US. Last week, Johnsonville launched the Best of US campaign – a nationwide call to celebrate the educators from across the nation who are embodying the spirit of America. Through the contest, Johnsonville is engaging the nation to nominate the unsung heroes in the area of education that go above and beyond their classroom duties to serve as pillars of the community. In addition to getting some much-deserved recognition, finalists in the educator category will have a chance to win up to $10,000.
Dept. of Ed Launches New and Improved i3 Competition. The U.S. Department of Education just launched its $150 million 2013 Investing in Innovation (i3) grant competition to help school districts and nonprofit and school partnerships implement innovative ideas that improve student learning. Read on to learn about the pre-application process for the popular i3 Development grants. (ASCD)
Arts Writers Grant Program. Online application form opens: Wednesday, April 10, 2013, Application deadline: Wednesday, May 15, 2013. The Creative Capital | Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant Program supports writers whose work addresses contemporary visual art through project-based grants, ranging from 3,000 to 50,000 USD, issued directly to individual authors. The first program of its type, it was founded in recognition of both the financially precarious situation of arts writers and their indispensable contribution to a vital artistic culture. The Arts Writers Grant Program aims to support the broad spectrum of writing on contemporary visual art, from general-audience criticism to academic scholarship. Due to legal constraints we can only fund U.S. citizens, permanent residents of the United States, and holders of O-1 visas.
InSEA 2014, Melbourne, Australia, July 7-11, 2014, Diversity through Art. The 34th World Congress of the International Society for Education through Art will be held in Melbourne, Australia from 7 - 11 July 2014. Located in the Asia Pacific, this Congress will consider key themes which demonstrate artistic diversity and celebrate the innovations of the present against the backdrop of the past. The growth of a contemporary art in many nations throughout Asia will be a major theme, as will the revived awareness of traditional and indigenous cultures throughout the Pacific region. Particular emphasis will be placed on Australian Indigenous culture and its emergence as an international art force and the creative potential offered by the multiple visual resources resulting from migration and the multicultural community.
MD: Baltimore Museum of Art takes steps to ensure financial sustainability; include a reduction in personnel. The Baltimore Museum of Art today announced the implementation of short- and long-term measures designed to balance the Museum’s budget for the coming years and ensure the institution’s financial health. Initiatives include a reduction in personnel, restructuring staff in key areas, increasing contributed and earned revenue, and reducing the draw on the Museum’s endowment. Taken together, these steps will lead to a stronger and more financially sustainable Museum to serve visitors from Baltimore, Maryland, and around the world. The gap between expenses and revenues in the BMA’s operating budget is largely the result of the lingering impact of the economic downturn. (artdaily.org)
NY: Museum of Modern Art announces Target to become sponsor of school & teacher programs. The Museum of Modern Art announces that Target is to become the sponsor of Target School and Teacher Programs beginning this May, providing major support of the Museum's mission to engage students and teachers in meaningful experiences with works of art in the Museum's collection and special exhibitions. The sponsorship will support activities such as the School Visit Programs, School Partnership Programs, Art Studios, and K-12 Teacher Workshops and Online Resources. Target's support of MoMA began in 2004 with a sponsorship of the Museum's reopening after an extensive renovation and expansion, and the launch of Target Free Friday Nights, which has offered free admission to all Museum visitors from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. every Friday. (artdaily.org)
National Gallery of Art - Call for Applications: 2013 Unpaid Internships. The Department of Audio Visual Services seeks intern who will assist in the production and post-production of video projects that occur on or around the campus of the National Gallery of Art and include live event capture for lecture programs, and editing for podcasts. The Gallery Shops Division seeks an intern with experience in photography, imaging, and website graphic design to participate in the re-launch of its web store, which is scheduled to occur in October 2013.
4-8-13
Turn STEM into STEAM with arts education. We need to add an “A” for art to the national STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education agenda and turn it to STEAM, writes guest columnist John Maeda. (The Seattle Times)
NJ: Bogota's Bixby and Steen schools participate in Youth Art Month. The students of the Bixby and Steen elementary schools participated in Youth Art Month, submitting more than 60 pieces for display at the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack for the month of March. It was the first time the two schools were involved in the event.(northjersey.com)
NJ: Essex County Executive DiVincenzo Welcomes Student Artists to Hall of Records. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. and the Art Educators of New Jersey welcomed 75 students from throughout Essex County to the Hall of Records for the Art Educators of New Jersey student art exhibit on Tuesday, March 19. This is the ninth consecutive year DiVincenzo has partnered with the Art Educators of New Jersey to present the student artists exhibit at the Hall of Records. (Barista Kids Education)
NJ: County Honors 20 Newark Student Artists. Abington Avenue, Alexander Street artwork displayed in Newark's Hall of Records as part of Art Educators of New Jersey exhibit. (NewarkPatch.com)
MA: Pelham high-schoolers earn art awards in national contest. In the eyes of many beholders, including a judging panel for a national art contest, Pelham High School is drawing, painting and crafting a reputation for itself as one of the most artistically accomplished high schools in the country. The school's art teachers, Casey Locke and Mike Norton, were notified recently by National Scholastic Art Awards executives that a judging panel has selected art works by three PHS students to represent New Hampshire at this year's Scholastic Awards Ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City in May. (lowellsun.com)
MD: Students enjoy art education during Spring Break. Students at Abrakadoodle Art Studio for kids in Timonium may be on Spring Break, but they are still hard at work on some dazzling drawings. "It's fun because we can come here and draw and do what we want with our drawings," said 6-year-old Amelia Carmel. It's all part of Spring Break Mini Camps. This exciting camp is filled with character from Sponge Bob to Harry Potter. Students can experiment with paint, clay and sculpture. Studies show children in Art Programs learn creativity, problem solving, craftsmanship and self confidence. (abcnews.com)
Free Art Education supplies for DC teachers. On Wednesday April 3, the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative (DHAHEC) announced that they are offering a limited number of free stipends for DC teachers to purchase art supplies from Plaza Artist Materials. (Examiner.com)
6-minute film showcases arts education project, wins award (video). An unusual film just won the People's Choice Award in PBS's second-annual Online Film Festival. Professional musicians and a group of kids, many of whom have developmental and hearing disabilities, are getting ready for a concert in Richmond, Va. The six-minute film, "A Live Arts Story," captures what took place over 20 weeks of preparation. (89.3 KPCC)
CA: Art in school is essential to education. The not-so-little, unwelcome news is making the rounds. If you missed the reference to it in President Obama’s State of the Union address, just pick up a paper, turn on a radio, or glance at a television. It turns out that education is not only essential for our national survival in the looming white-hot competition of a global economy, but is also being linked to numerous benefits, such as a reduced divorce rate, a lower death rate, lower rates of penal incarceration, and greater chances for lifetime “success” — all condensed into what we call “the good life.” (Napa Valley Register)
Bank of America Merrill Lynch Launches London Public Arts Education Project. Bank of America Merrill Lynch announced it is working alongside Graffiti Life and Tate to deliver a public arts education project in London. The project is part of the company’s unique arts and culture programme, which is designed to connect individuals, organisations and cultures to help build stronger communities through mutual respect and understanding, according to Bank of America Corporation. (The Financial)
[Createquity.] Artists and Gentrification: Sticky Myths, Slippery Realities
Crayola Creative Corner: Explore colorful inspirations! Save the Planet with Earth Day Crafts, More April Crafts & Activities, and Parents Picks
How design thinking can help students problem solve. A growing number of K-12 educators nationwide are adopting design thinking as a way to teach students how to solve problems, writes journalist Suzi Boss. In this blog post, she writes about an assignment in a Portland, Ore., school in which students were asked to design their own shoes. To start, students questioned the public and experts about shoe design, and then pitched their designs to a panel of experts. (Edutopia.org/Suzie Boss' blog, 4/4)
Corcoran Also Partners With NGA. MOCA isn't the only ailing institution looking for help from the National Gallery of Art; Washington, D.C.'s Corcoran Gallery of Art, which began talks to forge a long-term partnership with the University of Maryland earlier this week, announced that it has reached a three-year agreement to show works from the NGA's collection of modern and contemporary art while its East Building is closed for renovations. "We have a history of lending works to the Corcoran," NGA director Earl A. Powell III said, "but the larger number of works addressed by this agreement and the increased length of their exhibition at the Corcoran makes this a new development in our long relationship."
The Force Was Never With LucasArts by Brian S Hall. One hundred fifty four days after acquiring Lucasfilm — and the rights to everything Star Wars — for a cool $4 billion, Disney has shut down LucasArts, the Lucas division long responsible for making video games. The tech press had two immediate reactions to the news, both of them wrong. Some greeted the news with sadness and longing. (readwrite.com)
The iPhone Killed My Creativity. What About Yours? [Poll]. The iPhone killed my creativity by killing my boredom. The iPhone makes it so easy — and so enticing — to reach for my smartphone and do anything other than waste time in some long line, for example, or squander it being bored for even just a few moments. A quick game of Words With Friends, an update to my Facebook Newsfeed, a clever tweet; with smartphone in hand, the possibilities are endless. Has your smartphone sapped your creative impulses? (readwrite.com)
Feds Look at Rural Kentucky Race to the Top Winner for Lessons (April 4, 2013, Rural Education Blog)
FL: RINGLING COLLEGE - 2013 YEAR END SHOW SCHEDULE. If you are in the Sarasota area in the next few weeks - please stop by Ringling College of Art + Design to see the annual juried "Best of Ringling" show and the Senior Thesis Exhibitions.
4-4-13
The 2014 NAEA National Convention theme is "Fusing Innovative Teaching & Emerging Technologies". We are visual arts educators. We are artists. We are creative leaders. How can we fuse creative thinking with art knowledge and skills, and emerging technology to create powerful teaching and learning opportunities?
The April 2013 issue of NAEA News is now online! From the April 2013 issue:
Message from the President, Dennis Inhulsen
Message from the Past-President, F. Robert Sabol, PhD
Cleansing the Palette, a Message from the Executive Director, Deborah B. Reeve, EdD
Corcoran, University of Maryland agree to explore partnership. In the remarkably drawn-out sweepstakes to see what savior might be tapped to help save the financially struggling Corcoran Gallery of Art, the winner is: the University of Maryland. The Corcoran’s board of trustees voted, 13 to 0, Wednesday afternoon to sign a preliminary agreement to explore a long-term partnership with Maryland that could include shared faculty; joint student degrees; cooperation on developing new courses; pairing interdisciplinary teams of artists, engineers and computer scientists on projects; and expansion of the Corcoran College of Art and Design by several hundred students, Corcoran and Maryland officials said. (The Washington Post)
InSEA European Regional Congress: Tales of Art and Curiosity: Canterbury 2013, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury Campus, England. Monday 24 - Wednesday 26 June 2013. The European Regional Congress presents an opportunity for all visual art practitioners, academics including teachers and teacher trainers along with researchers and others working in the field to share their stories,
expertise and research. Through this congress exchange, discussions, collaborations and learning together will be facilitated. The Congress will explore the following themes: 1. Identities of creative educators and practitioners; 2. Art and well-being; 3. Engaging learning in and through art education; 4. Supporting each other: networks and advocacy; 5. Policy, education and art; 6. Research and sharing knowledge; and 7. Innovative and new opportunities.
D.C. parents fight arts budget cuts. DCPS is planning to cut more than $300,000 from the Fillmore Center Arts program, which operates in eleven schools this year. It teaches dance, digital arts, theater, music, visual arts, creative writing, and physical education. The cuts are so severe that the program might not survive – and parents are fighting back. (Examiner, 3/30)
Office of Innovation and Improvement Begins 2013 Investing in Innovation Competition. On March 27, 2013, the Department of Education announced the start of the 2013 Investing in Innovation (i3) grant program competition. The Notice Inviting Applications for the pre-application process for the Development category and the Notice of Final Priorities for the overall i3 program were published the same day in the Federal Register. The Office of Innovation and Improvement and the i3 team are looking forward to a successful competition, beginning with the pre-application process for the Development competition, to be followed by the announcement of the Validation and Scale-up competitions later this spring. Click here or on the above title to learn about some important changes to this year's competition. (ED.gov)
Pearl Art & Craft is here to help the arts in our community. They understand the budgetary limitations schools face today and we have dedicated themselves to providing discounted art supplies to support you and the young artists you teach. They offer an additional school discount of 10% on top of already discounted art supplies to make sure the next generation of artists can thrive. Contact Pearl Art & Craft with your art supply needs via email at LosAngeles@pearlpaint.com or call Manager Diana at 310.854.4900.
Bagpipes, Performance Poetry, and Color Guard to Open Art and Writing Exhibit of Military-Connected Students at Education Department Headquarters. The U.S. Department of Education will celebrate the opening of an art and writing exhibit of works by military-connected students, all winners from the worldwide Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) competition, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, April 3, at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. (ED.gov)
NC: Editorial: Decision to require arts education should be left to local boards. When state legislators talk these days about “education reform,” public-school administrators and teachers generally brace for more disconcerting news. But they should be encouraged to see Sen. Pete Brunstetter, R-Forsyth, refile his bill from last year to require one credit of arts education as a high-school graduation requirement. (JournalNow.com)
CA: Here's How To Get Your Art On Display At MOCA — Really! Missed your calling as an artist or simply looking for an out-of-the-box experience? MOCA is seeking crafty Angelenos to help create a huge clay sculpture for its upcoming Urs Fischer exhibition. (Don't worry, it’s cool if you’re not a mud master.) Looks like all those pottery classes at summer camp are finally going to come in handy! Everyone who comes out will score free admission to MOCA for the duration of the show, which starts Saturday, April 21. Gratis tickets and the chance to work alongside a world-renowned sculptor? This is shaping up to be the coolest craft project they've ever done!
When: Workshops are Wednesday, April 3 to Sunday, April 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: MOCA, 250 South Grand Avenue (near West 2nd Street); 213-621-1710.
RSVP: Here or text 818-414-0365.
Time to Succeed Student Contest. It is the last call for student entries into the nationwide search for the best student videos, visual representations, and blogs about the opportunities of expanding learning time. The application and more details are available on our website. Applications are due April 19th and the winners will be announced April 25th.
PA: Art Honors Society students discuss achievement. While most students were happy to enjoy the snow, a handful of senior Shippensburg Area Senior High School Students were hard at work preparing for their presentation to the Shippensburg Area School District Board meeting Monday evening. Members of the Art Honors Society (AHS) presented each board member with a handmade ceramic mug created in their studio art classes. Joined by teacher Sarah Maclay, the students took the podium to share their purpose as an organization, which is to showcase and promote the growth of the arts in both the Shippensburg community and school district. (The Shippensburg News-Chronicle)
Daniel Robert Lynch Art Education Program. Art education grants are available to certified elementary teachers, elementary art specialists and secondary art teachers in the Cache County School District. Grant fund limits are between $100 and $500 and can be used for supplies to help integrate an art project into curriculum. Funding rounds are monthly from September through May and deadline for application is the 1st day of each month.
See what NAHS Chapters are doing in their communities!
PA: Colonial Elementary School students to display Fellowship House collage at art show. The vibrant Fellowship House collage that will be displayed during Colonial School District’s 2013 district art show originated as part of a “project-based learning project” — about the election process — at Conshohocken Elementary School. “We did an election unit last fall ... that had the students taking up a cause, campaigning for it and, then, voting on the various causes they’d chosen,” art teacher Jennifer Fitzgerald explains. “The Fellowship House provides many programs for the people in Conshohocken. As a school, we focus on community and wanting to give back, and raising money for the Fellowship House got the most votes when we held our election. In the art room, we decided ... to create a ‘portrait’ of [the Fel].” (montgomerynews.com)
PA: PICTURE THIS: Artistic lesson. Julia Suchanek, a member of the National Art Honor Society at Waynesboro Area Senior High School, helps Emily Foley, a student at Summitview Elementary School, at the annual children’s drawing workshop NAHS hosts each year for fourth-, fifth and sixth-graders in the Waynesboro community. (The Record Herald)
4-2-13
The Call for Presentations for the 2014 NAEA National Convention is Open! View guidelines and submission instructions here. The theme is forthcoming but will revolve around the idea of drawing connections between art education & technology. The deadline to submit proposals is 12:00 am Midnight ET on May 15, 2013.
NAEA Co-Sponsors National Arts Advocacy Day, April 8 and 9, 2013. Briefing Papers Issued Regarding NEA Funding, USDOE Arts in Education Grant Program, and ESEA Reauthorization
NAEF 2013 Call for Nominations for Board of Trustees. Deadline: September 1, 2013
Blick Art Materials Acquires Utrecht Art Supplies from Topspin Partners LBO. Blick Art Materials, a multi-channel retailer with 39 locations, has purchased the stock of Utrecht Art Supplies, a 45-store multi-channel retailer. Both businesses are leading participants in the art supply industry. Robert Buchsbaum, Chief Executive Officer of Blick Art Materials and leader of the newly-combined enterprise, spoke of the transaction, “The acquisition of Utrecht gives us a tremendous, well-established brand and greater geographic reach for our brick and mortar channel. We are very excited to welcome Utrecht employees and customers to the Blick team.” Topspin Partners LBO Managing Director Steve Lebowitz was equally pleased with the transaction, stating, “We are glad to have achieved a successful exit for our investors and are proud of the business that Utrecht’s employees have helped to build. We are confident that Utrecht will be in good hands as part of the Blick family.”
MI: Viewpoint: Arts education prepares students to live creative lives, helps create sense of place for region. Studies abound documenting the critical role the arts play in educating our children: not only through arts programs like music, theater or dance but also by incorporating the arts throughout academic curriculum. With inclusion of the arts in education, students gain valuable skills in creative and innovative problem-solving, critical thinking and reasoning, teamwork and communication. Increased academic achievement overall, especially in subjects like science, math, engineering and technology, have been a proven benefit of integrated arts. (mlive.com)
MI: Opening the door to schools - As the Lansing School District cuts elementary arts instructors, community groups re-evaluate their roles. Last week, the Lansing Board of Education approved a five-year teachers’ contract that will get the Lansing School District about $7 million closer to closing the next school year’s projected $9 million deficit. On the chopping block: 87 teaching positions, including 23 professionally certified — or “endorsed” — elementary school art, music and physical education teachers. These programs aren’t being eliminated, mind you — just the positions for teachers who hold specialty degrees in art, music and PE (the cut also includes 27 non-endorsed arts teachers and 37 retiring teachers whose positions won´t be refilled). According to the plan, those duties would fall to the general education elementary school teachers, some of whom have had special training in these arts. (City Pulse)
WI: Cultural Center to celebrate youth art, recognize art teachers. The Central Wisconsin Cultural Center is celebrating Youth Art Month and Art Teacher Recognition with it’s 2013 Youth Art Exhibition April 12 to 26. As a forum for contemporary visual, literary and lyrical art, the Cultural Center is an integral component of the central Wisconsin art community. Dedicated to Arts-in-Education, art and ideas since 2001, the Cultural Center presents innovative, quality exhibitions of regional contemporary art and design, and a range of public programs for a growing audience of students, educators, artists, arts enthusiasts and the general public. (Rapids Tribune)
MI: Ann Arbor Skyline students' idea for license plate to support arts becomes bill in Michigan House. Three Ann Arbor students have inspired a piece of legislation that, if signed into law, would establish a new means of generating revenue for arts education in Michigan. Rep. Douglas Geiss, a Democrat from Taylor, introduced a bill on March 12 in the Michigan House of Representatives that would create a fundraising license plate to support the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. (AnnArbor.com)
MI: Southwest Detroit Arts Education Program, Living Arts, Helps Kids Shape The Future. One exciting development earlier this month was the announcement that Living Arts, an arts and cultural organization that serves Southwest Detroit, will be a Wolf Trap site. Wolf Trap is a national arts and culture educational program, and their partnering with Living Arts will double the scope of their El Arte arts-infused education program to schools throughout Southwest Detroit. El Arte brings visiting artists into the classroom, who then use art to illuminate the teaching taking place within the curriculum. (HuffPost Detroit)
CA: Bill Cirone: Arts Education is Essential and Deserves Support. Arts Education Month in March gives us a great opportunity to remind ourselves why art is so essential for all, and deserves to be supported. We all know that when school budgets get tight, art and music education are early casualties. Schools and classrooms are rated according to how students achieve on standardized tests, and you can scan those tests until you grow very weary but you will never see mention of a treble clef or a two-point perspective. When tests measure reading, math and social studies, that is what is taught and that is where resources must be allocated, so cuts in other areas are a sad but understandable fact of life. (Noozhawk)
NY: Parent to Parent: Ways to support arts education. Who needs theater, dancing, music and the visual arts? All of us. But arts education has taken budget hits and often gets crowded out of busy school days. What can you do as a parent? Volunteer your time and talents, make donations and stay on top of the latest research about why art is not just an “extra.” Get involved politically. Share personal stories of what an art class or music class means to your child, and your concerns about it getting cut. (The Buffalo News)
Social Media and Community Buy-In. The first step in creating a culture of change and innovation is stakeholder buy-in. In education, we often recognize the importance of teacher and student buy-in, but we forget about another critical stakeholder: The community, particularly parents. What is the best way to get community buy-in for an education initiative? Communication. By communicating directly and honestly, educators can avoid community fears that can ultimately derail efforts to implement new teaching and learning practices. (Learning First Alliance)
A Taste of the Indiana Artisan Marketplace Preview Party Indiana Artisan, Friday, April 5, 2013 from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM (PDT), Indianapolis, IN. The Indiana Artisan Marketplace offers you early access to the state’s best artists and “foodists” when it opens early for “A Taste of the Indiana Artisan Marketplace” preview party. Friday evening, April 5, while booths are stocked and the crowd is small, visit with the best 150 art and food artisans in Indiana. Enjoy the music of a string trio from the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra as you enjoy cheeses from Traders Point Creamery paired with glasses of wines from Indiana vintners. The Indiana Artisan Marketplace offers you early access to the state’s best artists and “foodists” when it opens early for “A Taste of the Indiana Artisan Marketplace” preview party. Tickets: $35
Artforum - Download the April 2013 Issue Now. The April issue of Artforum is available now on the iTunes newsstand. And get the iPhone application for artguide—the international art world's most comprehensive directory of exhibitions, events, and art fairs in more than 500 cities.
CA: PAINTS expands vital role in funding Piedmont school arts. PIEDMONT -- With March designated "Art IS Education Month" by Alameda County, a Piedmont organization is quietly continuing to fund the arts in the city's public schools to the tune of about $50,000 each year. PAINTS, which stands for Promote Art in the Schools, is also expanding its mission from the traditional visual arts to include digital tools for an upcoming generation of artists. (Mercury News)
NE: Art show features work of local students. Nebraska City--The 6th annual Laurine Kimmel High School Art Exhibition showcasing artwork by juniors and seniors from 13 southeast Nebraska schools opened on Monday, March 11, at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts in Nebraska City. A reception in honor of the students, their families and art teachers is open to the public on Thursday, April 4, from 5 - 7 p.m. in conjunction with a First Thursday Open Studio event featuring current artists-in-residence at the KHN Center. The exhibition closes Thursday, April 18. (JournalDemocrat.com)
MARCH 2013
3-29-13
Art Education iPad Apps – Which Ones Are the Best? (The Teaching Palette)
The team at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design would like to invite members to our upcoming summer events, the K-12 Art Educator Summer Seminar and the 2013 Assessment in the Arts Conference. Both experiences will bring together art educators from across the country to explore new approaches, perspectives, and theories. We’d love to have you represented there, and look forward to learning from each other!
New resource helps teachers learn the ins, outs of online videos. MindShift's "Teachers' Guide to Using Videos" offers advice for teachers interested in using the vast library of videos available on YouTube and elsewhere in classroom lessons. The guide, written in collaboration with educator Catlin Tucker, seeks to help teachers winnow down the available videos and answer questions regarding video quality, where to go to get the best educational videos and how such videos should be used. (KQED.org/Mind/Shift blog, 3/26)
3-27-13
View videos of the General Sessions and large-format Super Sessions online today! See sessions by Wayne White, Jésus Moroles, Annette Lawrence, Jay McTighe, Lois Gibson, and more! Access to these videos is an NAEA member-exclusive benefit.
View all the Convention resources available—photos, session handouts, etc.—online now!
2013 NAEA CO-SPONSORED ACADEMIES ANNOUNCED:
The Joan Oates Institute, offered by Partners in the Arts, University of Richmond School of Professional & Continuing Studies, Richmond, VA, June 24-28, 2013.
Creating Pathways with the Dinner Party, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown, PA & The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, NY, July 12-17, 2013.
NY: East Hampton School News: Student Artists Recognized. Election to the Society recognize students who have shown an outstanding ability in art, along with service to the school and the community. (EastHampton Patch)
MA: Marblehead Arts to host National Art Honor Society exhibit. During the “Fine Art of Craft” exhibit, the Marblehead Arts Association is hosting 16 Marblehead High School students who are members of the National Art Honor Society through April 21. This is the first exhibit in the newly “refreshed” Emerging Artist Gallery, a gallery dedicated to nurturing and exhibiting the next generation of artists. (WickedLocal)
With Little Resources for Arts in Schools, Theatres Bring Performances to the Classroom (The Huffington Post Blog)
Art21 News: Celebrating 100 Artists with Margaret Kilgallen, Martin Puryear, and More - March 27, 2013. In this issue: 100 Artists: New Videos, Images, Interviews, and More; Host an Art21 Screening: Register for Access 100 Artists; New Videos in Exclusive and New York Close Up; Highlights from the Art21 Blog; Art21 Translation Project: Bringing Artists' Words to Global Communities.
Summer Study at Sotheby’s Institute of Art: Apply/Register Now for 2013 Courses. Every summer, Sotheby’s Institute of Art welcomes hundreds of students from around the globe to our campuses in the great art capitals of London and New York. Summer Study is designed for students, professionals, career changers and art enthusiasts interested in developing a deeper understanding of art and the international art market. Taking full advantage of each city's rich cultural offerings, our summer courses include classroom lectures and site visits to museums, galleries, artist studios and special exhibitions led by leading art world scholars and practitioners in the field. Learn more about our four- and two-week courses in subject areas ranging from art history, art business, contemporary art, fashion, design, luxury goods and more.
Sargent Art Online Art Contests. Sargent Art is offering students, teachers, parents and senior citizens to win prizes through the Students Online Art Contest, Teachers Online Art Contest, and Seniors (55 and up) Online Art Contest. Prizes include a trip to New York or assortments of art supplies. All artwork entered in these contests would be displayed on the Sargent Art website and social media pages. Photographs and experiences from past six years' trips to New York are available on their website and Facebook page.
Artsonia Newsletter - Spring 2013. 20 MILLION REASONS to Celebrate!; Mother's Day is May 12! ; and Artsonia App Update
DC's arts funding increased the most of any state. D.C.'s FY 2013 budget has the biggest increase for arts funding of any U.S. state, reports the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies. That's because the Council passed last year a budget including restoring $6 million in arts funding, more than doubling (increasing by 133 percent, in fact) the amount of money D.C. spends on the arts. (elevationDC)
Calif. officials offer opinions on district NCLB waivers (Education Week/Politics K-12 blog, 3/25)
TN: Southeast Center for Education in the Arts: Arts & Education Forum, May 15 - 17, 2013, The University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. How can we adapt to innovations in technology, art making & teaching practice? The Southeast Center for Education in the Arts’ sixth annual Arts & Education Forum will challenge educators, artists, and technologists to critically and creatively explore current and future practice in education, art making, and professional development. $195 includes reception, two breakfasts, two luncheons.
NY: Senator Sherrod Brown’s Statement for the Record Recognizes the Week of March 24-30 As National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Week. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) addressed the United States Senate this week by making a Statement for the Record recognizing National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Week. In his Statement, Senator Brown announced that “the Young Audiences organization was founded with a mission to promote arts-integrated education… In honor of its commendable work… through its 30 affiliates across the United States, I am pleased to recognize the week of March 24, 2013 as National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Week.” Senator Brown continues by stating, “including arts and music in a student's curriculum can also greatly improve his or her grasp of math and scientific problems… Students’ ability to innovate and utilize new technologies through arts activities will not only better prepare students for 21st century jobs, but is also key to our nation’s competiveness in the global economy.”
POLICY
'Personalized Learning' Varies for Race to Top Districts. The 16 districts that won Race to the Top grants are taking vastly different approaches as they aim to make over the classroom experience. (Education Week, 3/27)
Education Department Launches 2013 Investing in Innovation Competition. The U.S. Department of Education announced the start of the $150 million 2013 Investing in Innovation (i3) grant competition today with the release of the program's invitation for pre-applications for the i3 "Development" grant category and the notice of final priorities for the i3 program overall. (ED.gov)
U.S. Department of Education Officials to Visit Kentucky to Learn How Race to the Top Grants are Helping to Make a Difference in Rural Schools. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach John White will learn how the U.S. Department of Education's Race to the Top grant program is making a difference in rural schools in Kentucky during his visit on Wednesday, March 27. (ED.gov)
Department of Education Statement on Request for Flexibility from California's Core District Consortium. Our strong preference and focus in the ESEA flexibility process remains on working with states, including California, if it decides to seek ESEA flexibility for the upcoming school year. While California does not currently have an ESEA flexibility application under review, we have received a waiver request from CORE, a unique consortium of California districts. (ED.gov)
3-25-13
The Arts Matter — in March and Throughout the Year. More than 4,000 art educators gathered in Fort Worth, Texas, early this month to “draw connections to their communities” — the theme of this year’s annual National Art Education Association (NAEA) conference. And what a great way for these P-12 teachers of art, along with museum educators; university professors of art education; and school-, district-, and state-level arts and education administrators to also kick-off the month during which all the arts are recognized for their importance to a well-rounded education — Dance in the Schools Month, Music in Our Schools Month, Theatre in Our Schools Month, and Youth Art Month. (ED.gov)
Arts Education Data Helps Fight to Keep Arts in Schools. Americans for the Arts partnered with Vans Custom Culture to release Facts & Figures, the first e-book in a new series, Arts Education Navigator. Facts & Figures provides you with all of the data you need to convince someone of the benefits of arts education. Graphic illustrations throughout make clear the urgent need to prevent its decline. Presented in an easy-to-read format, the e-book draws on classic research. This e-book highlights key data points every advocate needs when discussing the importance of arts education. The download is a 26-page PDF available from the Americans for the Arts site as a free download. The data covers the benefits of arts education, its current state of decline in the US, what you can do and cites sources for research. The five e-books in the Navigator series will roll out during 2013 in both English and Spanish.
AYAW Times - Issue 36 Announcing the 2013 National Medalists! Visit website
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RETREAT FOR EDUCATORS FOCUSES ON TAKING STEM A STEP FURTHER - Pioneering Arts In Education Organization, Journey 360, Offers STEM To The Art Power™ July 8 & 9 In Historic Granville, Ohio. Journey 360, a new subsidiary of Granville Studio of Visual Arts, announces a two-day summer retreat for teachers in all grades and subjects focused on arts integration in the classroom. Making Connections Retreat: STEM, STEM to the Art Power promises to use creativity and design as the catalyst for innovative teaching and learning. This is an intensive two-day professional development retreat and creative experience for inspired teachers wishing to hone their skills in quality integration design and instruction. The retreat programming will be conducted at Granville Studio of Visual Arts design lab and Skipping Rock Farm, both in historic Granville, Ohio. Teachers will leave renewed, motivated, and armed with creative courage to take their passion back to the classroom and engage students. No prior art experience is required. The cost is $499 per person with group discounts available. View press release
Kidz Can Design. At KidzCanDesign we specialize in converting your child’s work of art into a high quality sterling silver custom jewelry which can then be worn with pride by any member of the family. We can use any of their traditional drawings created on a piece of paper, or an image created using computer software. If they can draw it and you can send it to us, we can then, to your delight, place those beautiful creations on either a Pendant or Charm which your son, your daughter, or you, the parent, can then wear with pride, letting everyone know that it was your child who stands proudly behind this work of art.
VISUAL ARTS AND THE LAW: CUTTING EDGE LEGAL ISSUES FOR MUSEUMS, GALLERIES, ARTISTS, AND ART ADMINISTRATORS. On May 3, 2013, Georgia Lawyers for the Arts, Inc., in conjunction with Lisa F. Moore, Esq. of The Moore Firm, LLC, The Copyright Society of the USA and the High Museum of Art will be holding a full day of programming on critically important legal issues for museums, galleries and arts administrators. Specifically, this CLE will address cutting edge issues facing artists and art institutions in areas such as copyright law and fair use, trademark law, recent developments involving lost or stolen art, legal issues concerning provenance, authenticity and authentication boards, litigation involving fakes and frauds, as well as tax, employment and contract considerations for museums and galleries. Whether you are an arts administrator, a gallery or a museum director or a visual artist, this CLE will cover numerous topics that affect you in your daily work life such as museum and board of director liability when accessioning and deaccessioning works of art. The cost of attendance is $195 for attorneys, $150 for museums, galleries, and arts administrators, and $50 for artists. Contact: georgialawyersforarts@gmail.com.
LACMA announces 20,000 high-resolution images are available to users free of charge. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art continues its innovative digital efforts with the launch of a new collections website that dramatically increases accessibility to the museum’s holdings. The new site (collections.lacma.org) allows visitors to quickly search and sort images and information based on the user’s individual preferences, ultimately providing quick and easy access to LACMA’s encyclopedic collection. In addition, visitors can now download nearly 20,000 high-quality images of public domain artworks from LACMA’s permanent collection without restriction on use. (artdaily.org)
NY: Applied Design at MoMA, March 2, 2013–January 31, 2014. There are still people who think that design is just about making things, people, and places pretty. In truth, design has spread to almost every facet of human activity, from science and education to politics and policymaking, for a simple reason: one of design’s most fundamental tasks is to help people respond to change. A designer today can choose to focus on interactions, interfaces, the Internet, visualizations, socially minded infrastructures and products, 5-D spaces, bioengineering, sustainability, video games, critical scenarios, and yes, even furniture. Several outstanding examples of this vitality and diversity are presented in this installation, ranging from a mine detonator by young Afghani designer Massoud Hassani to a vessel made by transforming desert sand into glass using only the energy of the sun. Also on display are 14 videogames—including Pac-Man, The Sims, and Katamari Damacy—that constitute the beginning of a new branch of MoMA’s collection.
N.C.: Art education beneficial, lacks funding. A new push to make art a required part of a standard education is giving art educators reason to hope. Panelists at a recent talk on the place of art in education painted a precarious picture for the field, which they say has proven benefits but is often overlooked in place of the science, math and technology curriculum. “There’s lots of talk these days telling kids to focus on (STEM), but what about art?” asked JoAnne Vernon, the executive director of Sawtooth School for Visual Art. (Winston-Salem Journal)
NY: Letter: Arts are still needed for rounded education. Arts are still needed for rounded education. A recent letter offered a passionate plea for saving the jobs of teachers in the Clarence public schools. I have great empathy for the writer’s plea, but her suggested solution causes me some concern. She suggests that “extracurricular” activities such as the arts and sports be eliminated from the budget so that the money saved could be used to retain teaching positions that might otherwise be cut because of lack of funds. Isn’t there a touch of inconsistency in this solution? Are not art and music classes as well as sport teams taught by teachers? Are we then to pit teacher against teacher and subject against subject in this downward spiral of financial cutbacks? (The Buffalo News)
Benefit of arts education to Delaware's future workforce. Gov. Markell reminded us in a recent interview for this newspaper that when it comes to what companies are looking for, it begins with a talented workforce, and continues with cost of labor, taxes, safety and cultural elements clearly linked to quality of life. There is a critical role the arts play in providing a well-rounded education for the nation and Delaware’s youth but also in the state’s overall quality of life. (Delaware Online)
PA: 2013 Arts Education Advocacy Day Coverage: PLS Around the Capital. PENNSYLVANIA ARTS EDUCATION NETWORK FORMS TO SUPPORT ARTS EDUCATION. Arts education advocates joined together in the Media Center this morning to announce the formation of the Pennsylvania Arts Education Network, a coalition of arts, education and advocacy organizations which will work to strengthen public and policymaker support for arts education. Ron Cowell, president of the Education Policy and Leadership Center, announced the formation of the network and said the network is a coalition of organizations working together to increase awareness of the value of arts education and to increase policies to ensure all students have the benefit of high quality arts education. Cowell also noted the introduction of HR 146 and SR 55, which each declare March 19, 2013, as Arts Education Advocacy Day.
The Importance of Art Education. Is Art Education Important to Our Children? Yep. Here’s why. Have you had the pleasure to watch a child completely immersed in finger painting? The awe and focus they feel is obvious, as they shove the goopy paint across the paper. At first they may be cautious, but as you watch, they fall into a tactile trance where there’s no distinction between child and paint. If you look away for a moment, when you look back they’ll be completely covered with paint, probably with some on their tongue. For many kids, this is their first experience with messy art-making, and they naturally want to understand it on every level possible. It’s obviously hard to argue that this is entertaining for kids, but is this sort of thing important? Do kids really need to work with art materials and learn art techniques to help them succeed and grow as humans? I know so in my heart, because I’ve had a ton of art-making experience. I know the lessons and habits I’ve learned from art education. (ARTCHOO! Blog)
4 Reasons To Support An Excellent Art Education In Schools. Cutbacks have led to huge cuts in art education in schools, with many relying on volunteers or additional fundraising to support their programs while others have simply cut out art from the curriculum completely. Yet at a time when this is happening all around us, we at Six Seconds actively pursue a strong art curriculum for several reasons... (sixseconds.org)
3-22-13
N.C. partnership reinstates funding for arts field trips. Charlotte-Mecklenburg, N.C., schools have joined forces with the Arts & Science Council to reinstate arts field trips -- which were sacrificed amid budget cuts three years ago. Now, 51,000 students will participate in the field trips, with more than 11,000 fifth-graders recently attending an event featuring the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Opera Carolina and North Carolina Dance Theatre. To give the field trips additional impact, teachers are integrating the performances into lesson plans and teaching students about the choreographers, dancers and other performers before the field trip. (The Charlotte Observer, 3/21)
Seeking Peer Reviewers for the Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Program. The Department of Education is seeking peer reviewers for the FY 2013 Arts in Education – Model Development and Dissemination Grants Program (AEMDD) competition. Persons interested in serving as peer reviewers need to submit their resumes and a completed copy of a peer reviewer checklist by Friday, April 12, 2013. Click here or on the above title for complete details and more information on the AEMDD program. (ED.gov)
Google Art Project adds nearly 2,000 works, from street art to prized photos. The Google Art Project could be considered a safeguard for culture when it's preserving work that's not just difficult to see, but may disappear at the drop of a hat. Witness Google's latest addition of 30 partners, and almost 2,000 pieces of art, as proof. The collection includes 100-plus examples of high-profile graffiti and street art from Sao Paulo, some of which aren't guaranteed to survive unscathed; there's also 300-plus photos from Spain's Fundacion MAPFRE and a famous Hungarian poem whose original copy is usually too fragile to show. Although the digital expansion won't replace booking a flight to visit the artwork first-hand, it may prevent some urban masterpieces from fading into obscurity. (Google Blog)
i3-Funded Curriculum Transformation Documented and Shared. Today, Edutopia.org released a new video featuring one of OII’s i3 grantees — Bellevue School District’s Sammamish High School in Washington state. The video documents the transformation from the school’s use of traditional curriculum to problem-based learning. The district was awarded an i3 Development grant in 2010 for the development and implementation of a scalable, sustainable, 21st-century, skills-based program. Click here or on the above title to learn about the project and to view the video. (ED.gov)
students protest budget cuts. Be inspired by this story of students protesting to Keep the Arts in [their] Public Schools! (Keep the Arts in Public Schools)
3-20-13
Find yourself and colleagues in the online 2013 NAEA National Convention Online Photo Gallery! Use password: naea.
Members can now download session handouts from the NAEA website, a member-exclusive benefit. If you attended the Convention, but are not a member, please e-mail webmaster@arteducators.org and specify which session(s) you are seeking handouts from.
Read remarks by Dr. Deborah B. Reeve from the 2013 Delegates Assembly, NAEA National Convention, Ft. Worth, TX.
Read the transcript of Jane Polin’s remarks from the NAEF Fundraising Benefit (posted for a limited time) at the 2013 NAEA National Convention.
Listen to the archived recording of "ART EDUCATION NAEA & SUMMERVISION DC 2013" w/Renee Sandell #BlogTalkRadio.
New Publication! Studio Thinking 2: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education, Second Edition by Lois Hetland, Ellen Winner, Shirley Veenema, and Kimberly M. Sheridan. Studio Thinking 2 will help advocates explain arts education to policymakers, help art teachers develop and refine their teaching and assessment practices, and assist educators in other disciplines to learn from existing practices in arts education.
New York: Face to Face 2013. Face2Face is the premier Arts in Education conference in the greater New York City area. Enjoy two full days of workshops, hands-on activities, networking, and stimulating discussion with local, state, and international colleagues. Dates: Wednesday, March 27 and Thursday, March 28, 2013. Location: The City College of New York (CCNY). Face to Face is the largest arts education conference in the NYC area. Online registration closes Wed., March 20, but you can register onsite. Sessions | FAQs
MOCA Rebuffs LACMA's Acquisition Offer: The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles may not be merging with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art after all. The former museum's board released a statement yesterday saying that its members agree that "the best future for MOCA would be as an independent institution." But museum representatives hedged after the initial announcement, adding that "all the strategic options are being explored." Those options presumably include a proposed partnership with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The trustees also declared that they now plan to build the troubled institution's endowment "quickly" (LACMA's pledge to help with fundraising is one of the strongest factors recommending it.) Years after MOCA's financial woes became headline news, that statement is probably overdue. (artinfo.com, ITA, WSJ, LACM on Fire)
4chan Founder Launches Drawing App: Tech wunderkind and 4chan founder Chris Poole has launched a new iPad drawing app called DrawQuest, promising to change the public's relationship to draughsmanship. "Putting an adult in front of a blank piece of paper and a pen and asking them to do something with it is one of the scariest situations you can put them in," says Poole. The app aims to change that, offering a daily challenge to kickstart the creative process and then allowing users to complete and submit pictures to a daily pool. After only two weeks, DrawQuest has already seen one million completed drawings. (artinfo.com, TechCrunch)
Backers of American Latino national museum push bill in Congress. A pair of bipartisan bills to create an American Latino Museum in a 132-year-old Smithsonian Institute building on the National Mall were reintroduced before the U.S. House and Senate on Friday after failing to gain support when first submitted in November 2011. If passed, the bills would designate the Arts and Industries building as the museum's future home, and pave the way for the Smithsonian's Board of Regents to begin tackling the institution's planning, design, and construction. In 2011, the museum's cost was estimated at over $400 million. (Los Angeles Times)
ART CONTEST Sponsored by Retailer UNCOMMON GOODS. Put your paint brushes and charcoals down for just a second! We are hosting our second Art Contest and we want to see the artwork from your portfolio. This is your chance to get your masterpiece in front of the UncommonGoods buyers for the first time, or show us what you have been working on since last spring! DEADLINE: March 31, 2013 at 11:59 PM ET. GRAND PRIZE: $500 + 5% royalties on a limited edition of 100 prints. RUNNERS UP: All runners-up will receive a critique of their work from the guest judges, and UncommonGoods' marketing team will provide tips for marketing and growing their businesses. Additionally, UncommonGoods' buyers will review each entrant's full portfolio and may consider adding the work submitted to the UncommonGoods website in the future. What can I submit? 2D digital captures of your original watercolors, acrylics, pastels, colored pencils, collages, digital art, etc. We can't accept photography, 3D work, textures, letterpress or other work that relies on hand printing. What does it take to be an uncommon artist? Your design and your personal story should be anything but ordinary. Your design should be expressive, unique and tell a story. Be sure to share your design process and background on the submission form. Got a Question? Browse through the rules, or send an email to art-contest@uncommongoods.com.
New York: US House Resolution and Senate Proclamation Designates March 24-31 As National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Week. Throughout the US the Young Audiences Affiliate Network will Host More Than 500 Related Events and Programs During This Week. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter has introduced a Resolution to the House of Representatives designating the week of March 24-31, 2013 as National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Week. This week will honor the contributions Young Audiences Arts for Learning (YA) has made to schools nationwide through its arts-in-education programs and to encourage Americans to recognize the important contribution the arts make to society. (Young Audiences Arts for Learning)
Report: ESEA reauthorization could be trouble for waiver states. A new report surveying states that have applied for and received No Child Left Behind waivers finds they are worried that reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) could hinder progress painstakingly made in school reform over the past year. The report, released by the Center on Education Policy (CEP), notes that last year Education Secretary Arne Duncan began to grant states waivers on key NCLB accountability requirements. The waiver guidelines let states depart from some of NCLB’s more strict requirements, such as judging school performance against a goal of 100 percent of students reaching reading and math “proficiency” by 2014, and implementing specific interventions in schools that fall short of performance targets. (eSchoolNews)
Nick Cave: HEARD•NY, March 25–March 31, 2013. Twice daily performances at 11am and 2pm in Vanderbilt Hall, Grand Central Terminal. Entrance is on 42nd Street between Vanderbilt and Lexington Avenues. A major project by Chicago-based artist Nick Cave will transform New York City's Grand Central Terminal with 30 life-size, multi-colored horses, peacefully "grazing" and periodically breaking into choreographed movement. Titled HEARD•NY, the installation-and-performance piece is presented by Creative Time and MTA Arts for Transit and Urban Design on the occasion of the Terminal's Centennial. It is Cave's first public art project in New York City, introducing visitors to his wearable sculptures, or "Soundsuits," and turning the busy railway station into a place of surprise and awe. (e-flux.com)
Florida: Nominations sought for top arts teachers. Giving a teacher an apple is an old cliche, but Broward's four top art teachers will each win one made out of crystal. The Broward County Cultural Division has been running the Arts Teacher of the Year program for 27 years, singling out one teacher for its top honor, which also includes a $1,500 cash prize and a $500 contribution to the winning school's arts department. Finalists for the award attend a ceremony at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts' Amaturo Theater in Fort Lauderdale. (Sun-Sentinal)
Ohio: A.L.P.A.C.A. grants go to Meigs art teachers. Dave Gustafson, president of A.L.P.A.C.A. , a non-profit organization, which promotes art education for the public and in the schools, visited the Meigs schools Wednesday. He said that this year four $500 grants were awarded, the two in Meigs County and one each at Nelsonville and Federal Hocking. The organization, a group of 62 juried artists, as both artists and parents are concerned about the “deteriorating time devoted to, choices available, and funding support in art instruction available to students in public schools.” To help remedy the problem, every year A.L.P.A.C.A. puts out grant applications to over 60 public school art and industrial arts teachers in the area and then selections are made from those who apply on the basis of need.
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LISTEN LIVE to GMU Art Professor and 2013 NAEA National Art Educator of the Year Award Recipient Dr. Renee Sandell on ART EDUCATION, NAEA & SUMMERVISION DC, TUESDAY, 3/19 at 9AM ET. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/edutalk
Arts Education Navigator. Through a partnership with Vans Custom Culture, Americans for the Arts has designed the Arts Education Navigator, a series of e-books designed to help educators, students, and advocates alike navigate the complex field of arts education. Each e-book in the Navigator series below will cover a specific topic, ensuring arts education supporters like you are equipped with the knowledge, statistics, and case-making techniques needed to effectively communicate with decision-makers. Now Available: Facts & Figures: data on the benefits and decline of arts education.
Celebrating Women Educators. Each March we take time to reflect on the amazing women who have left their mark throughout history. At the U.S. Department of Education, we realize we have a lot of women to celebrate in education. (ED.gov)
Americans for the Arts and American Girl are teaming up to help support arts education in U.S. schools. American Girl’s 2013 Girl of the Year, Saige Copeland, is a spirited and imaginative young girl who loves painting. When budget cuts take away art class at her school, Saige draws on her talents, mobilizes others, and takes action to bring the arts back. To support Saige's message about the importance of preserving arts programs in U.S. schools, Americans for the Arts and American Girl are proud to announce the Elevate the Arts grants contest. Elevate the Arts will provide $45,000 in grants to elementary school art programs across the country. Teachers can enter to win one of the grants by submitting a digital image of a hot air balloon-themed art project and a short statement on why the arts matter. Entries must be received by May 31, 2013. Grant awards will be announced in October 2013.
Smithsonian names architect for South Mall museums master plan. WASHINGTON, DC.- The Smithsonian has selected New York-based BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group to develop a master plan for its oldest buildings on the south side of the National Mall—the Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Castle, National Museum of African Art, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the S. Dillon Ripley Center, the Arts and Industries Building and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. The goal of the project, expected to take between one and two years, is to enhance visitors’ experience by improving orientation and amenities, creating connections between the buildings, clarifying entrances and more actively engaging the two-thirds of visitors who enter the museums from the Mall. (artdaily.org)
Call for Submissions for Special Focus Issue of Arts Education Policy Review: Technology, Policy, and Arts Education AEPR seeks articles addressing or related to any of the following topics: Analysis of policy in relation to use of technology in P-12 arts education; Policy and technology in higher education and teacher preparation; Descriptions of innovative uses of technology in arts education that lead to policy reform. SUBMISSION INFORMATION: If you are interested in submitting an articl or AEPR’s special focus issue on Technology, Policy, and Art Education OR if you would like to conduct and report on an interview to be published in future issues of AEPR please contact AEPR Editor-in-Chief, Colleen Conway at conwaycm@umich.edu. DEADLINE for SPECIAL FOCUS SUBMISSION: October 1, 2013.
Arts Education Policy Review is accepting applications for 3-year term editorial board positions- one in visual art, one in dance, and one international editorial board member
Arts Education Policy Review presents discussion of major policy issues in arts education in the United States and throughout the world. Addressing education in music, visual arts, theatre, and dance, the journal presents a variety of views and emphasizes critical analysis. Its goal is to produce the most comprehensive and rigorous exchange of ideas available on arts education policy. Policy examinations from multiple viewpoints are a valuable resource not only for arts educators, but also for administrators, policy analysts, advocacy groups, parents, and audiences - all those involved in the arts and concerned about their role in education. For more information, please visit the journal’s webpage: www.tandfonline.com/VAEP. APPLICATION INFORMATION: Interested applicants should send a letter of interest and CV to Editor-in-Chief Colleen Conway at conwaycm@umich.edu by October 1, 2013. Applications will be reviewed by the Executive Editors and applicants will be notified of the status of the application by November 15th. The terms begin in January 2014.
Arizona: Young Artist to Win Kindle in Logo Contest. Artists in kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to submit their original artwork in the Five Star Literacy Foundation, Inc., (FSLF) logo contest, with the prize being a new basic Kindle, and the winning logo appearing on all of the foundation's media materials and website. The newly formed organization is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to "improving children's literacy skills, as well as their enthusiasm for reading and writing by providing guidance and funds to schools for in-school book writing and publishing, author visits, books, student and teacher workshops, curriculum and other activities." The deadline for the contest is May 30, 2013. A winner will be announced on June 15. For more information, contact Radke at 480-940-8182 or info@FiveStarLiteracyFoundation.org.
ESEA FLEXIBILITY. The agency received requests from Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming on February 28 for waivers from key provisions of No Child Left Behind in exchange for state-developed plans to prepare all students for college and career, focus aid on the neediest students, and support effective teaching and leadership. Since fall 2011, 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Bureau of Indian Education have requested waivers in order to implement next generation education reforms that go far beyond the law’s rigid, top-down prescriptions. The Department has approved requests from 34 states and D.C., with other applications still pending. “We continue to see growing momentum for education reform nationwide, and these requests reflect the desire of states to have more flexibility in implementing their ideas about how to improve education,” Secretary Duncan said. “We look forward to continuing to work with leaders to support teachers and better prepare all students for college and careers.” The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) has been due for reauthorization since 2007. In the face of congressional inaction, the Obama Administration announced it would grant waivers to qualified states. The new waiver requests will be posted shortly online, along with the names of the peer reviewers who will convene next month to review them. (ED.gov)
Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Grants Program (closes 4/22). This program supports the enhancement, expansion, documentation, evaluation, and dissemination of innovative, cohesive models that integrate the arts into the core elementary and middle school curricula; strengthen arts instruction; and improve students’ academic performance, including their skills in creating, performing, and responding to the arts. (ED.gov)
NCLB Waiver Effort by Calif. Districts Wins State Board Backing (March 15, 2013, District Dossier Blog)
Race to Top Winners Can Apply for Extra Year to Finish Work (March 18, 2013, Politics K-12 Blog)
24 iPad apps to support Bloom’s Taxonomy. Bloom’s Taxonomy, introduced in the 1950s as a system of organizing learning objectives into a pyramid, traditionally has started with creating at the top, followed by evaluating, analyzing, applying, understanding, and remembering. Some educators today are flipping the triangle so that remembering is on top, followed by understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating on the bottom. During an edWeb.net webinar, educational technologist Kathy Schrock presented a variety of apps for iPads that can boost student engagement and collaboration, and that can be used for teaching and learning according to Bloom’s Taxonomy. (eSchool News, 3/15)
APP of the Week: Drawp from eSchool News. What is it? The first iPad app that enables children to create drawings and then share them with a single-swipe; no email, phone number, or screen name necessary. Using advanced technology to create dynamic paints, like Cotton Candy, Furry Flurry, or Mega Pixels, combined with the ability for children ages 3-11 to independently share their drawings with a parent-approved network, this is definitely not your average children’s app. It builds children’s creativity by removing the limitations of pen and paints and teaches children how to safely share information via technology. It was recently launched by Ana Albir, an MIT physicist and Stanford MBA, and Kunal Jham, Michigan alum and former Amazon Web Services engineer. Best for: Children ages 3-11. Price: FREE. Requirements: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 5.1 or later. Features: Kids can safely share with members of the parent-approved network using SimpleShare® technology; parents can showcase kids’ drawings on Facebook; allows online and offline accessibility, and multiple children’s profiles; ability to delete friends; dismiss button to clear everything from the screen but the canvas. Watch Video
Call for Artist in Residence / Abetenim Arts Village. Ghana: Abetenim Arts Village, NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS for Artist in Residence Program for 2013 and 2014. Nka Foundation invites emerging and established artists to apply for residencies within the frame of Artist in Residence for a period of stay from 1 to 9 months at Abetenim Arts Village in Ghana. Our rural arts village provides the participant with time and space away from the everyday stresses of city life to focus and investiagete their practice, creating the possibility for discovery, collaboration and growth. Individual artists and teams in the fields of theater, film, music, visual arts and multidisciplinary work are encouraged to apply. No application fee is required. All international participants are required to make a financial contribution of 28 USD towards food and 50 USD for accommodation per week.
What's Behind MOCA's Plan to Ditch LACMA for the NGA? We Have No Clue. The last week has been something of a rollercoaster of news about the Los Angeles museum world. First, after months — years, even! — of financial turmoil for the smaller institution, LACMA officially submitted a bid at the end of February offering merge with the troubled L.A. MOCA and help with fundraising. The merger seemed promising for a few days — until the New York Times announced Tuesday that MOCA is instead considering a partnership with the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. at the behest of art collector and MOCA board member Eli Broad (the L.A. businessman has a storied and troubled history with LACMA, having pledged to give his collection of contemporary art to the museum in the early-aughts, then recinding his offer and announcing that he was building his own museum several years later). Not only is the NGA plan geographically baffling, but the deal would seemingly come without the one thing MOCA needs the most: financial assistance. LACMA is offering its neighbor $100 million. NGA has proposed “to collaborate on programming, research and exhibitions.” Really, the only appropriate response to this turn of events is the three-letter internet slang, “WTF?” And that's exactly what most people have been saying. (artinfo.com)
Pennsylvania: Education in the arts involves practical career experience at area high schools. Arts classes these days aren't just teaching students a hobby, they are helping prepare them for careers. Area high schools are finding ways to incorporate student interest in the arts and entertainment into fulfilling, tangible objectives. Course offerings included in a regular curriculum are geared toward teaching skills that can be used across multiple applicable platforms while allowing students to explore their individual passions. (lehighvalleylive.com)
Wisconsin: Nonprofits, Milwaukee Public Schools Partnering for Arts Education. How often have we heard the tale that when there is a need in the community that is not being answered by the public or private sectors, it is the nonprofit sector that steps in and gets the job done? This week, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on yet another example of this scenario, as nonprofit organizations are making up for the lack of arts experiences in local public schools. The Milwaukee Public School district (MPS) currently has approximately 80,000 enrolled students but only 81 full time arts teachers, or roughly one arts teacher for every 1,000 students. Although MPS hopes to raise that number to more than 100 teachers next year, it is increasingly turning to partnerships with nonprofit arts organizations to fill the void. (Nonprofit Quarterly)
Arizona: Chandler 'Chairitable' fundraiser to boost arts education. Arts education will be the beneficiary at Friday’s “Chairitable” fundraiser at the Chandler Center for the Arts. The event will feature artist demonstrations, live entertainment, wine tasting and a raffle, but the main attraction will be the live and silent auctions of handcrafted or decorated chairs and tables created by some of the area’s leading artists. Chairitable begins at 6p.m., Friday at the Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., at Chandler Boulevard. There is no admission charge. (azcentral.com)
Indiana: Lincoln Foundation Supports Arts Accessibility and Education in Fort Wayne. Lincoln Financial Foundation is strengthening art education opportunities and access to the arts for a broad spectrum of Fort Wayne residents through $524,000 in grants to 16 local nonprofit organizations. These grants are a portion of more than $2.5 million in charitable funds the foundation has allocated for the area in 2013. (justmeans.com)
West Virginia: Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation announces grants for arts, education. More than $694,024 for arts, culture and education projects was granted Wednesday by the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation Board of Trustees. A news release from the Foundation said it has started this year using a "Community Wealth Creation" framework to evaluate the impact of its grant making. (SaturdayGazette-Mail.com)
Maryland: Parkville High School teacher wins national Outstanding Young Educator Award - Photography teacher receives prestigious $10,000 award. Parkville High School photography teacher Ryan Twentey is one of two national winners of the prestigious ASCD 2013 Outstanding Young Educator Award (OYEA). The award was announced Sunday at the association’s 68th Annual Conference in Chicago. During his 12 years at Parkville High School, Twentey has worked on systemwide curriculum projects and served as the school’s Career and Technology Education chair, driving an effort to define skills that make students successful in their chosen fields post-graduation. Drawing from these experiences, Twentey produces his own tailored course tutorials that help students learn instructional material at their own pace.
Overview of the 2013 NAEA National Convention from the Michigan Art Education Association Blog
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NGA TEACHER INSTITUTE: Impressionism & Post-Impressionism, July 15–20, 2013 OR July 29–August 3, 2013. Application deadline: March 15, 2013. The National Gallery of Art invites teachers of kindergarten though grade twelve to apply for a six-day seminar that explores impressionist and post-impressionist French art. Individual sessions will integrate art, social history, language arts, and teaching strategies through examination of the collections of the National Gallery. Download application form here.
The Power of Art 20th Anniversary Celebration, Teaching Students with Learning Differences through Art, April 25–April 28, 2013. The Power of Art is a national competition that celebrates excellence in art education and recognizes innovative teaching methods. The competition is generously supported by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Thirty two art teachers who work with students with learning disabilities and ADHD are chosen annually from a large pool of applicants. Winners participate in a one-day workshop that demonstrates ways in which art can be used to teach academic skills to students with learning disabilities and ADHD. Applications are now being accepted from teachers and educators. Application deadline: March 15, 2013. e-Flyer | Application
From Arts Watch - March 2013, A Cultural Policy Publication of Americans for the Arts
Missouri: Arts Commission Program Supports Individual Artists, PRNewswire, 3/5/13
"Based on the results of Artists Count, the first comprehensive survey of regional artists and creatives, the Regional Arts Commission (RAC) will begin funding individual artists in 2013. The commitment to support artists is inherent in RAC's vision to transform St. Louis into a more vibrant, creative, and economically thriving community through elevating the vitality, value, and visibility of the arts...The Kresge Foundation funded the survey which was conducted and analyzed by William Cleveland, principal of the Center for the Study of Art and Community along with his research associate Dr. Patricia Shifferd. According to Cleveland, 'RAC's decision to fund artists establishes the organization as a leader among local arts agencies nationally. They are committed to developing a sustainable, creative community.'"
Arts Education Film Wins Academy Award, Boston.com, 3/4/13
"Matt D’Arrigo came up with the idea for ARTS: A Reason To Survive when he was just 19-years-old, a concept that bubbled to the surface of his imagination while he was listening to music and drawing in the bedroom of his Scituate, MA home. The practice was a type of therapy for him to deal with both his mother and sister’s cancer diagnoses. Suddenly he realized that art was helping him through it all...Twenty years later, the concept of providing art outreach to kids that need it most has turned into a tangible dream, one that has been in the spotlight as of late with the Oscar win for 'Inocente', a documentary film following a teenage artist who has learned perseverance through the California-based arts program. The film, available on iTunes, documents the film’s 15-year-old namesake as she struggles through homelessness, and recounts the girl’s traumatic life."
Wisconsin: Partnerships Filling Milwaukee's Arts Education Gap, Journal Sentinel, 3/11/13
"Arts programming by nonprofit entities is becoming increasingly important in Milwaukee as the ranks of arts teachers shrink at Milwaukee Public Schools amid tight budgets. The district, with about 80,000 students enrolled, is down to 81 full-time visual and performing arts specialists, down from 135 in the 2008–09 school year. The district hopes to push the number to 106 by next school year. To fill the void, the district and other Milwaukee area schools are partnering with numerous art organizations in the city to broaden their reach and impact. MPS partners with 41 organizations through the district's Partnership for the Arts and Humanities, which has an allocation of $1.5 million...The partnership requires outside groups to match dollar for dollar Partnership for Arts and Humanities money, which allows the organizations to enter schools during the day and assist in the number of art related class opportunities."
North Carolina: Using Arts to Help ESL Students Learn English, AlianzaNews.com, 3/13
"A project in North Carolina seeks to get students in English as a Second Language programs to connect their culture with their new language though their own photos, videos, and stories. For more than 10 years, immigrants attending the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) have been taking part in the 'My Family, Our Stories' project, coordinated by The Light Factory, one of the most important independent visual arts museums in the state. According to Charles Thomas, education director at the museum, the goal is to have young people take photos, make videos, and write stories about their life in the United States while at the same time telling about their culture and learning English better...CMS is one of the most diverse educational systems in the state with 10,339 students in ESL."
Pennsylvania: Air Force Veteran Turns to Arts Education, PhillyBurbs.com, 3/5/13
"When James del RIO sees a smiling child flourishing a paintbrush, he counts himself lucky because he knows he helped put a smile on that child’s face through art. His business allows him to indulge his childhood love of painting and drawing while fulfilling his wish to educate children. An Air Force staff sergeant, the Buckingham resident is a veteran of 14 years and a current reservist. He has spent most of his life working in the aviation industry, both military and commercial, and was called to duty as a flight engineer during missions to Afghanistan and Iraq in 2005. But after being laid off from his last job, installing interiors for helicopters, del RIO said he 'foolishly' continued hunting for a new job for a year. Finally, the father of two children told himself enough was enough. He went back to college...Art, his other lifelong passion, proved to be just the right fit when he teamed up with KidzArt, a national arts education franchise."
2013 Public Art Year in Review Seeks Submissions. Since 2000, the Public Art Network’s Year in Review, the only national program that specifically recognizes public art, has annually recognized outstanding projects through an open call submission and jury selection process. Projects completed and/or debuted in calendar year 2012 are now eligible for submission for the 2013 Year in Review. A jury will select up to 50 projects for final recognition that will be presented at the upcoming Public Art Preconference, June 13-14, 2013 in Pittsburgh. Either the project artist/designer or project art administrator/consultant may submit an application. Applying to Year in Review is free and applications can be submitted online through publicartist.org.
Nominate Local Arts Leaders for National Recognition. Join Americans for the Arts in recognizing the great work of individuals, organizations, or programs committed to enriching their communities through the arts with the 2013 Americans for the Arts Annual Leadership Awards on June 15 in Pittsburgh, PA. The six categories are the Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award; the Arts Education Leadership Award; the Emerging Leaders Network Award; the Michael Newton Award for Private Sector Leadership; the Public Art Network Award; and, the Selina Roberts Ottum for Local Arts Leadership Award. The deadline to nominate is March 22, 2013!
The pros, cons of NCLB waivers. For states that have received waivers from No Child Left Behind, there may be a collective sigh of relief as officials are freed from some provisions under the federal education law. However, there are some drawbacks; because the waivers allow individual states and districts to craft their own plans, collaborative efforts among jurisdictions can lead to confusion over how federal funds for education may be used. (T.H.E. Journal, 3/12)
SXSW Alternatives: Visual Arts Edition. While some Austin galleries are either taking a brief spring hiatus or have been rented out for SXSW, we’ve found art offerings from the Texas Biennial, Falcon 5 Studio, Dougherty Arts Center, and more for those wishing to take a break from or avoid SXSW. (austinist)
From the AEP ArtsEd Digest - Vol. 5, No. 5, March 13, 2013
Can’t-Miss Concurrent Sessions! AEP is pleased to present 22 concurrent sessions – the largest ever to be held at an AEP National Forum – representing a diverse range of topics and communities from around the country. Make sure you don’t miss out on this year’s exceptional slate of presentations at the AEP National Forum Arts, Education, and the Next America on April 4-5 at the Renaissance Washington, DC Dupont Circle Hotel! Click here for full session descriptions and schedules.
USDOE Now Accepting Applications for Arts in Education Grant Program. The U.S. Department of Education’s Arts in Education Model Development and Dissemination Grant program (AEMDD) is accepting applications for fiscal year 2013. The AEMDD program supports the enhancement, expansion, documentation, evaluation, and dissemination of innovative, cohesive, research-based models. These models must effectively demonstrate: (1) integration of standards-based arts education into core elementary and middle school curriculum; (2) strengthening of standards-based arts instruction; and (3) improvement of students’ academic performance. More info on website. Please contact Diane Austin at (202) 260-1280 or email the program at artsdemo@ed.gov with any questions.
National Endowment for the Arts Hosts Live Webinar about the Role of Collective Impact in Advancing Arts Education. The public is invited to join a webinar about the role of collective impact in advancing arts education on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 3:00 pm, EDT. John Kania, managing director of social impact consultants FSG, will present his research into the uses of collective impact by the social sector, followed by a discussion with NEA Director of Arts Education, Ayanna Hudson. Both Kania and Hudson will also take questions from webinar participants.
Create, Perform, Log-on: Southeast Center for Education in the Arts' 2013 Forum. How can we adapt to innovations in technology, art making, and teaching practice? That is the focus of the Southeast Center for Education in the Arts’ sixth annual Arts & Education Forum: Create, Perform, Log-on at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on May 15-17, 2013. Twenty-five demonstrations, challenge sessions, and roundtables will engage educators, artists, and technologists in critically and creatively exploring current and future practice in education, art making, and professional development. Thirty-two presenters will represent 25 organizations from 10 states and Australia.
Apply Today for DeVos Institute for Arts Management Summer Internships. The DeVos Institute for Arts Management at the Kennedy Center is accepting applications for summer internships for aspiring arts managers to gain critical hands-on experience in many areas of performing arts management. DeVos Institute interns develop valuable relationships in the industry by training with Kennedy Center staff and gain a broad understanding of the performing arts by participating in seminars and activities, attending Kennedy Center performances, and connecting with a vast network of DeVos Institute alumni. Applications are due Friday, March 15, 2013.
National Creativity Nework Webinar: Educating for Creativity. Bringing creativity into mainstream educational practice has become a mantra among educators. In this free webinar from the National Creativity Network, University of Calgary's Robert Kelly explores the "how" of learning and teaching creatively and more importantly learning to create in educational practice. He will share his thoughts on a theoretical framework for creative practice and creative development and he will share information from his most recent research: Educating for Creativity: A Global Conversation. The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, March 21, from 12-1pm.
Summer Institute 2013: Activating Learning through the Arts, June 17-24, 2013. The University of Texas at Austin invites you to join the Department of Theatre and Dance for a research-based pedagogical exploration during this year’s summer institute, June 17-27 at the university. Participants will be immersed in the use of drama-based instruction across the curriculum. This arts integration intensive is co-facilitated by faculty and graduate students from the Department of Theatre and Dance and the College of Education. The Institute provides an opportunity for pre-service and in-service teachers and administrators to gather and explore the power of learning in and through the arts.
Arts Integration Across Disciplines June 19-21, 2013. The American School in London Learning Institute invites you to come to London this summer to explore arts integration and ways to build student engagement in learning. This professional development workshop offers active, integrated arts explorations of curricular content and teaching practice. Learning will include varied arts experiences in city sites such as parks, museums, schools, and galleries to explore ways to help students develop understanding in various disciplines and in cross-disciplinary contexts. The summer learning institute is designed for classroom teachers, arts specialists, museum educators, and teaching artists.
Register Today for the Logan Arts Leadership Institute. The Logan Arts Leadership Institute (LALI) at Interlochen Center for the Arts is now open for registration! LALI is a free virtual program designed to promote arts leadership among high school and undergraduate students to help them understand the kinds of experiences and study required for new leaders in the arts. Because the dispositions for leadership are formed at an early age, LALI strives to create a cadre of new leaders who will understand and want to play significant leadership roles in arts and culture, education, and non-profit organizations.
The IDEA Paris 2013 Congress. The 8th congress of the International Drama/Theatre and Education Association (IDEA), organized in partnership with the French association ANRAT (Association Nationale de Recherche et d'Action Théâtrale), stands as a unique opportunity to discover new approaches to arts education. This arts education world congress is sponsored by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication and UNESCO, and will be held in Paris from July 8-13. Join over 800 international arts education stakeholders gathering to collect new information, compare existing models, and exchange views with other congress participants coming from all over the world.
Pennsylvania: CELEBRATING WOMEN MURAL TOUR, Saturday, March 23, 10 am-12 pm. Departs from Mural Arts at the Gallery, 9th and Market Streets, Level 2. Celebrate Women’s History Month with a special Mural Arts tour featuring outstanding works by female artists. Antique trolley travels through Philadelphia neighborhoods to view a collection of murals, featuring women muralists such as Meg Saligman, Ann Northrup, and Michelle Angela Ortiz, who will join the tour as a special guest guide.
Michelle has worked with Mural Arts for over 10 years as both an instructor and teaching artist. She is also active in Taller Puertorriqueño, Congreso de Latinos Unidos, and other nonprofit organizations. Some of her murals include Aqui y Alla, Where Girls Grow Strong, El Yunque, and Life Reflects Nature: Memories of the Past, Traditions of the Present. Plan to check-in 15 minutes before tour departure time (9:45 a.m.). For more information, please contact: tours@muralarts.org
3-12-13
SAVE THE DATE! March 29-31 :: 2014 NAEA National Convention :: San Diego, CA
The 2014 Call for Presentations deadline is May 15, 2013. The online proposal form and guidelines will be posted on/around April 1. Please check our Convention web page for the latest news and information.
THANK YOU ART EDUCATORS! Very special thanks to all who participated in the 2013 NAEA National Convention in Fort Worth, and especially to our 2013 Local Committee Collaborators! We hope you were inspired by the face-to-face experience and returned to your classrooms, campuses, districts and museums with a renewed sense of energy and exciting new ideas to implement and share. View resources from the Convention here.
Funding Opportunity: Arts Education. The U.S. Department of Education has announced a funding opportunity to support effective models for arts education that integrates standards-based arts education into the core elementary and middle school curriculum. (ASCD Capitol Connection, 3/12)
Department of Ed. Considers District-Level NCLB Waivers. Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming recently submitted No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waiver requests to the U.S. Department of Education, meaning 47 states have now requested flexibility from the law’s most onerous requirements. A coalition of 10 California districts that together serve more than 1 million students also submitted an NCLB waiver proposal, which raises questions about both the wisdom of a department decision to grant flexibility at the district level and the state’s ability to manage two different school accountability systems. (ASCD Capitol Connection, 3/12)
Details Trickling Out on Latest NCLB Waiver Bids - No sure thing seen in leeway on NCLB. With the addition of three longtime holdouts to the list of states seeking flexibility under the No Child Left Behind Act, nearly every state has sought to design its own accountability system to replace the outdated federal law. (Education Week, 3/12)
Dozens of Ohio districts, schools withdraw from Race to the Top. Nearly 80 school districts and charter schools in Ohio have pulled out of the Race to the Top program since winning grants in 2010, in part, because the cost of implementing the mandates exceeds the federal award. Districts also cite having to switch a year early to the state's new teacher-evaluation system, which uses test scores to grade educators. "We were spending a disproportionate amount of time following all the requirements," said Mike Johnson, superintendent of Bexley schools, which has turned down a grant for this year. (The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio, 3/10)
Join the Military Child Education Coalition and the U.S. Department of Education to open "America's Children" Student Art Exhibit. You are invited to join the Military Child Education Coalition and the U.S. Department of Education as they celebrate the unveiling of military student artwork and writing gathered from around the world. The works represent what it means to be a military child and allow us to see a glimpse of their world through their eyes. Opening and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony, Wednesday, April 3, 2013, 9:30 AM, LBJ Auditorium, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, DC. RSVP Required to jacquelyn.zimmermann@ed.gov. Questions? Jackye Zimmermann at 202-401-0762 or at the email address above.
Sunset Strip Charity Auction Raises $52,280 For LAUSD Arts Education. When 10-foot-tall guitars created by artists like Shepard Fairey and works by Sunset Strip musicians such as The Doors, Van Halen and Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks are sold at a charity auction for arts and music education in L.A.’s public schools, it’s safe to say that people are going to be pulling out their checkbooks, even in a still-struggling economy. No wonder, then, that local entrepreneurs, art enthusiasts and music fans raised $52,280 at a charity auction hosted by Gibson GuitarTown, the Sunset Strip store allied with the Gibson Foundation, whose philanthropic efforts to encourage music, education, health and human services are well known. (West Hollywood Patch)
Greenville art teacher (& Middle Level Division Director-Elect September Buys) playing leading role in new arts education standards. When measuring the value of a student’s education, there are countless factors that are considered and evaluated before a single assignment is eventually handed from teacher to student. Be it math, science, English or history, the coursework educators teach on a national level takes years of study and development before a final curriculum is established. The same can be said for arts, drama, choir and band programs that compliment the core curriculum of public schools. Greenville Middle School art teacher September Buys has been working for more than a year with a 10-teacher team to develop a new arts curriculum for the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS). (The Daily News)
You could win $500.00 of art supplies for your classroom! How do you inspire? Show the world by entering our "Keep Inspiration Alive" lesson challenge. Less than 3 weeks left to enter!
Give Thanks to a Teacher. Earn Rewards for your School. Say thank you to a past or present teacher today and they could split a $5,000 cash prize with their school. Turn Your Shout Into Teacher Rewards. They're giving cash prizes to educators who receive the most votes in the voting period. Ten educators will receive $5,000. That's $2,500 to the individual and $2,500 to his or her school. Your Shout Outs and votes can make the difference. Entry Period: January 15 - March 15, 2013. Voting Period: March 16 - April 30, 2013.
Need help starting your school gallery? From Artsonia. Spring is around the corner, but more importantly - it's YOUTH ART MONTH! Artsonia is hoping that you'll find time to celebrate your students' creativity by getting your gallery up and running. What can Artsonia do to help you get artwork published before YAM is over? Need a quick training session over the phone? Call them at 800-869-9974 and they'll talk you through the steps right then and there! Have a few questions you need answered before you give it a try? Email info@artsonia.com and they'll answer each and every one of them promptly! Are you ready to just jump in and get started? Great! Browse to www.artsonia.com/teachers, login to your account, and follow the basic steps to creating your school gallery. There are also short instructional videos available that guide you through the publishing process! Happy Youth Art Month - looking forward to seeing your Abrakadoodle gallery unveiled soon!
3-7-13
The 2013 NAEA National Convention is underway! Stay tuned to the latest news and information about the Convention on the mobile app, Twitter feed, and Facebook page.
SchoolArts - April 2013. It's here! Your April 2013 digital edition of SchoolArts magazine is now available. Click here to begin reading the current issue.
Project Uses Famous Profiles to Identify Gifted, Creative Students (Education Week/Inside School Research Blog , 3/6)
The Power of Art, April 25 - 28: Application Deadline Extended to March 15. Program participation is sponsored by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. -Every participant will also receive a $500 grant for art resources and supplies at their school.
Calif. school incorporates design thinking in every class. At Nueva School in Hillsborough, Calif., design thinking is part of the curriculum for all students in grades K-8. For example, fourth-graders were asked to design new LED lamps based on which of their family members they observed needing a new light source. The projects weave together many goals of the Common Core State Standards and incorporate service to others, says Kim Saxe, director of Nueva's iLab. "Our faculty loved that design thinking increased student empathy. We always have them designing for a classmate or someone in the community rather than just themselves," Saxe said. (KQED.org/Mind/Shift blog, 3/4)
Google Launches "Art Talks" Video Series: Not to be outdone by the Met's "82nd & 5th" and PBS's "art21". An excellent guide often best brings an art gallery or museum’s collections to life. Starting this week, Google is hoping to bring this experience online with “Art Talks,” a series of Hangouts on Air on their Google Art Project Google+ page. Each month, curators, museum directors, historians and educators from some of the world’s most renowned cultural institutions will reveal the hidden stories behind particular works, examine the curation process and provide insights into particular masterpieces or artists. The first guided visit will be held Wednesday, March 6 from The Museum of Modern Art. Deborah Howes, Director of Digital Learning, along with a panel of artists and students, will discuss how to teach art online. To post a question, visit the event page. If this talk falls too late for you to tune in live, you can watch afterward on Google Art Project YouTube channel. The next talk is from London. On March 20, Caroline Campbell and Arnika Schmidt from the National Gallery will discuss depictions of the female nude. Details are available on the Art Project’s event page. In April they’ll host a panel examining one of the Google Art Project’s popular gigapixel works, Bruegel’s “Tower of Babel,” featuring Peter Parshall, curator at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. (Google Blog)
Letter to the Editor: The role of visual arts in school. Regarding the Feb. 24 WP Magazine article “After years of crouching, arts ed is raising its hand”: While I am always thrilled to see arts education highlighted, promoted and advocated, it’s always tinged with a bit of “missed opportunity.” Arts education seems to be consistently equated with performing arts. Of the six photographs accompanying your article, only one pictured a student engaged in the visual arts. The two celebrities mentioned in the article are both in the performing arts. It’s time to give equal time to the arts that all students can and should participate in — those that foster creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving; those that teach lifelong skills, a discriminating eye and an appreciation for beauty and self-expression; those where all you need are paper and a pencil, a bit of clay, a brush and some paint — and an idea. (The Washington Post, 3/1)
North Carolina: Virtual Courses Feature Gaming to Raise Interactivity. Middle school students using Connections Academy online curricula analyze parts of speech and builds sentences to complete grammar "missions" in an interactive game. Students taking classes through K12 Inc.'s online curricula access mobile apps to play games as a way to reinforce what they're learning in class. And students in the Pender County school district in North Carolina are learning language arts and leadership skills through video games such as Minecraft and World of Warcraft, thanks to a new learning-management system specifically designed for game-based learning. (Education Week, 2/7)
Teacher-Evaluation Plans Bedevil Waiver States. Many states are still negotiating to win federal approval for key teacher-evaluation portions of their No Child Left Behind waivers. (Education Week, 3/6)
California: Boost students' creativity by starting out small. Teachers can help students develop creativity to ensure they grow up with an eye on innovation. James Kaufman, director of the Learning Research Institute at California State University, San Bernardino, and Ronald Beghetto, associate professor of Education Studies at University of Oregon, say creativity -- while it brings uncertainty to the classroom -- can be integrated into the curriculum and aid learning amid the standards and rubrics.(KQED.org/Mind/Shift blog, 3/1)
Support Arts Education in Your Community. "March is Youth Arts Month, and what better way to celebrate than pledging to tell someone how much you care about arts education. And since March is often budget season for schools, why not make that someone a school board member? Let's get the word out about how important it is to Keep the Arts in Public Schools!” — Kristen Engebretsen (cause leader)
From VAEA: Youth Art Month 2013 | Call for Conference Proposals
March is National Craft Month! from Crayola
From Public School Insights - March 5, 2013 | Volume 6, Issue 2, Learning First Alliance
21st Century Skills: Deeper Learning is Essential Ingredient for Success
Common Core State Standards: 2014 is a Year Away
Report Spotlight: MetLife Survey of the American Teacher
Maryland: Student Inspiration Leads Southern Art Teacher to National Recognition. Southern High art teacher Michael Bell has won national awards, has helped his students win the national Rising Star Award four years in a row, was named Teacher of the Year—and that’s just during his day job. When Bell isn’t teaching or running the art department at Southern, he is working on a narrative thematic series of paintings for his “buddies” on the HBO TV show The Sopranos. (Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch)
3-4-13
Fort Worth, here we come! Upon arrival, please pick up your registration materials at the Registration area, Convention Center, Grand Lobby, 2nd Floor. Registration Hours: Wed, 2-7pm; Thurs, Fri, Sat, 7:30am-5pm; Sun, 8am-12pm. Plan your convention experience now! Download the mobile app at http://www.arteducators.org/news/convention-13. Locate Show Documents, "D.Registration Info". Get tips for attendees, tips for presenters, & general registration info. Please note that the app will contain the most up-to-date information regarding the session schedule/times/room locations, as well as cancellations and alerts. Also, be sure to use Twitter hashtag #NAEAartmatters. We look forward to seeing all of you there!
DOWNLOAD THE NATIONAL VISUAL ARTS STANDARDS - MOVING FORWARD IN 2013 BROCHURE
Arts Advocacy Day is Just a Beginning. In a few weeks, many of us will descend upon Washington, D.C. as part of Arts Advocacy Day. The agenda is simple and powerful; first, everyone learns the talking points, the compelling arguments, and statistics, and then practices on legislators and/or their staff. We return home knowing we’ve made a positive impression upon those who make decisions that can have significant and long-lasting impact upon the arts in America. (Americans for the Arts ARTSblog, 2/25)
The Sequester. Starting today, our government will need to grapple with a set of arbitrary budget cuts that will hurt the economy, make life harder for middle-class families, and threaten our national security. That's what Washington means when it talks about the sequester. (The White House)
Pennsylvania, Texas, Wyoming Request Flexibility from No Child Left Behind. Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced it has received requests from Pennsylvania, Texas and Wyoming for flexibility from No Child Left Behind in exchange for state-developed plans to prepare all students for college and careers, focus aid on the neediest students, and support effective teaching and leadership. (ED.gov)
Calif. districts seek first-of-their-kind waivers from parts of NCLB. Nine school districts in California, including Los Angeles, are seeking waivers from portions of No Child Left Behind and are pledging to develop their own ways for evaluating the success of schools. The request -- filed jointly by the districts belonging to the California Office to Reform Education -- calls for the evaluation of schools based on standardized test scores, along with attendance, suspensions and graduation data, using district-developed formulas. (San Jose Mercury News, 2/28)
VSA Indiana E-News - March 2013. March is Disability Awareness Month!
Around the horn: Argo edition from Creatiquity. Featuring articles on Art and the Government, Musical Chairs, All About the Benjamins, In the Field, Big Ideas, Conferences and Talks, and Research Corner.
PLANET ART: The Best Art From Around the World for February 2013 (artinfo.com)
3-1-13
The National Convention is just 5 days away! What are you most looking forward to? Tell us on our Facebook Poll!
ASCD SmartBrief Special Report: Creativity now!
⇒How to encourage creativity in schools. Creativity isn't limited to thinking outside of the box, write Ronald A. Beghetto and James C. Kaufman. Creativity requires originality and task appropriateness, features levels and context, they write. They add that creativity also needs work, effort and risk, plus an understanding when it's appropriate to be creative. (ASCD Educational Leadership, 2/13)
⇒Creativity requires yin and yang. Creativity can't be measured by standardized tests, but it's a quality increasing sought after in the global marketplace, write Bryan Goodwin and Kirsten Miller. Teachers can help students bring out this quality through the teaching and modeling of complex problem-solving. (ASCD Educational Leadership, 2/13)
⇒Art's interactions with science can be profound. An aptitude in science can be enhanced by participation in arts and crafts, write Robert and Michele Root-Bernstein. As an example, Albert Einstein played violin and piano, and attributed some of his gifts for science to "musical thinking," they write. "Arts and crafts develop such skills as observation, visual thinking, the ability to recognize and form patterns, and manipulative ability. They develop habits of thought and action that include practicing, persevering, and trial-and-error problem solving," they write. (ASCD Educational Leadership, 2/13)
⇒Professor: Teach students for creativity, not test taking (ASCD Educational Leadership, 2/13)
Drawing Across the Curriculum Research Project - For PreK-12 Art Teachers. Do you believe in the value of drawing for your students, not just in the art room, but across the curriculum? Do you agree that drawing has a vital role to play in a well rounded education, and want to help make the case to a broader audience? If you have a successful lesson or unit pairing drawing with an academic subject area that you would like to share, please let us know! We are university based art educators supported by a grant from the National Art Education Foundation, part of the National Art Education Association. Our goal in this project is to show how students think and learn through drawing, not only in the arts but in other subjects as well. We hope you will consider being part of what we believe is an important advocacy effort-- providing evidence for art as an essential aspect of education. Tell us briefly about your lesson, your school, and your student population, and send images if you have them. We look forward to hearing from you. Please reply no later than April 15, 2013 to ak2989@tc.columbia.edu
Andrea Kantrowitz, Teachers College, Columbia University
Seymour Simmons, Winthrop University
PS: To learn more about the research project and get a taste of the lessons we've discovered so far, visit the "Thinking through Drawing" blog at http://ttd.pressible.org and select the "Drawing across the Curriculum" link.
Also, if you will be in Ft. Worth for the NAEA Convention, and would like to talk about your interest in and experience with teaching drawing across the curriculum, please contact Seymour Simmons at seymoursimmons@gmail.com.
art21 news - February 27, 2013. In this issue: Host an Art21 Screening: Register for Access 100 Artists; Art21 Educators, 2013-2014: Apply by March 17th; New Videos in Exclusive and New York Close Up; Featured 100 Artists Video: Yinka Shonibare MBE; Highlights from the Art21 Blog; and Art21 Translation Project: Bringing Artists' Words to Global Communities
Ariz. high-school students take creative lead in photography class (Arizona Daily Star, 2/14)
Smithsonian vows to keep doors open regular hours at museums if $40M budget cut takes effect. The world's largest museum complex is bracing for a $40 million cut in funding due to the budget stalemate in Congress, but the Smithsonian Institution is vowing to keep the doors open at its museums and the National Zoo. Smithsonian spokeswoman Linda St. Thomas said the attractions that serve 30 million people a year will maintain normal visiting hours if automatic federal spending cuts take effect Friday. Instead of reducing operating hours, the Smithsonian is preparing to absorb a 5 percent funding cut in other ways. Maintenance and new construction will be delayed. Hiring will be frozen, starting Friday. Use of outside contractors will be reduced, as well as training, research and travel. (Yahoo! News)
Time to Succeed Student Contest. TSC is launching a nationwide search for the best student videos, visual representations, and blog entries about the opportunities of expanding learning time. The application and more details are available on our website. Applications are due April 19th and the winners will be announced on April 25th. Please contact us at kfox@timetosucceed.com with any issues/questions.
Enter the 11th annual SunWise with SHADE Poster Contest! Students in grades K-8 are invited to help raise awareness about sun safety and win great prizes by submitting original, hand-drawn posters showing sun safety action steps. Register your school for the poster contest and a chance to win a iPad! Poster submissions are due April 1, 2013.
The Armory Show 2013 — Exclusive Preview on Artsy. 2400 Works. 215 Exhibitors. Explore the Fair.
Weekly Update: Sequestration Will Hurt Students, Teachers and Schools in Your State (ED.gov)
Wyo. plans to seek waiver from parts of NCLB (Star-Tribune, Casper, Wyo.)
California Districts Make Bid for NCLB Waiver (Education Week/District Dossier Blog, 2/28)
FEBRUARY 2013
2-27-13
Why Even Art Teachers Have a Problem With Standardized Testing. As an art teacher, I can give my students a written test to see if they remember the formula, or I can give them a paintbrush and paint. Standardized tests are supposed to be more acceptable than non-standardized tests. They are created to gather data ... (Yahoo! News)
Making History While Making Places – Creativity From the Ground Up (createquity)
AEP 2013 National Forum: April 4-5 in Washington, DC. AEP is pleased to announce an exciting line-up of concurrent sessions to be presented at the 2013 National Forum Arts, Education, and the Next America on April 4-5 at the Renaissance Washington, DC Dupont Circle Hotel. Concurrent sessions draw upon the diverse perspectives of leaders from around the country and offer attendees applicable tools and insights on model practices in arts education, new research about learning in the arts, and powerful partnerships across many sectors that are delivering real results to improve the education of American youth.
AEP and IMLS Call for Existing Research on Arts Programs. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) have joined forces to expand the body of knowledge on how museums and libraries support youth development through their arts programs. As part of a new cooperative effort, IMLS and AEP are encouraging organizations to submit existing studies for consideration for inclusion in AEP’s ArtsEdSearch.org—the nation’s first online clearinghouse of research and policy information focused entirely on the educational outcomes associated with arts learning. The project seeks formal research or evaluation of arts education programming provided by museums or libraries that investigates a question or hypothesis, rather than journalistic or descriptive accounts. Read the full press release and details for submission here.
New College Board Study On Common Core and Arts Standards Alignment. The College Board and the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) have released a new research report detailing the alignment between the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math and the forthcoming National Core Arts Standards. The Arts and the Common Core: A Review of Connections Between the Common Core State Standards and the National Core Arts Standards Conceptual Framework analyzes parallels between the ELA and Math standards and the foundations of artistic literacy outlined in the National Core Arts Standards: A Conceptual Framework for Arts Learning. You can access the new report here on the NCCAS web page.
Resources Available from EdWeek Common Core Webinar. On Tuesday, Feb. 19, Education Week hosted a webinar on the arts and the Common Core State Standards featuring guests Susan M. Riley, expert in arts integration, curriculum innovation, and resource development specialist from Anne Arundel County public schools in Maryland and Lynne Munson, President and Executive Director of the organization Common Core. The discussion was moderated by EdWeek reporter Eric Robelen. The webinar addressed the potential of arts integration with the Common Core State Standards and offered examples of arts integration in practice.
Arts Integration Across Disciplines June 19-21, 2013. The American School in London Learning Institute invites you to come to London this summer to explore arts integration and ways to build student engagement in learning. Learning will include varied arts experiences in city sites such as parks, museums, schools, and galleries to explore ways to help students develop understanding in various disciplines and in cross-disciplinary contexts. The summer learning institute is designed for classroom teachers, arts specialists, museum educators, and teaching artists.
Register Today for the Logan Arts Leadership Institute. The Logan Arts Leadership Institute (LALI) at Interlochen Center for the Arts is now open for registration! LALI is a free virtual program designed to promote arts leadership among high school and undergraduate students to help them understand the kinds of experiences and study required for new leaders in the arts. Because the dispositions for leadership are formed at an early age, LALI strives to create a cadre of new leaders who will understand and want to play significant leadership roles in arts and culture, education, and non-profit organizations.
A Nonprofit Founder Seeks to Build on Oscar Buzz. On Sunday, local filmmakers Sean Fine and Andrea Nix won an Oscar for their documentary about how the arts guided a homeless teen to overcome her challenges. The award-related attention is boosting the profile of the nonprofit who helped turn her life around. (The Chronicle of Philanthropy, 2/24)
Sequestration Would Hurt Students, Teachers and Schools. If Congress fails to reach an agreement before March 1, automatic, across-the-board spending cuts—also known as the sequester—will go into effect. The cuts will have real consequences for real people—especially teachers, young children in low-income families, and students with special … (ED.gov)
Inspector General Report on i3 Questions Ed. Dept.'s Workload (Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog, 2/25)
Rocky Mountain College of Art+Design K-12 Art Educator Summer Seminar, Sunday, Jul 14th to Saturday, Jul 20th. Join RMCAD for a week of creative problem solving paired with fun lesson plan building activities. Everything kicks off with an optional creative tour of Denver on Sunday, July 14th followed by 2 potential tracks for an art educator to choose from. Art Educators will learn about contemporary artists, be exposed to workshops in printmaking, installation art, digital image making, basic bookmaking techniques, critiques, and lesson plan ideas. Available Tracks:
K-12 Art Educator Summer Seminar and K-12 Art Educator Summer Seminar + 2013 Assessment in the Arts Conference.
WP Magazine, the Education Issue: After years of crouching, arts ed is raising its hand again. An awful lot of arts organizations are putting an awful lot of muscle into education these days. Many are looking for ways to combat their own declining trends. Many blame the decline in arts education: If kids learned more about music, they’d grow up to buy tickets! Education, furthermore, helps arts organizations bring in new donors. (The Washington Post)
New York: Abrakadoodle Mobile Art Education Program Expands on Long Island. Abrakadoodle is an award-winning mobile art education program that has offered innovative art programs to children all across the country since 2003. For the past two years, Abrakadoodle, from its Roslyn location, has been providing Long Island’s children, from twenty months to twelve years old, with unique art classes, art camps, art parties and special events on-site at its art studio for kids and off-site at schools, community centers and other locations. (LongIsland.com)
Arkansas: Guests Go 5x5 at Center for Art and Education Gala. No one left empty-handed from the Center for Art and Education's 5 x 5 gala on Saturday (Feb. 23) evening. Guests of the fourth annual “Artisans Squared” event all took home a one of a kind painting after enjoying an evening of fine food, drink and art. “In order for us to continue to grow and offer our programs, we need the support of the community,” noted Owen. “It is vital to our success.” For nearly 40 years, the center has served as both a gallery and educational resource for local artists. (The City Wire)
Indiana Art Education Advocacy Action Blog, Arts Advocacy Day 2013: The Short and the Long
Arts Advocacy Group Gets Creative with Crayons. On Wednesday, February 13, the board of nonprofit arts advocacy organization Californians for the Arts (CFTA) met with legislators in Sacramento. The purpose of the visit, led by CFTA board president and Theatre Bay Area executive director Brad Erickson, was to persuade legislators to increase funding for the arts. In order to achieve this goal, they got creative. (Theatre Bay Area)
2013 Michigan Fine Arts Competition expanded to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin. The Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center (BBAC) is calling for entries to the 31st Annual Michigan Fine Arts Competition (MFAC). The juried exhibit will feature a variety of media, all created since January 2012, by artists from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin. Cash prize awards to artists will total $10,000. (The Oakland Press)
Weekend for Wyoming Visual Artists Conference at UW. The University of Wyoming Art Museum, the UW Department of Art and the Wyoming Arts Council (WAC) will present a three-day conference, “CLICK!: A Weekend for Wyoming Visual Artists” March 1-3 at UW. “CLICK!” is designed to engage Wyoming artists in strengthening and building their careers, says artist Wendy Bredehoft, UW Art Museum education curator. The UW Art Museum will host a session of 20:20, with artists from across the state presenting their current work. A complete schedule of events and presenters is available online and registration for the conference is required. Information is available through WAC by calling (307) 777-7742 or by visiting its website http://wyoarts.state.wy.us. (University of Wyoming Website)
Illinois: Students, alums: New fine arts complex proves university values arts. Illinois State University took a major step toward fulfilling a dream two decades in the making when Governor Pat Quinn announced last Thursday that the state will release $54 million for a new fine arts complex. The news was music to the ears of students and alums who have long awaited a new facility to replace the College of Fine Arts’ three main, aging buildings: Centennial East and West, both of which were built in 1959, and the Center for the Visual Arts, which opened in 1973. (IllinoisState.edu)
There are 21 Days Left to Enter this year's Chelsea International Fine Art Competition. All visual artists worldwide who are 18 and older are invited to enter the competition. Accepted media include painting, photography, sculpture, digital art, mixed media, drawing and print. Remember to enter with high quality images, so that the juror will get the best possible impression of your work. Selected artists will receive awards to help advance their careers, promote their work and increase their exposure to collectors in New York City and around the world. Deadline -Tuesday March 19th
For more information, visit http://www.agora-gallery.com/competition or email: competition@agora-gallery.com.
2-25-13
Join Secretary Duncan for a Conference Call, Tuesday, February 26th, at 2:00 pm, ET. Last week and over the weekend Secretary Duncan spoke out about the potentially severe impacts of sequestration for schools and communities, should the Congress be unable to avoid that action this week. To ensure that each of you know exactly what’s at stake for education, you are invited to join a conference call where the Secretary will address this topic as well as the Department’s second-term priorities, and will also take questions. The dial-in information is as follows: Call-In Number: 1-888-469-0987, Passcode: 8843796. There is no need to RSVP for this event.
Here is a link to today’s news clips, with the lead topic covering sequestration.
Here is the link to state-by-state sequestration impact information.
Arne Duncan on NCLB Waivers, Sequestration, Common Core (Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog, 2/21/13)
ED considering district-by-district NCLB waivers. ED considering district-by-district NCLB waivers Education Secretary Arne Duncan is talking with individual school districts about how to free them from unworkable parts of the federal No Child Left Behind law, signaling he is open to an approach he long...(eSchoolNews, 2/22/13)
News from Artsonia: Remember to publish your 50th piece of artwork to the "Abrakadoodle" school gallery on Artsonia by February 28, and you will be entered into our drawing to win a free iPad! Blick Art Materials is also generously providing a $35 giftcard to every teacher who successfully publishes his/her 50th piece of artwork! Simply login at artsonia.com/teachers to access your teacher account. Once you've logged in and browsed the teacher section, if you have questions or need help getting started, don't hesitate to reply back or give them a call at 800-869-9974. They'll be happy to walk you through any aspect of publishing artwork.
Tesh Media Group Is Looking For Freelance Animators. The Tesh Media Group is about to launch a revolutionary TV show and they're looking for freelance animators to help them make John Tesh's "Did You Know" segments come alive on the TV screen. The segments are :15 to :30 seconds long and they will provide audio downloads to enable synchronization opportunities. Looking for all styles of animation, whiteboard, CGI, cartoon, stop motion or other inventive style. This is an opportunity to earn extra $, express yourself, and expose your work to large television and online audiences. Please send links/samples of your work to teshlive@gmail.com. EOE.
New York: Young Audiences Arts for Learning will Host more than 300 Events and Programs across the US in Celebration of National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Week, March 24–March 30, 2013. Nat’l YA Week will be observed around the country by 17 Young Audiences affiliates in 15 states with special events, school activities, long-term residencies and performances to promote awareness for YA’s arts in education programs. It is estimated that more than 30,000 students will be participating in a Young Audiences Arts for Learning program during this week. Highlights include smART stART workshops in the Woodruff Art Center in Atlanta that focus on teaching early literacy skills to kindergarteners; YA New Jersey’s Beyond Recycling, a long-term residency program that teaches students how to live more sustainably; and a math mural workshop where participants will use geometry to create a large-scale image in Wichita, Kansas.
Kansas: Youth Art Month Celebration Reminders - March 2nd. The Kansas Youth Art Month celebration is one week away! Be an advocate for the visual arts in Kansas by making sure that your school is represented by a piece of student's art work! Every Kansas art teacher can display ONE student's work at the Youth Art Month Celebration. Information, including labeling information can be found on the KAEA website. If you are a member of KAEA, you and your student could win an all expense paid trip to New York City and art supplies for your school. They still need volunteers. Volunteers are meeting Friday night, March 1st, at the Club House Inn Hotel on Wanamaker in Topeka. Ask for the KAEA special rate if you'd like to stay or you could deliver your art work then. They will be organizing and preparing for the exhibit. March 2nd at 8am, they will begin hanging the exhibit in the State Capital rotunda if you would like to help. Contact Shawny Montgomery, Kansas Art Education Association Youth Art Month Chair.
Learn about Modern Art in a Contemporary Way: MoMA Courses Online, Courses Begin March 11. Enrich yourself and your understanding of art using The Museum of Modern Art as your guide. Choose from six exciting courses: From Pigment to Pixel: Color in Modern and Contemporary Art (NEW!); Five Puzzles of Contemporary Art; Experimenting with Collage; Materials and Techniques of Postwar Abstract Painting; Modern Art, 1880–1945; and Modern and Contemporary Art: 1945–1989. Instructor-Led and Self-Guided Courses are available, so you can select the format that works best for you.
Art Basel's 2013 show in Miami Beach: Applications now online for Galleries, Edition, Nova, and Positions sectors. Deadline: March 18, 2013. From December 5-8, 2013, Art Basel will host the 12th edition of its show in Miami Beach, the most prestigious art show in the Americas. Now in its second decade, the show features more than 250 leading galleries from North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa, displaying works by more than 4,000 artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Solving the Underpants Gnomes Problem: Towards an Evidence-Based Arts Policy (Createquity)
2-21-13
The Power of Art 20th Anniversary Celebration, Teaching Students with Learning Differences through Art, April 25–April 28, 2013. The Power of Art is a national competition that celebrates excellence in art education and recognizes innovative teaching methods. The competition is generously supported by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Thirty two art teachers who work with students with learning disabilities and ADHD are chosen annually from a large pool of applicants. Winners participate in a one-day workshop that demonstrates ways in which art can be used to teach academic skills to students with learning disabilities and ADHD. Applications are now being accepted from teachers and educators. Application deadline: March 8, 2013. e-Flyer | Application
Young Audiences Arts for Learning will Host more than 300 Events and Programs across the US in Celebration of National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Week, March 24–March 30, 2013. Nat’l YA Week will be observed around the country by 17 Young Audiences affiliates in 15 states with special events, school activities, long-term residencies and performances to promote awareness for YA’s arts in education programs. It is estimated that more than 30,000 students will be participating in a Young Audiences Arts for Learning program during this week. Highlights include smART stART workshops in the Woodruff Art Center in Atlanta that focus on teaching early literacy skills to kindergarteners; YA New Jersey’s Beyond Recycling, a long-term residency program that teaches students how to live more sustainably; and a math mural workshop where participants will use geometry to create a large-scale image in Wichita, Kansas.
Learn about Modern Art in a Contemporary Way: MoMA Courses Online, Courses Begin March 11. Enrich yourself and your understanding of art using The Museum of Modern Art as your guide. Choose from six exciting courses: From Pigment to Pixel: Color in Modern and Contemporary Art (NEW!); Five Puzzles of Contemporary Art; Experimenting with Collage; Materials and Techniques of Postwar Abstract Painting; Modern Art, 1880–1945; and Modern and Contemporary Art: 1945–1989. Instructor-Led and Self-Guided Courses are available, so you can select the format that works best for you. Self-Guided Courses are open now; Instructor-Led Courses begin March 11.
Are Prizes and Awards Important to Fine Artists? There are many points at which the lives and careers of visual and performing artists diverge, and one of them is how they are honored and what those honors mean. Top film actors are nominated for academy awards; their stage counterparts may receive Tony awards, while musicians are eligible for a Grammy. These honors subsequently define the careers for these performers and certainly lead to career adjustments, such as their receiving an avalanche of scripts and contract offers. In short, their prestige is heightened in and out of their fields: An academy award winner will always be one -- years later, the honor will feature prominently in that person's obituary -- regardless of whatever else takes place in the individual's life or career. (The Huffington Post)
Why Job Training Matters for Students With Autism. When my severely autistic son was high school age, the local public school system offered him a placement at the high school. I remember feeling the swell of hope in my throat as I met with the administrators. Nat ... at the high school, one of the best in the country! Up until then, Nat had attended private autism programs most of his school career because there were no district-based programs for him. Born in 1989, Nat was at the beginning of the huge autism wave that was to come. His childhood had been very lonely, with few options. (Education Week)
Art-school graduates saddled with debt. What? Art school is expensive and artists tend to start their careers saddled with debt? What's next, using "starving" as part their job title? (MSN Money, WSJ)
CALL FOR ENTRIES: Vevey International Photo Award 2013/2014. DEADLINE MARCH 15th 2013. Festival Images is launching another round of its project competition. The purpose of this award consists in providing crucial assistance for projects that have not been realised, in the form of a grant up to CHF 40,000 (around € 33,000), in order to bring a photography or film initiative to completion. There is also the potential to win other prizes and receive exhibitions proposals at Quai1 or during the Festival Images. End of April 2013, a jury of visual arts professionals will choose the projects that will be supported by the Festival. The winning projects will be realised within the following year and previewed at the next Festival Images in September 2014. This competition represents a unique form of support for contemporary original works, with a free choice of subject matter and genre. The Vevey International Photo Award 2013/2014 is open to all artists, and professional or student photographers
North Carolina: 8th Annual Winterized Wonders Defrosted, March 22, 2013, 5pm-9:30pm. A celebration of the ARTS for the community. Free admittance. Location: Meadowlark Middle, Winston-Salem, NC. Joining the event this year...Music performances by Aubrey Shamel, MMS Jazz Band, & surprise performances from spontaneous serenades! Face Painting, Fairy Hair Flare, Photo ops, Interactive arts experiences, Kid craft tables, Stepping Stones Rescue Group, Krankies Coffee, Ci Ci's Pizza, Paddy's Italian Ice, Peace Tree, Puppet Show, and over 704 youth art exhibits ANNND...over 60 community fine art vendors.
2-19-13
Art and the Common Core Webinar Presented by Education Week. If you pre-registered for the webinar, the on-demand event is now available here. You can view the on-demand version free for a limited time. The Powerpoint presentation is available for download here.
Oscar-nominated films land role as media- and film-literacy teacher. Several Oscar-nominated films this year could be useful teaching tools, writes Matt Davis, an editorial assistant at Edutopia. In this blog post, he suggests teachers use films such as "Lincoln" to teach students about media literacy and to engage them in a range of topics. Davis also shares teaching resources, including the Teachers' Guide Series from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and an article on visual literacy. (Edutopia.org/Matt Davis' blog, 2/18)
National Arts Education Leaders and Student Artists Reflect on the Meaning of Diversity. Student artists cut the official ribbon to open the PTA Reflections exhibit to the public and ED employees in the headquarters lobby. Official Department of Education photo by Paul Wood.The U.S. Department of Education’s Student Art Exhibit Program partnered with the National PTA Reflections program for the sixth time to host the opening of a new exhibit at the Department’s headquarters titled "Diversity Means." For the past 44 years, the Reflections program has allowed millions of students across the country and at American schools overseas to unite around a common theme and compete in one of six mediums: dance choreography, film production, music composition, literature, photography, and visual arts. (ED.gov)
California: Training planned to help teachers integrate the arts into lessons. A professor at California State University San Marcos has received a $25,000 grant that she plans to use to train teachers on how to infuse visual arts and theater activities into their curriculum. (San Diego Union-Tribune, 2/15)
Kansas: Art Educators Wanted. Energetic, enthusiastic art educators needed for Summer Artspace Camps at the Lawrence Arts Center. Our camps incorporate arts and science and are theme based camps. Requirements: Art Education degree, BFA or MFA and experience working with kids 1st-5th grades. Please email a cover letter, a resume with 3 references to Laurie at laurie@lawrenceartscenter.org.
National Conference on Students Who Are Wired Differently, June 20-22, 2013, Atlanta, GA. This conference will focus on providing critical insights and current best-practices for effectively reaching and teaching these high-potential, and sometimes challenging, students. Featured speakers will include several of the top internationally recognized leaders in the field, including keynote speaker Temple Grandin. This conference is for regular classroom and special education teachers, counselors, administrators and other professional educators in grades PK-12. Particular focus will be given to working with students in inclusive classroom settings.
21st Century Skills: Deeper Learning is Essential Ingredient for Success. Deeper learning will ensure students possess transferable knowledge, or the ability to use their knowledge and skills to solve problems and navigate new situations. As a 21st century skill set, it should be a core element of the public education academic experience. A recent report from the National Research Council, Education for Life and Work: Developing Transferable Knowledge and Skills in the 21st Century argues that when facilitated through teaching and learning of academic subjects, this approach to learning pushes students beyond rote memorization of facts and procedure, and prepares them to succeed in work and life. This opportunity ensures that we are teaching and assessing the skillsets that we want our students to acquire as a majority of states work to implement the Common Core State Standards. Emphasizing deeper learning will require several shifts, in teaching methods, curricula, and assessments much like the shifts that are necessary to ensure success for Common Core. (Learning First Alliance)
TESTIMONY: ESEA FLEXIBILITY. Last week, in a hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Secretary Duncan promoted the value of providing flexibility to states under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the latest reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). He noted that granting states new flexibility through waivers -- which the Department began offering in 2011 -- was not his first choice; he would have preferred that Congress reauthorize the law instead. Yet, in light of congressional gridlock over reauthorization, he said he was “not willing to stand by idly and do nothing while students and educators continue to suffer under NCLB.”
In his testimony and in response to questions from committee members, he sketched in detail the ways in which state flexibility has strengthened accountability for at-risk students, improved evaluation and professional development for teachers and principals, and unleashed a wave of state-driven innovation.
In the end, the Secretary asserted he did not have “a moment’s doubt” that state flexibility “is a major improvement for children and for adults over NCLB.” He also stressed the need to learn from any mistakes in the waiver process, correct them quickly, and share that learning across the country. “We can never let the perfect become the enemy of the good. And, that is what we have done for far too long in education.” Ensuring a world-class education for every child “is both a demanding challenge and an urgent imperative for our children, our communities, and our nation.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/blog/2013/02/duncan-to-congress-giving-states-flexibility-is-working/. That same day, Kentucky Commissioner of Education Terry Holliday and New York Commissioner of Education John King, who also testified at the hearing, and New Jersey Commissioner of Education Chris Cerf discussed their states’ new accountability systems and the implications of waivers on state and federal policies and practice at a Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) forum. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ccsso.org/Resources/Digital_Resources/Webcast_State_Chiefs_Discuss_Implementing_New_Accountability_Systems.html. (ED.gov)
2-15-13
College Board releases a new study on Common Core and Arts Standards alignment
Obama calls for more investment in education. Obama calls for more investment in education Laying out an ambitious post-election agenda, President Barack Obama on Feb. 12 said his goal was to reignite a "rising, thriving middle class," in part by investing more in education. (eSchool News)
White House's Fact Sheet on the Administration's plan for early childhood education (ED.gov)
Texas: Southern Methodist University launches new national center for arts research. Southern Methodist University announced today that its Meadows School of the Arts and Cox School of Business are leading a collaboration with the Cultural Data Project (CDP) and numerous other partners to create a National Center for Arts Research (NCAR) at SMU. The center, the first of its kind in the nation, will analyze the largest database of arts research ever assembled, investigate important issues in arts management and patronage, and make its findings available to arts leaders, funders, policymakers, researchers and the general public. The vision of NCAR is to act as a catalyst for the transformation and sustainability of the national arts and cultural community. (artdaily.org)
RADIO PSA - 10 Lessons the Arts Teach (mp3). Produced by Marianne Scott, Arts Education Consultant & Teaching Artist, Arts Integrated Curriculum.
From ASCD Express - Creativity Now!, February 14, 2013 | Volume 8, Issue 10. Creativity is often mentioned as an important 21st century skill, but the emphasis on basics and high-stakes testing is squeezing it out of the curriculum. This issue of ASCD Express, along with the February 2013 Educational Leadership magazine, explores how to foster creative thinking, problem solving, and student engagement.
Art as the Heart of the Common Core Standards. When classroom and art teachers work with artists to meet Common Core challenges, students become more engaged, analytical observers; deeper thinkers; and clearer communicators who are able to make connections across disciplines
The Freedom of Interpretation: Building Creative Minds. By using a carefully crafted process called visual thinking strategies, teachers can help students grow in profound and significant ways.
How Is Creativity Killed? Yong Zhao thinks U.S. education risks importing China's creativity gap by adopting test-centered curriculum, pedagogy, and policies.
The Essential Cognitive Backpack. High schools need to find ways to help students process information, think deeply, and practice the so-called "soft skills" so they can be successful upon graduation.
Sue Brookhart on Assessing Creativity. Sue Brookhart Classrooms that discuss the elements of high-quality creative works, provide constructive feedback on creative assignments, and value creative risk-taking help students refine creative expressions.
Common Core Quick-Start: Fostering Creativity Through Rigor. To foster creativity while attending to the complex thinking required by the Common Core standards, educators must instill interest in the subject matter, teach multiple viewpoints to build student confidence with critical-thinking skills, and provide choices for exploring how to solve problems and create products.
Creativity as a Core Skill. Steve McGrath In North Carolina, the Guilford County Schools integrate the arts; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; and career and technical education to give students opportunities to thrive in a place where they feel the most comfortable.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Check out "Strong hands to end violence against women and girls” that was held in Vietnam for the first time to mark 12 years of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
ANNOUNCEMENT for "USSEA EXHIBITION" DURING NAEA National Convention in TEXAS. USSEA (United States Society for Education through Arts) is organizing the second “Art Educators as Artists” Exhibition during NAEA Convention in Forth Worth, Texas. The exhibition will be held from March 7-10, 2013. The works will be exhibited on convention site as well as USSEA Website to promote the participant art educators and artists. You can submit up to three artworks (originals only). The dimensions of the artworks cannot exceed 12”x12.” Only 2D works will be accepted. Please include the title, medium, year, and price of your artwork along with your Jpegs. Those who are interested in participating can send the jpegs of their artworks to Dr. Fatih Benzer at following email address: fatihbenzer70@yahoo.com. The deadline for submissions is March 3, 2013.
NYSCA Decentralization Grants Arts Education Grants. Application Deadline: April 9, 2013 @ 2 pm. The Arts Education Grant Program is administered by the Dutchess County Arts Council as part of the Decentralization Program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). The program provides funding to teaching artists and arts organizations for in-school partnerships with Dutchess and Ulster public schools to offer K-12 arts education projects in the classroom.Eligible projects must focus on the exploration of art and the artistic process. Inter-curricular collaboration is encouraged. Who should consider applying? Individual artists and/or non-profit organizations who want to develop or implement an in-school residency with a K-12 partner public school in Dutchess or Ulster County during the fall of 2013. Sign up for a seminar here. Questions? Contact Eve Madalengoitia, Director of Programs and Arts.
P. Buckley Moss Foundation Scholarships. The P. Buckley Moss Foundation administers three scholarships that were initially established by the Moss Society. The Judith Cary Memorial Scholarship is for students who are pursuing either a bachelor's or a master's degree in special education (Amount: $1500.00, Deadline: Sun, 2013-03-31). The Anne and Matt Harbison Scholarship is for a graduating high school senior with a certified language-related learning difference who is pursuing post-secondary education (Amount: $1500.00, Deadline: Sun, 2013-03-31). The P. Buckley Moss Endowed Scholarship goes to one or more high school seniors with financial need, with a certified language-related learning difference and artistic talent, who plan a career in visual arts (Amount: Varies, Deadline: Sun, 2013-03-31). For more information about these scholarships, please contact the P. Buckley Moss Foundation at 540-932-1728 or foundation@mossfoundation.org.
Registration is Open for the Young Audiences Arts for Learning 60th Anniversary National Conference: MOVING FORWARD: Arts and Education in the Age of Globalization, Thursday, April 25-Saturday, April 27, 2013, New York City, NY. You will engage in discussions on current issues and trends in arts in education and breakout sessions that present unrivaled professional development opportunities. On Thursday evening, you will enjoy the spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline aboard the Princess yacht for a dinner cruise that travels along the Hudson River passing by landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Empire State Building. You will also have the opportunity to visit one of Young Audiences’ affiliate programs in New York City, New Jersey, or Connecticut on Friday, April 26. We are proud to announce the following keynote speakers: Richard Kessler, Dean, Mannes College, The New School of Music; Ayanna Hudson, Arts Education Director, National Endowment for the Arts; and Ben Cameron, Program Director for the Arts at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
YA Announcing the Recipients of the 2013 Affiliate Development Fund (ADF) Grant. Young Audiences Arts for Learning has long been committed to supporting the growth and development of individual affiliates through a variety of services and grant programs. The Affiliate Development Fund (ADF) provides an opportunity to help build the capacity of affiliates and the network in order to establish ideas that can serve as best practices for the network and the field.
Expanding Minds and Opportunities: Power of Afterschool and Summer Learning for Student Success. This new book by Terry Peterson features studies, reports and commentaries by more than 100 thought leaders in the afterschool and summer learning field. The book includes an article written by Gigi Antoni, President & CEO of Big Thought (The YA affiliate in Dallas Texas).
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards AYAW Times - Issue 35. ANNOUNCING REGIONAL GOLD KEY WINNERS! All Regional Gold Key Winners from across the country are posted on the website. National Gold and Silver Medal winners will be announced on March 15. Top Stories: Celebrating 90 Years of Creativity!; I’m Going to Kansas City; From the Vault; Meet our Alumni; Juror Highlight; and more!
STEAM has Art in it. (STEM, not so much.) A bipartisan team of members of Congress have launched the Congressional STEAM Caucus, (a popular acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math,) which "aims to change the vocabulary of education to recognize the benefits of both the arts and sciences—and their intersections—to our country's future generations," says Robert Lynch, Americans for the Arts President & CEO. "Thanks to the leadership of Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D–OR) and Aaron Schock (R–IL), the message of how the arts can help launch creativity and innovation among our nation's students will have a proper place in the halls of Congress."
2-13-13
Strengthening Arts Education through I3 and Promise Neighborhood Programs. On Thursday, February 14 at 3pm (EST), the U.S. Department of Education Arts in Education Program will host a free webinar. In this webinar, DoE staff will discuss general eligibility requirements and priorities under these programs and how current grantees are effectively using funds to integrate quality arts education. Presenters include Elson Nash of the Promise Neighborhoods program and Kelly Terpak of the Investing in Innovation (I3) program. For questions or more information, contact Shavonney White at shavonney.white@doe.gov.
Common Core Quick-Start: How the Arts Intersect with the Common Core State Standards
Use Arts Integration to Enhance the Common Core
AEP and IMLS Call for Existing Research on Arts Programs. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) have joined forces to expand the body of knowledge on how museums and libraries support youth development through their arts programs. As part of a new cooperative effort, IMLS and AEP are encouraging submissions of existing studies for review and possible inclusion in AEP’s ArtsEdSearch.org—the nation’s first online clearinghouse of research and policy information focused entirely on the educational outcomes associated with arts learning. The project seeks formal research or evaluation of arts education programming provided by museums or libraries that investigates a question or hypothesis, rather than journalistic or descriptive accounts.
CCSSO Releases New Common Core Tools and Resources. The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has released an updated edition of its Common Core Implementation Tools and Resources Guide. CCSSO developed this list of free tools and resources to point states, districts, and educators to promising ideas and tools to support the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. This guide is free and users may distribute it widely and post it directly to their websites. These resources were developed by CCSSO, the lead writers of the standards, and its partner organizations. It is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all resources available.
NEA Now Accepting Nominations for 2013 National Medal of Arts. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is now accepting nominations for the 2013 National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists, arts organizations, and arts patrons in the United States. The American public may nominate artists and arts patrons for this award through the NEA’s website. The deadline is April 5, 2013. These awards are given annually by the President with the NEA managing the nomination process. Nominees must be U.S. citizens with a distinguished professional career; all nominations must be made online.
P21 Announces New Leadership. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), the leading organization advocating for 21st century readiness for every student, is proud to announce the selection of Dr. Steven Paine as its incoming President and Dr. Helen Soulé as its Executive Director. Dr. Paine served as West Virginia's state superintendent of schools from 2005 to 2011. Under his leadership, West Virginia was recognized for its 21st Century Learning Skills initiative. Dr. Soulé has served as Executive Director for Cable in the Classroom, and in her new role, she will manage ongoing operations and state support work for P21.
The Clarice Smith National Teacher Institutes. Be inspired this summer at the Smithsonian American Art Museum during the Clarice Smith National Teacher Institutes. Join colleagues from across the country for an exciting exploration of the connections among American art, social studies, history, and English/language arts. The institutes will be held on July 8–12 and July 29–August 2 in Washington, DC. Core subject teachers for grades 6-12 may apply as individuals or as part of a team. Priority will be given to social studies, history, and English/language arts teachers. Applications are due Monday, April 1, 2013.
North Carolina: Importance of art education in student development cannot be overlooked. Art education is an important part of development for all people, beginning at birth. For most, visuals are what help make sense of the world. Before children learn to read and write, they are able to express themselves with symbols and pictures, allowing communication to happen through storytelling. Compelling evidence shows that earlier is better for valuable effects of children’s learning and development influenced by the experiences in the arts. The debate grows as funding in schools is cut every year, mostly affecting the arts — music, dance, theater and visual arts. (UNC Mirror)
Illinois: Plan afoot to bring arts education to every CPS student. Chicago Public Schools plans to name an arts liaison in every school by March, fulfilling one of the benchmarks of the CPS Arts Education Plan. Mario Rossero, department of arts education director, said during a Thursday panel discussion that the arts liaison will be an arts champion for every school and every neighborhood. Schools will designate a current staff person to carry "the mantle of responsibility to coordinate and communicate everything related to the arts." (NWI Times)
The 28th Chelsea International Fine Art Competition Now Accepting Entries. Deadline - March 19, 2013. Awards include participation in an exhibition in New York City, online and print promotion for your art and cash prizes.
Tips for using Pinterest in the classroom. Tips for using Pinterest in the classroom Many aspiring crafters and cooking fanatics are familiar with Pinterest, a social media site set up like a virtual bulletin board in which users “pin” favorite home décor, cooking, and craft ideas. (eSchool News)
How ‘game mechanics’ can revitalize education. Many of the elements and engagement factors found in any number of games across a wide range of genres can help inform the shape of tomorrow’s classrooms. (eSchool News)
Congress Won't Reauthorize ESEA, So Netflix Will Do It For Them. Our real Congress has failed to reauthorize ESEA for over five years, but Hollywood has numerous advantages over Washington. (Education Week, 2/12)
Are NCLB waivers leading to less accountability? Few states are complying with federal accountability requirements under No Child Left Behind waivers when it comes to calculating the number of students graduating on time, according to a recent study by the Alliance for Excellent Education. The Washington, D.C.-based policy organization, launched by former West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise, found that while Delaware and New York have boosted graduation accountability for graduation rates, some states have relaxed -- or altogether ignored -- 2008 federal accountability requirements. (ABC News/The Associated Press, 2/12)
NCLB Waivers Weaken Grad Rate Accountability, Study Finds (Education Week, 2/12)
2-11-13
NCLB rewrite raises questions on federal involvement. As the U.S. Congress considers its next steps on an overdue rewrite of No Child Left Behind, some lawmakers are calling for a less prescriptive approach by federal officials in their involvement in local education. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the government has established measures of progress for recipients of NCLB waivers and that it "does not serve as a national school board." However, debate continues on the requirements attached to waivers issued by the Obama administration. (The New York Times, 2/9)
REMINDER: Art and the Common Core Webinar, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, 2 to 3 pm ET. As educators work to help students meet the demands of the Common Core State Standards in English/language arts and mathematics, many arts education advocates are making the case that the arts can be a valuable partner. For example, some teachers are seizing on works of art as "text" to be the subject of a close reading, much like a novel or essay, as called for in the new English standards. This Education Week webinar will feature two experts to discuss the potential of arts integration with the common core and to provide practical examples of how to put the concept into practice. Presenters: Susan M. Riley, expert in arts integration, curriculum innovation, and resource development specialist, Anne Arundel County public schools, MD; Lynne Munson, president and executive director, Common Core; and moderated by Erik Robelen, assistant editor for Education Week. Can't attend? All Education Week webinars are archived and accessible "on demand" for up to four months after the original live-streaming date.
Missouri: MAEA Spring Conference: If you focus on Standards Based Assessments or modify samples from the Smarter Balanced Assessment, you will be able to track progress of students. You will also be able to use this data on the new Missouri teacher evaluations as data analysis. The SmarterBalanced Assessment consortium is the group that Missouri has 'joined' to develop the assessments for Missouri Core Academic Standards (aka known as Common Core). Standards Based Assessments are taking the our standards (GLEs) and assessing knowledge of those. If you test in beginning of the course, the middle and the end you should be able to track student growth. It's a similar concept to schools who use AIMS web or any other tracking system. Take a starting point and move students towards mastery. The Spring Conference will offer some great workshops on assessments. Meaningful Student Assessment with Connie Shoemaker (Friday 8:00 - Colorado A), Meaningful Assessment with Video with Sarah Cress (Friday 2:15 - Kansas A), and Building Curriculum with Core (assessments will be built in) with Rebecca Moppin (Saturday Supersession 2:15 - Kansas B).
2-8-13
The March 2013 digital edition of SchoolArts magazine is now available. Simply click here to begin reading the current issue.
Art21 Announces the Fifth Year of Art21 Educators - Information and Application Now Available. Art21 Educators is a year-long professional learning community that brings together visual art, media, and humanities teachers interested in using contemporary art and Art21 films as resources for innovative teaching and learning across subject areas. Teachers are invited to apply from across the United States and Canada. The 2013-2014 program combines a six-day summer institute in New York City (July 10-17, 2013) with participation in a virtual community and distance learning sessions (July 2013-May 2014). Visit the Art21 website for additional information about the program, including FAQs, and a link to the online application. Applications must be received by March 17, 2013. Attend a Q&A Session: To speak with Art21 staff and alumni about the program, all are invited to attend an online Q&A session on Wednesday, February 13 or Tuesday, February 19, both at 8:30-9:30 p.m. EST. Register for a session
NAESP National Children's Book Award. The National Association of Elementary School Principal’s 3rd Annual National Children’s Book Award Contest discovers, publishes and launches two aspiring writer’s careers. NAESP’s endorsement is to its 30,000 national membership (plus hundreds of thousands of teachers and students) with Charlesbridge’s (a top national publisher from Boston) publishing of the top winners, is an incredible opportunity for children’s book authors. There will be two winners, a children’s picture book winner and a children’s chapter book winner. You can enter at the NAESP website. Teacher.net said “It is a great way to launch a writing career and an endorsement by them, the NAESP, will go far for your writing reputation.” The contest deadline is March 15th, 2013.
Indiana: Schools Seek Outside Help for Arts Education. "In Indiana and across the nation, funding for the arts has long been an issue. 'It takes a back seat to other things that we think are more important,' said Tom Dits, drama teacher at Trinity at Greenlawn. Schools are still reeling from the $300 million cut to education by Gov. Daniels in 2009. Even though Gov. Mike Pence has proposed an one percent increase of $63 million, it looks like funding for the arts will continue to be tepid at best. Even private schools like Trinity at Greenlawn need outside help to secure special opportunities for their students. 'Notre Dame has been very generous with us in offering a lot of workshops, probably for the past 10 years,' said Dits. Students are buying into the process. 'They really want us to delve into the world and meet people that are doing these professions that we ourselves are thinking about going into,' said senior Alex Bokhart." (ABC57.com, 2/4/13)
Florida: Lawmakers Seek to Add Arts Classes to Grade Calculation. "If you test it, they will teach it. That's part of the reasoning behind legislation filed by Rep. Charles McBurney and Sen. Nancy Detert, two Republicans who are proposing that the state count participation in arts education count as a piece of public schools' state grades. As Florida school districts have slashed their budgets in recent years, art and music courses often have been considered as potential targets for elimination as extras or luxuries. Arts advocates have fought to keep the programs intact. They point to research indicating that arts education sparks imagination and hones thinking skills...It's not unusual to hear the criticism that schools will look to the arts because the state doesn't have high stakes arts tests. A few years back, Florida music teachers actually pushed for a music FCAT to generate more funding and attention to their subject." (Tampa Bay Times, 1/25/13)
Utah: Arts Advocates Head to the Capitol. "Utah's arts organizations and students converged at the Capitol to thank legislators for their support of the arts and to remind them of the importance of arts funding, including programs for Utah’s schools...During the past six years, annual funding for arts in education has been between $2.5 million and just more than $3 million, dropping during the recession and reaching the $3 million threshold again last year...Susan Sandack, with the Repertory Dance Theatre, and Clive Romney, representing Utah Arts Council Folk Arts, went to the hill with success stories like the Native American program in the Nebo School District to the attention of lawmakers. 'Folk arts, storytelling, the dance of their culture, etc. has increased graduation rates from 50 percent to 95 percent,' Romney said. 'That's what the arts can do.'" (KSL.com, 2/5/13)
Digital Media Challenge Offers $100K for Fresh Ideas on Democracy. "Today marks the launch of a new digital media challenge that seeks to start a national conversation on ideas and solutions to improve American democracy, with cash prizes for the most fresh and creative submissions. Looking@Democracy is a national competition offering a total of $100,000 in prize money for short, provocative media submissions designed to spark a national conversation about why government is important to our lives, or how individuals and communities can come together to strengthen American democracy...The challenge will award $25,000 for first place along with significant prizes for second and third place as well as categories and awards for People’s Choice and Emerging Artists. Examples of welcome submissions would be addressing a critical topic that is absent from the national debate, looking at data and exploring the stories behind them, or highlighting an aspect about democracy taking place on a local level." (MacArthur Foundation, 2/3/13)
Restoring Creativity in the High School Classroom. English teacher Nathan Sun-Kleinberger says older students often need to be taught to recapture their creativity through exercises that encourage "divergent thinking." (Education Week Teacher, 2/6)
NY Metro Area Public Libraries Receive Support for Creative Aging Programs. Westchester Library System (WLS), and Lifetime Arts, Inc., in partnership with American Library Association Public Programs Office, announced today the allocation of funds to support instructional arts programs in 41 libraries in the New York Metropolitan area. The initiative will ultimately serve up to 1,000 older adults through instructional arts programs in up to 60 libraries in four demographically diverse public library systems:
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens is offering 3 watercolor workshops with 3 different artists teaching. 1 or 2 days, weekend or weekdays, beginners to advanced.
Watercolor Painting Inspired By Nature
Saturday, February 23 (10-4) and Sunday, February 24 (1-4), $160
The natural world with its endless variety will be the focus of inspiration for this two-day workshop. This workshop is designed for students with a variety of experience levels. Students should have basic knowledge and experience with this medium. After developing initial drawings, students will explore using value studies as important building blocks to a successful painting. There will be demonstrations during each class, plus individual work time during classes with one-on-one instruction.
Roadside Flower + Exotic Blossoms + Watercolor = Magic
Monday, March 11, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, $75
Margaret will lead you through her process of making a special plant the star of a painting, while at the same time giving it a background which makes it look at home in its landscape. In this one-day workshop participants will have the opportunity to learn about the history, anatomy, medicinal or culinary uses of specific plants before painting them. There will be plenty of demonstrations on techniques, accompanied by individual work with each participant. All skill levels welcome.
Botanical Watercolor Illustration
Saturday, May 11, 9:30 am – 4:00 pm, $75
Learn the gentle art of botanical watercolor illustration. Using a flower of your choice selected from the Garden, learn how to compose, sketch, and paint a botanical watercolor illustration. The class will focus on techniques and materials for execution of a lasting rendition. The workshop is appropriate for beginners as well as experienced artists.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art opens Shinique Smith exhibition at elementary school. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art presents Shinique Smith: Firsthand at Charles White Elementary School as part of its ongoing engagement with the museum’s surrounding community. Drawing upon Smith’s upbringing in the urban grit of Baltimore and her early exposure to the vibrant realm of fashion design, Shinique Smith: Firsthand combines objects the artist selected from LACMA’s Costume and Textiles collection, new work based on her experience within the school and community, and art produced by Charles White Elementary School students. Smith’s capacity to view childhood memories and her daily environment differently—through the lens of an artist—motivated the students to consider the effects of their surroundings and identify sources of inspiration in their own lives. (artdaily.org)
Washington, DC: Call to Artists: Public Art for the Unity-Parkside Health Center. The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities has issued a call to artists seeking ideas for “a unique landmark that expresses the character, strength and vibrancy of the Parkside-Kenilworth neighborhood.” (ART202, 2/7)
POLICY
Duncan: $2.8B in funds made available due to NCLB waivers. The decision to waive parts of the federal education law for 34 states and the District of Columbia allowed the federal government to provide about $2.8 billion in funding for schools, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Thursday during a hearing in the U.S. Senate. The hearing comes as lawmakers are considering the future of No Child Left Behind, which has expired. Republicans on the committee criticized the conditions placed on the waivers as federal authority over schools, though Duncan characterized the measures as ensuring accountability. (The Baltimore Sun/Reuters, 2/7)
Duncan to Senate panel: No more invisible children under No Child Left Behind waivers. Under the Obama administration’s education policies, thousands of elementary and secondary schools are being held accountable for the academic performance of students who had been “invisible” under No Child Left Behind, the Bush-era federal education law, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Thursday. (The Washington Post, 2/7/13)
Waivers and ESEA Renewal Get Hard Look From Senators (February 7, 2013, Politics K-12 Blog)
5 Important Questions About NCLB Waiver Implementation (February 8, 2013, Politics K-12 Blog)
Disability Advocacy Coalition Criticizes ESEA Waivers (February 7, 2013, On Special Education Blog)
Governors, State Chiefs Renew Plea for NCLB Rewrite (Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog, 2/5)
Duncan to Congress: Giving States Flexibility is Working. States and their schools are breaking free from the restrictions of No Child Left Behind and pursuing new and better ways to prepare and protect all students, Education Secretary Arne Duncan told a Senate committee Thursday. (ED.gov)
No Child Left Behind: Early Lessons from State Flexibility Waivers. As submitted to the Committee. The Secretary deviated from these remarks. (ED.gov)
U.S. states, local governments plead for new ‘No Child Left Behind’. U.S. state and local officials again called on Congress to pass renewed "No Child Left Behind" education legislation, writing in a letter on Tuesday that it must become "a top priority for every member of the House and Senate." (The Huffington Post)
Ed. Trust Slams NCLB Waivers for Neglecting At-Risk Students (February 7, 2013, Politics K-12 Blog
2-6-13
THE CONVENTION MOBILE APP IS BACK!
For iPhone (plus iPad & iPod Touch) and Android phones: Visit your App Store or Google Play on your device and search for “2013 NAEA”.
For All Other Phone Types (including BlackBerry and all other web browser-enabled phones): Point your mobile browser to http://m.core-apps.com/naea2013 or Scan the QR code!
Who’s Creative? Creativity thrives in environments that support personal interest, involvement, enjoyment, and engagement. (ASCD Creativity Now! February 2013 | Volume 70 | Number 5 | Pages 7-7)
The Arts Are Patriotic, Too. In the excitement of the inauguration, it might have been easy to miss how integral the arts were to the event. Americans for the Arts’ Bob Lynch analyzes the inauguration and concludes quite correctly that the arts have an “undeniable place in the ethos and the spirit of America.” (The Huffington Post, 2/4)
Artifacts as Evidence Teacher Workshop, Wednesday, February 13, 2013, 4:00–6:30 pm, The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. Everyday objects can serve as potent primary sources in the classroom. They offer students rich opportunities to analyze and make deductions, both logical and imaginative, by comparing and contrasting the familiar in their own lives with the unfamiliar of the past. Drawing upon the Gallery's new installation of the Kaufman Collection of American furniture and decorative arts, this workshop models strategies that foster curiosity, and build observation and language skills, while deepening understanding through group discussion. Fee: $10. Repeat date: Wednesday, February 27, 2013. To register, call (202) 842-6796 or e-mail teacher@nga.gov.
Some states may be reconsidering the common core. Opponents of the Common Core State Standards are centering their attention on Colorado, Idaho and Indiana, and are citing successes in Utah, which last year withdrew from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. Alabama similarly has withdrawn from the two consortia tasked with developing tests aligned with the standards. Supporters of the standards, adopted by a majority of states, say opposition is small and has largely been unsuccessful. (Education Week, 2/6)
How Are Race to the Top States Doing in Year Two? In only two years, the 12 states with Race to the Top grants continue to show improvements in teaching and learning in their schools. Last week, the U.S. Department of Education released state-specific reports for the 12 Race to the … (ED.gov)
The Warhol Museum partners with Brillo to sponsor the Warhol D.I.Y. Pop App in February and March. Andy Warhol helped make Brillo® an iconic brand in 1964 with his Brillo Soap Pads Box sculpture, and now nearly 50 years later the relationship continues. The Andy Warhol Museum partners with Brillo® to celebrate its 100 year anniversary by offering The Warhol’s popular The Warhol D.I.Y. Pop app for free during the months of February and March. Create your own digital silkscreen print, just like Andy Warhol would have with the Warhol: D.I.Y. POP app from The Andy Warhol Museum. Using your built-in camera or a photo from your library as source material, you’ll learn the Warhol process step by step. Crop. Expose. Underpaint. Share. And print a virtual silkscreen. (artdaily.org)
Sound becomes art in an audiovisual exhibition at Science Museum Oklahoma, Soundscapes, 7-10 p.m. Saturday through Aug. 2, Science Museum Oklahoma. As director of Science Museum Oklahoma’s Satellite Galleries, Scott Henderson wants to take art in Oklahoma City into a whole new dimension. Eschewing the typical “pictures on the wall” or “sculpture on the floor” style of exhibition, he wanted to create something that would be a total sensory experience. A trip to Make magazine’s popular Maker Faire in New York City provided him with the inspiration he had been seeking. “The Maker Faire is a group of painters and hackers that kind of take things that are already known and reform them. It’s full of innovative thought and experimentation,” Henderson said. “I saw some amazing pieces that inspired me to have artists come up with their own auditory sculptures, because art’s not just about visualization. It can be about a lot of things. It can also be audio. Many people don’t understand that.” (Oklahoma Gazette)
An Equity for Visual Arts Act. In the fall of 2011, for a brief moment, the art world considered the implications of the Equity for Visual Artists Act. The bill would have created a modest 7% resale royalty with half of the money going to artists and the other half going into escrow for non-profit art museum acquisitions. (The Brooklyn Rail)
2-4-13
10 Art Institutions to Pique Your Interest in Pinterest, From SFMOMA to Pace
20 Must-Watch Artist Documentaries, From Basquiat to Bas Jan Ader
The NAEA LifeLong Learning issues group is seeking nominations for Chair (President) and Secretary. Please send your nominations to Priscilla A. Lund, Ph.D. at plund@montana.edu before February 15, 2013.
Check out the updated NAEA Women's Caucus blog featuring their recent Feminist Remix postcard project!
California: Volunteers get creative for school arts. At L.R. Green and six other Escondido elementary and middle schools, about two dozen professional artists ... have committed to teaching visual and performing arts over the next two months for sm{ART} Fridays. The program — with an accompanying citywide “sm{ART} Festival” on April 13 in Grape Day Park — is the result of nearly three years of planning by the Escondido Alliance for Arts Education. (U-T San Diego)
Nominate Your Favorite Teacher in The Great American Teach-Off 2013: Awarding Two $10,000 Classroom Grants | Press Release | Tool Kit. GOOD and University of Phoenix are excited to report that the nominations have been flooding in for the second annual Great American Teach-Off for teachers in grades K through 12! Yes, it's getting close to that time where the nomination period ends and voting begins to find one K through 6 and one 7 through 12 teacher to each receive a $10,000 classroom grant. If you know an innovative teacher that has made a positive impact on you, your child, or community, don't forget to nominate him or her (it can even be you) to participate. There are only three questions to answer on the form and the submission period ends February 18.
College Board Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts. The College Board is now accepting applications for the 2013 College Board Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Arts. This annual award recognizes and celebrates the achievements of six member institutions that have implemented an arts program that promotes student learning and creativity in exemplary and innovative ways. Take a look at the 2012 Arts Award brochure for profiles and photos of last year’s winning programs. One school from each of the College Board’s six regions will be awarded $3,500 to support the continuation and growth of their arts programs. Of the six finalists, one school will be named the national winner and will be awarded an additional $1,500. Regional winners will be honored at their respective College Board Regional Forums; the national winner will also be honored at the College Board National Forum. Eligibility: The applicant program must have been in place for a minimum of one year prior to the application date. Applicants must be College Board member institutions or member districts that serve grades 6–12. To find out if your school is a member, email membership@collegeboard.org. All applications must be submitted online by April 5, 2013, 11:59 PM EDT.
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT RESIDENCY Call For Arts & Design Professionals. Ghana: Nka Foundation announces a call for project submissions from designers, architects, artists, and schools for its International Project Residency for a concentrated period of time from 1 to 6 months. In rural Ghana, the foundation runs Sang and Abetenim Arts Village, which are living learning centers that invite persons from around the world to immerse in local culture and put their practice to the test through projects in the arts and rural architecture. Vacationers, student interns, recent graduates and professionals are all welcome. Their village provides a unique opportunity for students to learn by doing on our current project or use their initiative to propose and complete own project to translate theories learnt in classrooms to practice. For the professionals, you will find the hands-on project and full-on experience with local culture a pause from your office/studio work to rediscover the rudiments of design and artistic nuances that can refresh your practice. Individuals and project teams interested in participating in the program should e-mail to info@nkafoundation.org for application.
Around the horn: Super Bowl edition from Createquity (Posted: 03 Feb 2013). Createquity has had some milestones recently: in addition to reaching 3000 subscribers, for the first time, both authors of the research studies given the Arts Policy Library treatment recently have responded to the Createquity Writing Fellows in the comments. You can read Holly Sidford’s many-months-later perspective on “Fusing Arts, Culture, and Social Change” here, and the SNAAP comments section features both an official response from advisory board member Sarah B. Cunningham and additional information from research director Steven Tepper. It’s great to see researchers participating in substantive dialogue and debate about methods and meaning on Createquity – that really gets to the core of what this space is all about.
Wisconsin: CCES Environmental Art Show. On behalf of the Concordia Center for Environmental Stewardship, they would like to invite you to their first annual Environmental Art Show on Friday, February 15th, 2013. Tickets are on sale now. Please email nathan.kilps@cuw.edu (subject: art show tickets) to reserve your tickets. Pre-order: $5 for Students, $10 for Adults.
Artrageous with Nate! My name is Nate, and I'm an art educator within Indianapolis, Indiana. I am also creator of a children's art program called Artrageous with Nate! Recently, we released a new episode focusing on the life and work of artist Dale Chihuly. Our next episode is focusing on Jackson Pollock, where we will be filming at the MET in NY, as well as the Pollock-Krasner Home. We have support from local and national organizations, but we need financial support in order to make this program a true success. You can help by watching our new episode within our Kickstarter project. Thanks!
States Continue Progress During Second Year of Race to the Top. Today the U.S. Department of Education released state-specific reports for 12 Race to the Top grantees, detailing their progress on transforming education at the local level. (ED.gov)
Report: 9 of 12 states perform well under Race to the Top. A report released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Education shows that nine of 12 jurisdictions to receive Race to the Top grants have performed well. The three found to be struggling are the District of Columbia, Maryland and Georgia, which was moved into a "high risk" category because of a lack of progress on teacher evaluations. Among the challenges reported were the District's pace in completing a database to track students' achievement, and issues with hiring qualified staff to run data systems in Maryland. (The Washington Post, 2/1)
Race to Top Winners Make Progress, Face Challenges, Ed. Dept. Reports. The majority of winners in the $4 billion Race to the Top competition are struggling with evaluation and data systems, the U.S. Education Department's second annual progress report on the program says. (Education Week, 2/1)
The Whole Child Newsletter - January 31, 2013.The Common Core State Standards lead us to focus on the ways students make transitions between grade levels. They provide a new definition of what it means for students to be knowledgeable and achieve mastery in English language arts and mathematics. But these standards are not the whole answer; they do not address all the facets of learning under a whole child approach to education.
VSA Indiana E-News - February 2013. In this issue: Help us help kids become more than cartoon watchers...let's inspire cARToon creators!; Upcoming Events, Call for Art & Scripts!, and Did You Know?
2-1-13
Un-'MET' Goals: Gates Foundation’s MET Study Fails to Solve the Teacher Evaluation Challenge. BOULDER, CO (January 31, 2013) – A review by the National Education Policy Center (NEPC) of a newly released and long-awaited study on teacher evaluation strongly questions the spin that has been put on the findings. The Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) project, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, released its final set of reports this month. Those reports are supposed to advise schools and districts about how to design teacher evaluations. However, a careful look at the MET research – an ambitious, multi-year study of thousands of teachers in six school districts – finds that the study’s results were inconclusive and provide little usable guidance. (NEPC Website)
FREE LIVE EVENT: Art and the Common Core, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2-3 pm ET. As educators work to help students meet the demands of the common-core standards, many arts education advocates are making the case that the arts can be a valuable partner. In this webinar, join two experts who will discuss the potential for arts integration with the common core and offer practical examples. Register Today!
Creative Corner from Crayola: Fabulous February Festivities–and Crafts! Get ideas for Valentine's Day, Black History Month, President's Dat, Mardi Gras Mighty Masks, Folk-Art Fabric, Chinese New Year Dangling Snake, and Pouncing Pathways.
LearnNow.org: From Research to the Real World. Parenting in the information age is no easy task, considering the vast amount of information and advice on what to do--and not do--to bring up an intelligent, well-adjusted child. Now, leading academic institutions across the country are teaming up to cut through the advice and bring parents straight talk about children based on the sciences of how kids learn. The result is LearnNow, launching as a free, go-to site for parents, educators, practitioners and researchers in search of information about raising and educating today's children, from birth all the way to 12th grade. LearnNow features articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, blogs and print-based materials on essential learning topics, such as how to recognize and handle stress in children, what it really means to "pay attention" and how and why play helps kids learn. Scholars from the involved institutions--the Johns Hopkins Medicine Brain Science Institute, Temple University, Harvard Graduate School of Education, the University of Delaware, the Families and Work Institute and the Maryland Institute College of Art--join forces to create this content and deliver it in family-friendly terms. With scholars and clinicians spanning disciplines that include child development, neuroscience, education, child psychology, public health and pediatric psychology and medicine, the content covers nearly every angle of how children learn, from the social-emotional perspective to the biological changes that happen in the brain as children age. Parents and educators also deliver content, offering practical advice from their day-to-day experience with kids. They invite you to start exploring LearnNow and to sign up to join their free community.
ESEA Flexibility Brochure and Fact Sheets. Available on the U. S. Department of Education’s website are a set of materials that provide a substantive overview of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) flexibility process—also known as ESEA waivers—by which 34 states and the District of Columbia have applied for and received flexibility regarding certain provisions of ESEA. The intent of these materials—a brochure and five companion fact sheets—is to explain the rationale and intent of ESEA flexibility, as well as address its key components and highlight plan elements for a number of states approved for flexibility. All of the documents can be easily printed and produced as front-to-back copies; the fact sheets are two-pagers, and the brochure is a tri-fold.
The brochure and fact sheets can be found on the Department’s updated ESEA flexibility web page. Individual links to the documents are below:
"The Opportunity of ESEA Flexibility” (brochure)
“Protecting School and Student Accountability” (fact sheet)
“Advancing Accountability and Graduation Rates” (fact sheet)
“Continuing to Expose and Close Achievement Gaps” (fact sheet)
“Turning Around the Lowest-Performing Schools” (fact sheet)
“Supporting Teachers, Leaders, and Local Innovation” (fact sheet)
KORONISFEST: For the Public's Health - Entry Deadline: March 4. Show your message to the world! The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health announces the 4th annual Koronisfest Public Service Announcement (PSA) & Poster Competition. Win money! Have your entry screened at Koronistfest during Public Health Week and at the renowned Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, AL. Three categories: PSA Live Action (60 seconds or less), PSA Live Animation (60 seconds or less), Poster (11' x 17').
JANUARY 2013
1-30-13
Arts Advocacy Day: April 8-9, 2013. The National Arts Action Summit, Washington, DC. The 2012 election has made a dramatic impact on Congress with more than 80 new members of Congress taking office in early January. The next Congress will renew the focus on reducing the federal deficit and creating jobs, and it is imperative that arts advocates work together to craft a policy agenda that supports our nonprofit arts sector and arts education. Register Now! Network with your fellow arts advocates from across the country and strategize with experienced advocates during an interactive role play session on how to make the case for the arts and arts education to your members of Congress. For just $40 more, join as a Grassroots Partner to help support the training of arts advocates. (Americans for the Arts)
Teachers Celebrated at Sundance. It’s nice to see that so many organizations are showing teachers the respect they deserve. While at the Sundance Film festival last week, I stopped into the Creative Coalition’s Teachers Making A Difference Award luncheon, where Tim Daly, actor and president of the Creative Coalition, kicked off the organization’s 7th annual award luncheon. “The mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, and the great teacher inspires … and we are here to celebrate the teachers who inspired their students to great heights,” said Daly as he introduced two actors and their honored teachers. (ED.gov)
Drawing Across the Curriculum Research Project for Pre-K through 12 Art Teachers. Do you believe in the value of drawing for your students, not just in the art room, but across the curriculum? Do you agree that drawing has a vital role to play in a well rounded education, and want to help make the case to a broader audience? If you have a successful lesson or unit pairing drawing with another academic subject area that you would like to share, please let us know! We are university based art educators supported by a grant from the National Art Education Foundation, part of the National Art Education Association. Our goal in this project is to show how students think and learn through drawing, not only in the arts but in other subjects as well. Tell Andrea Kantrowitz of Teachers College, Columbia University & Seymour Simmons of Winthrop University briefly about your lesson, your school, and your student population, and send images if you have them. They hope you will consider being part of what they believe is an important advocacy effort-- providing evidence for art as an essential aspect of education. Please reply to ak2989@tc.columbia.edu.
Australia: Art Gallery nurtures next generation of artists and art lovers with new dedicated activity space. ADELAIDE.- Following the huge success of The Lab, The Hive, The Eko Chamber and The Drawing Room, the Art Gallery of South Australia will unveil a new dedicated learning activity space for children, families and art lovers of all ages thanks to the generous support of the James and Diana Ramsay Foundation. Officially launched this Wednesday, 30 January 2013, by the Hon. Jay Weatherill, MP, Premier of South Australia, The Studio will be responsive to the Gallery’s extensive collection and changing exhibition program, making available ‘hands on’ activities daily, with a focus on school groups during the week. Art Gallery of South Australia Director, Nick Mitzevich says “The Studio is a dynamic space of art education and audience engagement.” (artdaily.org)
United Kingdom: Centralised Platform Connecting Art and Design Talent Across the World. CRFTD: Constitutes an online platform upon which new artists and designers can promote and market their creativity. Reasoning behind it lies in the fact that a large number of young artists and designers lack a sufficiently professional, centralised platform on which to showcase their work. Fundamental goal is for CRFTD to become the most widely used online creative directory for new talent in the art and design sectors. Through its intention to give individuals a space for marketing their potential, CRFTD connects artists and designers from different areas of expertise, and across the world. The primary motivation behind the creation of our online platform was the desire to promote young art and design talent in the UK and abroad. We see CRFTD as a worldwide, collective portfolio, waiting to be filled with aspiring artists and designers, and to be admired by those interested in their work. CRFTD would like to address everyone to spread the word. For our online platform to reach its full potential and thrive, we need more members with whom to populate our website. Join us in the aim of constructing a truly diverse, interdisciplinary art and design environment. For more information on the website please contact Karolina at karolina@crftd.co.uk or to arrange an interview with CRFTD’s founder, James Tattersfield, please contact james@crftd.co.uk.
Call for Presentations - Intersection of Arts Education and Special Education. The deadline for submission for presentations for the conference “Examining the Intersection of Arts Education and Special Education” is February 8. The conference takes place August 7 -8, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC. They are anticipating a dynamic and thought provoking event, and know that our membership will want to contribute to the advancement of this intersection!
New York: Family Art Workshops, February – June 2013. On select Saturdays from 10:30am-12:00pm during the exhibition season, The Drawing Center will offer free art-making workshops that engage children and adults in hands-on creative exploration. Educator-led discussions and art-making activities are a great way to learn and talk about drawing. Be inspired, have fun, and make art together! FREE — NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! Advance reservations are appreciated. For more information or to register, please call 212-219-2166 x205 or email agood@drawingcenter.org no later than the Friday prior to the workshop. We require that children be accompanied by an adult. The Drawing Center, 35 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10013
Nominate a Teacher to Win a $10K Classroom Grant. Nominate an outstanding teacher currently teaching in grades K through 6 or 7 through 12—it can be a teacher you've had, your child's, or even yourself—by February 15 noon PT. We'll select the finalists based on how they foster creativity in the classroom, help students learn beyond the classroom, and impact the greater school community.
Good.is will announce the top 20 finalists on March 4 noon PT.
Grant Opportunities from The Terra Foundation for American Art
Exhibition Program Grants. In recognition of the importance of experiencing original works of art, the Terra Foundation for American Art supports exhibitions that enlarge the understanding and appreciation of historical American art made between 1500 and 1980. The foundation has a particular interest in exhibitions that add an international dimension to the study or presentation of historical American art or take place in Chicago, the location of the foundation’s headquarters. Awards vary. Letter of inquiry due March 1, 2013.
Academic Program Grants. Supports projects that encourage international scholarship on American art topics, as well as scholarly projects with focused theses that explore American art in an international context. Academic funding is available for symposia, colloquia, and scholarly convenings, as well as residencies and fellowships. Awards vary. Letter of inquiry due March 14, 2013.
K-12 Education Program Grants. Supports activities that bring American art into Chicago’s classrooms, with the aim of helping teachers enrich the curriculum and enhance learning. To achieve these goals, the foundation funds projects that strengthen Chicago teachers’ knowledge of historical American art (pre-1980) and the ability to teach with it effectively. Letter of inquiry due May 15, 2013.
Chicago Public Programs Grants. Grants to increase the understanding and appreciation of historical American art (pre-1980) among general audiences. To achieve these goals, the foundation supports a variety of informal learning opportunities designed to make historical American art accessible and relevant to Chicago residents. The foundation welcomes proposals from a broad range of organizations, including those that may not typically have an American art focus. Letter of inquiry due May 15, 2013.
1-28-13
IDSA Design Learning Challenge 2013 Participants Seek Collaborators! A record breaking number of participants have signed up across North America for the IDSA Design Learning Challenge 2013. In partnership with the National Art Education Association, IDSA offers all K-12 educators and students the opportunity to participate in a highly interactive and collaborative learning process grounded in creativity, problem solving, and innovative thinking. The goal is for students to explore infinite creative ideas and tackle a problem worth solving within their classroom, school, neighborhood, and community.
Now is the time for you to become involved. If you are a college art student, opportunities to collaborate with K-12 classrooms are ramping up in California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Kansas with more in the wings. If you are a K-12 educator, no worries there is still time to sign up – design practitioners along with college art and design students eagerly anticipate your partnership in New York, Michigan, and Georgia. To Sign Up for Challenge 2013, please visit: www.designlearning.us
Framework for Arts Standards Looks at 'Artistic Literacy' (Education Week/Curriculum Matters Blog, 1/24)
Call For Nominations for 2013 ArtsUp Award; $1000 in Art Hanging Equipment. Gallery System Art Display’s 2013 ArtsUp Award will award $1000 worth of art-hanging equipment to a community-oriented arts program in the United States. Schools, arts associations, and other community-oriented programs are eligible; self-nominations accepted. The award seeks to improve the display capabilities of a deserving program (such as a school, arts association, or arts education program) that provides exceptional support and nurturing for the arts in its community. Nominations will be accepted until 11:59 pm on March 31, 2013, via the website, where complete details on the nomination and judging process can be found.
American Girl supports arts education. Americans for the Arts and American Girl—Teaming Up to Elevate Arts Education in U.S. Schools. Meet Saige—American Girl's newest doll who is focused on arts education. Saige is a spirited and imaginative young girl who loves painting and horseback riding at her grandma's ranch in Albuquerque, New Mexico. When budget cuts take away art class at school, Saige draws on her talents, mobilizes others, and takes action to improve the world around her. To support Saige's message of preserving arts programs in U.S. schools, Americans for the Arts has teamed up with American Girl to provide tools and resources for arts supporters everywhere. Additionally, schools can compete to win up to $10,000 for their art programs through American Girl's Elevate the Arts contest. (Keep the Arts in Public Schools)
Game-based Learning Is Playing for Keeps. The Institute of Play's Katie Salen helps educators understand the valuable connection between digital gaming and classroom instruction. There's a huge difference between playing a video game and watching someone else play a video game. That disconnect is thwarting the advancement of digital gaming in the K-12 classroom, according to FETC keynote speaker Katie Salen. "It's hard for educators or parents--who are usually standing over the student's shoulder--to see the learning involved with gaming," Salen says. "Because games are interactive, the learning only comes to the individual who is playing the game." (The Journal)
The Intersection of Arts Education and Special Education: Exemplary Programs and Approaches This paper addresses one university’s attempt to improve teacher preparation. Kent State University’s (KSU) Art Education undergraduate program includes the opportunity to model collaborative behavior and to work with intervention specialists in the specialists’ classrooms, prior to student teaching. The collaborative experience provides an opportunity for preservice art educators to plan instruction and teach art lessons to students with varying abilities. Produced by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ©2012.
1-24-13
NCCAS Releases Arts Learning Guiding Framework. The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) released a narrative framework document detailing the rationale, goals, and strategy of the new National Standards for Arts Education currently being written by five arts discipline teams in dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts. The National Core Arts Standards: A Conceptual Framework for Arts Learning was formally released during the January 18-20 meeting of the coalition’s leadership and writing teams at the New York City headquarters of The College Board.
• The video of the release presentation is archived here.
• National Core Arts Standards: A Conceptual Framework for Arts Learning This narrative document outlines the grounding philosophy, primary goals, dynamic processes, structures, and outcomes that shape student learning and achievement in dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts, as articulated in the 2013 National Core Arts Standards.
• National Core Arts Standards Framework Matrix
• Project Timeline
Common Core and the Arts Resources (Arts Education Partnership)
4th Brain Development & Learning: Making Sense of the Science Conference, July 24-28, 2013, Vancouver, BC. Renowned speakers will share their inspirational research in neuroscience, child development, and mental health. They will describe new promising evidence-based approaches in clear, non-technical ways in hopes that educators and care-providers will see the be able to apply to their practice and to their daily lives. The deadline for early-bird registration is Feb. 15, 2013. Regular registration rates apply between Feb. 16 and May 1. Scholarships are available.
Department Releases New Publications Highlighting ESEA Flexibility. With 34 states and the District of Columbia approved for ESEA flexibility, the U.S. Department of Education released a series of new publications this week, describing the flexibility program and the ways in which some participating states are advancing important education reforms. (ED.gov)
60th Anniversary Young Audiences Arts for Learning National Conference. Coming this spring, join arts education professionals from throughout the country to the Young Audiences Arts for Learning 60th Anniversary National Conference. This three day conference begins on Thursday, April 25 and concludes on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. The 60th Anniversary National Conference will include engaging peer-to-peer discussions regarding current issues and trends in arts in education, breakout sessions that present unrivaled professional development opportunities, and visit one of Young Audiences’ affiliate programs in New York City, New Jersey, or Connecticut. We are proud to announce keynote speakers, Richard Kessler, Dean, Mannes College, The New School of Music; Ayanna Hudson, Art Education Director, National Endowment for the Arts; and Ben Cameron, Program Director for the Arts at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
Why STEM Education Needs the Arts - from WNYC's The Takeaway. On Tuesday, January 15, WNYC's The Takeaway, hosted by John Hockenberry, discussed the importance of evolving STEM into STEAM.
Resources for Kid Artists. Features: Art Museum Sites, Sites from Artists and Art Teachers, Famous Artists for Kids, and Exploring Other Forms of Art.
Arts Watch - January 23, 2013 - A Cultural Policy Publication of Americans for the Arts
Texas: Arts Credit Preserved in Graduation Requirements Proposal. "A key education leader in the Texas Senate introduced a bill to drastically overhaul high school graduation requirements and reduce by two thirds the number of standardized tests students must pass. Kel Seliger, an Amarillo Republican...wants to scrap requirements that students take four years each of math, science, English, and social studies. Instead, students would take four credits in English, three in math and social studies, and two in science and foreign language under a new system Seliger called the Foundation High School Program...Students would also have to take a fine arts credit and one in physical education—as well as 10 elective credits. Instead of 15 exams in core subjects, students would need to pass five tests in reading and writing, algebra I, U.S. history, and biology. The measure would let school boards around Texas decide whether those tests would count toward anything besides graduation." (Associated Press, 1/22)
Tennessee: Private Donations, Volunteers Deliver Art Education. "It's no Campbell's soup, but the Andy Warhol-inspired art at Calvin Donaldson Elementary is more sophisticated work than you might expect from third-graders...Warhol is just one of many classic and modern artists that Donaldson students know well, thanks to their art classes, which incorporate everything from history to math. 'It does not take away from instruction,' said Principal Becky Coleman. 'It adds to instruction.' But this classroom and its teachers operate with virtually no taxpayer money. The supplies are paid for through private donations, and the two teachers volunteer their time several days each week. Rather than lamenting the lack of arts in county elementary schools, Susanne Bowling and Gayle Ligon decided to jump in and get their hands dirty. And with only 13 of 44 elementary schools staffed with an art teacher, Calvin Donaldson students are lucky to get any art instruction at all. On the other hand, music has a presence in every elementary school." (Chattanooga Times Free Press, 1/21)
NJ: Arts In Education Grant Writing Workshop. Principals, teachers and cultural arts leaders gathered at the Arts Council in January to learn about a grant program for Artist Residency programs in New Jersey schools available through the NJ Arts In Education Consortium. If you missed this event and would like to learn more about this statewide grant program, you can view the grant online at www.njaie.org or for more information contact Danielle Bursk at 1-877-NJ-ART-ED or 609-633-1184 or dbursk@njaie.org. The goal of an arts residency is to build a supportive, creative environment, in which teachers/staff and artists work together to offer learners new knowledge and experience in the arts. Residencies aim to teach the skills, techniques and concepts of the art form while building learners’ self-confidence and self-expression. And residencies can assist schools in meeting the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards in the Visual and Performing Arts and the federal No Child Left Behind act.
Arts Ed Digest, January 23, 2013, Vol. 5, No. 2
Register Now for AEP 2013 National Forum, April 4-5 in Washington, DC. Only 10 Days Left to Submit A Concurrent Session Proposal | Deadline Approaching Soon for 2013 Young Artist Award
AEP and IMLS Call for Existing Research on Arts Programs. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) have joined forces to expand the body of knowledge on how museums and libraries support youth development through their arts programs. As part of a new cooperative effort, IMLS and AEP are encouraging organizations to submit existing studies for consideration for inclusion in AEP’s ArtsEdSearch.org – the nation’s first online clearinghouse of research and policy information focused entirely on the educational outcomes associated with arts learning. The project seeks formal research or evaluation of arts education programming provided by museums or libraries that investigates a question or hypothesis, rather than journalistic or descriptive accounts.
Application Period Open for 2013 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards. The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, invites applications for the 2013 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards. The 12 award-winning programs this year will receive $10,000 and an invitation to accept their award from the PCAH Honorary Chairman, First Lady Michelle Obama, at a ceremony at the White House. The deadline for application submissions is Monday, February 4, 2013, 5:00 p.m. PST.
Call for Presentations: Kennedy Center Conference on Arts Education and Special Education. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Office of VSA and Accessibility invites the submission of proposals for the 2013 Examining the Intersection of Arts Education and Special Education Conference on August 7-8. This unique conference presents practices, policies, and research at the forefront of serving students with disabilities through arts and special education. The conference will provide attendees with innovative and thought provoking sessions addressing an array of topics and emerging issues relevant to providing students with disabilities access to and engagement in arts educational programming.
New NEA Grant Guidelines Available Online. Application guidelines for the next round of Grants for Arts Projects are now available on the NEA's website. To view the guidelines, visit their website, select the field or discipline most relevant to your project, and choose Grants for Arts Projects from the list of funding opportunities. Organizations may apply under the “Art Works” or “Challenge America Fast-Track” categories. The NEA will be conducting a series of webinars on the new grant guidelines from January 10 through February 12.
Apply Today for DeVos Institute for Arts Management Summer Internships. The DeVos Institute for Arts Management at the Kennedy Center is accepting applications for summer internships for aspiring arts managers to gain critical hands-on experience in many areas of performing arts management. DeVos Institute interns develop valuable relationships in the industry by training with Kennedy Center staff and gain a broad understanding of the performing arts by participating in seminars and activities, attending Kennedy Center performances, and connecting with a vast network of DeVos Institute alumni. For more information about the program, including available positions and application instructions, click here. Applications are due Friday, March 15, 2013.
Wolf Trap Foundation Now Accepting Applications for Summer Internships. The Wolf Trap Foundation's Internship Program provides project-based training and is consistently ranked among the best in the nation. Wolf Trap interns become an integral member of a team working with staff and other interns on meaningful projects. They interact with Wolf Trap board members, patrons, and business leaders who can add to the experience. Summer Internship positions are paid, full time, and typically 12 weeks long, with flexible start and end dates. Available positions include Communications & Marketing, Development, Technical Theater, and more. Follow the link above to learn about available positions, application instructions, and diversity initiatives. The application deadline is Friday, March 1.
Video game technology may play bigger role in STEM education. Future engineers and urban planners may get their first introduction to those careers by playing video games at school now that SimCityEDU has developed a classroom version of the game for educators to teach students about various topics, including science, technology, engineering and math. SimCity maker Electronic Arts has plans to incorporate teacher feedback into the initiative, which also will be aligned with elements of the Common Core State Standards. (Mashable, 1/22)
UK: Join AccessArt £42 individual, £28 student. Enjoy 15 months for the price of 12 until 31st January 2013. AccessArt is the leading provider of artist-led, visual arts, teaching & learning resources. Established by graduates of the Royal College of Art in 1999, AccessArt is used by teachers, educators and facilitators across the UK to help inspire, enable and develop their teaching practice.
1-22-13
Art21 News: Celebrating 100 Artists, Translating the Words of Artists, and More. In this issue: Celebrating 100 Artists; Host an Art21 Screening: Register for Access 100 Artists; Art21 Translation Project: Bringing Artists' Words to Global Communities; New Videos: Richard Serra and Kalup Linzy; Featured Video from the Archive: Allora & Calzadilla; and Highlights from the Art21 Blog.
Teaching Museums in the Twenty-First Century: Moving Our Practice Forward, April 11–13, 2013. This conference will explore the issues, innovations, and challenges facing the university and college art museum as we look toward the future. Panels and discussions will address a range of topics, such as the role of academic programming in museum practice; examining the ideal learning environment for college students; learning through extracurricular engagement; and the opportunities for college and university museums in the ever-changing landscape of higher education. For a full list of speakers and events, as well as information on registration and accommodations, visit the Hood’s website. Book before February 25 for best hotel options. Registration for this conference, including some meals, is free. A limited number of travel scholarships are available.
Interlochen Announces New Virtual Institute for Young Arts Leaders. On February 5th, Interlochen Center for the Arts will host the first of a series of virtual seminars through the new Logan Arts Leadership Institute (LALI). This free, virtual program will reach a new generation of arts leaders and introduce them to the nature of arts leadership in the 21st century. “Leadership today is not just a simple issue of supply and demand; it is also about desire and experience,” said Jeffrey Kimpton, president of Interlochen Center for the Arts. “Current leaders are retiring at increasing rates and there are not enough good leaders to take over for those who are leaving. We need a new generation of arts leadership to take our nation’s cultural infrastructure in a new direction. And we are focusing on a place most other programs have overlooked--high school and undergraduate students.” Interlochen is seeking current high school and college students who are interested in arts leadership to participate in the inaugural LALI program. To register, visit the “Sign Up” tab at www.interlochen.org/lali. To find out more, follow LALI on Facebook and Twitter.
Summer Art Program in Ireland! Program Dates: Dingle 1: May 30-June 25, 2013, Dingle II: June 26 - July 23, 2013. Application deadline: April 1, 2013. The Dingle peninsula on the southwest coast of County Kerry is world famous for its magnificent scenery: mountains cascading into the ocean, lush green farmland, and charming fishing villages. The town of Dingle is colorful and lovely, with sandy beaches, seafood restaurants, art galleries, craft shops, summer theater, and pubs filled with fantastic musical performances. For more inforamtion, contact International Programs Office, 607-753-2209, Cortland.edu/studyabroad.
Call for Proposals: Southeast Center for Education in tha Arts. The deadline is February 1 to submit a proposal for the SCEA Arts & Education Forum! May 15-17, 2013, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Educators, artists, and technologists will critically and creatively address current and future practice in education, art making, and professional development.
i3 Grant Provides STEM Graduation Path for Colorado Students. Thanks to the implementation of a five-year, $3.6 million Investing in Innovation (i3) grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Skyline High School in Longmont, Colo., is getting a second chance. Six years ago, Skyline was considered a “ghetto school … (ED.gov)
Common Core State Standards: 2014 is a Year Away. The arrival of 2013 brings us one year closer to the rollout of Common Core State Standard (CCSS) assessments, scheduled for 2014-15. As the deadline approaches, the complexities surrounding implementation of the standards and their accompanying assessments come into sharper focus. The issues listed below are hardly exhaustive, but they begin to convey the challenges of implementation facing our nation’s schools and districts.
"Disappearing into One: Testing Ground for Art and Education" at the Zabludowicz Collection. LONDON.- Sleight of hand is a set of techniques used to manipulate objects and covertly misdirect an audience. It is based on an idea of spectator failure and the suspension of disbelief necessary to convince oneself that the illusion is magical. The art works and curatorial framework of Disappearing Into One question whether we can understand art as operating through this same process: as an inversion, a transformation or even a physical anomaly. In the end, is it possible that a flourish of the hand can enable meaning and production at the point of encounter? Newly commissioned artworks engage and intersect with works from the Zabludowicz Collection creating unforeseen connections and tangents. The exhibition includes works by 14 artists from the Zabludowicz Collection and six others including five newly commissioned works for the show. (artdaily.org)
The Artist as Indie Film Darling? 10 Films About Creativity at Sundance 2013. Art-lovers among the filmmakers and fans gathered in the snowy Utah mountains for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival have a plethora of art-related viewing options this week. From Ireland to Sierra Leone and with subjects ranging from Hemingway to Pussy Riot, the art film offerings are vast. Herein ARTINFO presents the 10 selections we are most excited about at Sundance this year. (artinfo.com)
B.A. Artists Helping St. Rose High School Art Program Rebuild After Hurricane Sandy. See photos that art teacher, Linda Devlin, posted to our Shells for NJ Shores Facebook page after her art room had been completely demolished by Hurricane Sandy. Mrs. Devlin's art room was in the basement of her school, St. Rose High School, in Belmar and the water had filled the space from floor to ceiling. Nothing was salvageable. Aside from the obvious damage caused to the room and all of the furniture and art materials inside, the flood waters also destroyed all of the artwork her students had created. This is particularly heartbreaking for high school students because many were in the process of building their portfolios for their college interviews.
‘STEAM’ education gains momentum in schools. A growing number of experts say the arts should be included in STEM education initiatives. For years, educators have been told about the importance of STEM education—for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—in ensuring the nation’s competitiveness in a global economy. But now, a new movement seeks to amend that acronym to “STEAM”—with an “A” for the arts. Leading the charge is the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), which maintains the website STEMtoSTEAM.org. (eSchool News)
[Createquity.] Graduation Ceremony. Check out writings from two fall 2012 Createquity Writing Fellowship graduates.
• Science Doesn’t Have All the Answers. Should We Be Worried? Maybe a little, Talia Gibas argues, as she explores several threads of controversy within the scientific community and how they potentially relate to the challenges we face in arts research.
• In Unpacking Shared Delivery of Arts Education, Talia Gibas presents a straightforward yet in-depth explanation of this complex concept that’s currently in vogue in arts education circles. The article has already made its way into workshop curricula, and is well along the path toward becoming one of Createquity’s most popular posts of all time.
• In Arts Policy Library: Fusing Arts, Culture and Social Change, Talia takes on perhaps the most widely-read and influential arts research report of the past several years, and finds a good deal to quibble with. Read the condensed version to get a quick preview.
• Looking Beyond Our Borders for National Arts Education Policies. It’s no picnic at over 6,000 words, but the original research that went into this piece and the sheer breadth and ambition of its coverage place the article among the finest that Createquity has ever published, in my opinion.
Jacquelyn Strycker focused her time with Createquity on exploring the boundaries of what art can be and the interactions between institution and individual.
• Jacquie wrote Artificial Intelligence and the Arts as part of her application for the Writing Fellowship. Noting a number of recent advances in technology that enable the modeling/mimicking of creativity through computation, the article asks whether machines could ever replace the creative function of human beings.
• The sublime and ridiculous are considered alike in The Art School as Artwork, an image-rich look at a new breed of experimental arts education.
• From Palate to Palette: Can Food Be Art? explores the age-old (but newly relevant) question of whether the “arts” belong in “culinary arts.” The post is currently burning up social media and was picked up in ArtsJournal and Big Think, among others.
• In From Grassroots to Institution, Growing With Integrity, Jacquie examines the case of FIGMENT, a community-oriented public art festival in multiple cities, and contemplates what it might learn from past examples of small organizations that became big.
• Finally, Jacquie’s Arts Policy Library: Strategic National Arts Alumni Project analysis takes a tough look at an ambitious attempt to understand the lives and livelihoods of arts training program graduates. The short version gives a roadmap for the time-impaired.
⇒More from Createquity...Around the horn: Livestrong edition
EDUCATION: Winning Artists. Tupelo, MS. Most people probably remember their mother sticking their crayon drawings on the refrigerator, but a few Tupelo High School art students just never stopped. This year, THS art classes made an astounding appearance at the annual Scholastic Art Contest, with four students earning the top distinction on the regional level, three students earning the next highest distinction and six earning honorable mention awards. Their pieces were selected from a total of 1,734 submissions and 122 portfolios – a collective group of a student’s best eight pieces. (djournal.com)
From the Kansas Art Education Association...2013 Youth Art Month Celebration to be held in Topeka on Saturday, March 2nd. The YAM booklet and forms have been updated and are ready for you online at http://kaea.com/yam.html.
1-18-13
Thoughtful Arts Integration ASCD. Arts instruction is an essential part of a whole child education. In tough economic times, schools have to think creatively about how to preserve arts education and infuse it into lessons across content areas, where possible. In this issue of ASCD Express, educators offer strategies for integrating artistic lessons and activities in stimulating ways that encourage teacher collaboration.
• Learn from the Experts: Arts-Integration Lesson Plans That Work. Start designing your arts integration curriculum today, using these resources and lesson plans.
• Creating Rigorous Arts Lessons Across the Content Areas: Tips for Collaboration. An artist and educator offers tips for designing lessons that integrate visual art, opera, dance, creative writing, and more across the content areas.
• The Arts Make a Difference. Arts education can be a powerful boost to achievement, especially for low-income and struggling students. This article looks at practices at arts-integration schools in Chicago, Ill.
• Teaching Through the Prism of Arts Integration: Teach with O'Keefe. An educational program designed by The Phillips Collection, a museum in Washington, D.C., uses Georgia O'Keefe's abstract paintings to teach students critical-thinking skills.
• Common Core Quick-Start: How the Arts Intersect with the Common Core State Standards. Explore four direct connections between the arts and the Common Core standards, and consider how Next Generation Arts Standards focused on media arts can strengthen content-area learning.
• Field Notes: Turn Your Classroom into an Inquiry-Based Design Studio. Anne Hayden Stevens A template for arts integration, in any content area, takes students through phases of analysis, representation, and assessment.
STEAMing up education. The Boston Arts Academy adopted the STEM program, with science and math educators merging departments to connect subjects. But there was a lingering question: "How could we integrate creativity, teamwork, and communication skills into the classrooms?" It turned out that solutions where just down the hall in arts classrooms, explain faculty Ramiro Gonzalez, Linda Nathan and Mike Lonergan in a guest Inservice post on the school's current "STEAM" curriculum. (ASCD)
How to engage girls with gaming. How to engage girls with gaming Many people associate video games and gaming with boys, but researchers have discovered that girls become just as engaged when playing interactive educational games featuring certain motivating elements. (eSchool News)
VIDEO: Doodle 4 Google 2013 is Open For Submissions! Doodle 4 Google is an annual program that invites US students K-12 to use their artistic talents to think big and redesign their homepage logo for millions to see. This year, they ask students to exercise their creative imaginations around the theme, "My Best Day Ever..." One talented student artist will see their artwork appear on the Google homepage, receive a $30,000 college scholarship, and a $50,000 technology grant among other cool prizes! Happy doodling! Find out more here
Looking Beyond Our Borders for National Arts Education Policies. Common perception among arts educators in the United States is that the arts are “edged out” of the curriculum because schools value them less than math and reading. Schools value the arts less than math and reading because math and reading are on state tests; in turn, math and reading are on the state tests because schools are required to show growth in these areas under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). If only those federal policies around arts education were different, we often say, things would be better. But what might a different national policy look like, and to what extent could it change the degree to which arts education is implemented – and implemented well – in public schools?
1-16-13
Did you miss NAEA Executive Director Deborah B. Reeve, EdD on blogtalkradio's EduTalk today? Listen to the archived recording here as she discusses the upcoming 2013 NAEA National Convention in Fort Worth, TX!
NEW! View the just released three-part Winter 2012-2013 digital issue of NAHS News. And don't miss the NAHS News Student Artwork Gallery.
United States student could "doodle" way to college money. Google on Monday launched a competition that will let a US student "doodle" his or her way to cash for college along with landing grant money to fund technology education at their grade school. The California-based Internet titan announced its sixth annual "Doodle 4 Google" contest in which students from kindergarten to 12th grade vie to create a winning "doodle," a creative design playing off the search page logo. The doodle contest theme is "My best day ever." "Each year we have a broad theme to provide some inspiration while letting young artists' imagination roam free," Google said in a blog post. "We hope to give kids a chance to explore themes that could be imaginary, exploratory or even sentimental, past, present or future." The winning artwork will be displayed for the Internet world to see at Google.com and its creator will get $30,000 in scholarship money to help pay for college. Their school will get a $50,000 technology grant. (artdaily.org)
The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to announce application guidelines are available in Arts Education: Art Works deadlines are March and August 2013. Applicants must be nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations; units of state or local government; or federally recognized tribal communities or tribes with at least three years of programming history in order to apply. The NEA's Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts. Within these areas, innovative projects are strongly encouraged. In Art Works: Arts Education the NEA supports projects that provide opportunities for youth, educators, and community leaders to gain in-depth arts education knowledge and skills in the arts. We also are interested in projects that have significant potential to be shared and/or replicated, or are likely to lead to innovation in arts learning, instruction, and assessment. Project types may include, but are not limited to: Projects that include arts instruction for youth, generally between ages 5 and 18, that result in increased knowledge and skills in the arts and Arts education professional development for teachers, teaching artists, and other education providers.
AYAW Times - Issue 34 from The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. Featuring: Art.Write.Now.Tour 12/13 – now in its 3rd year – travels nationwide to expose audiences to an annual selection of the most stunning and original work by winning students from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. These visionary, emerging artists, writers, and filmmakers are selected as the “best in the country” by top professionals in the visual and literary arts. Next stop: Kansas City, January 24-February 22, 2013; From The Atelier: Joseph Parra’s Artistic Arc; and Eyes on the Prize: Award-winning Filmmaker and She’s Just 18!
Happy Birthday, NCLB. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) turned 11 earlier this month, but the nation’s main federal education law is no longer the star of its own party. Instead, 35 of its guests are attending the Obama administration’s NCLB waivers soirée, and several others are clamoring for an invite. (ASCD Capitol Connection, 1/15)
2013 Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest. The national Endangered Species Day Youth Art contest provides young people with an opportunity to learn about endangered species and express their knowledge and support through artwork. Started in 2006 by the United States Congress, Endangered Species Day recognizes the importance of endangered species and is an occasion to educate the public on how to protect them. The art contest is an integral part of the eighth annual national Endangered Species Day, celebrated on May 17, 2013. The Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest is organized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Endangered Species Coalition, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the International Child Art Foundation. Teachers can include the Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest as a featured activity for Youth Art Month in March 2013. The deadline for submissions is March 15, 2013.
You are invited to become part of a new exhibition, competition and art show. This new art show titled,“Elements of Nature” is hosted at the 16th annual Northeast Fishing and Hunting Show in Connecticut. It is one of several new up and coming opportunities for artist to present their creations to a cliental of 10,000 to 15,000 sportsmen and woman visiting the Hartford Convention Center on the 15,16,&17 of February. Elements of Nature art show© is a new all inclusive nature exhibition, competition and art show, designed to allow artist working in all and any mediums an opportunity to display, exhibit and sell their creations to a new audience, passionate for the outdoors. Artist will be on hand demonstrating, exhibiting and sharing their art, knowledge and skills all weekend, entertaining the thousands of patrons of this annual event. All forms of art and mediums is allowed in this exhibition and must encompass nature in its design, presentation or in the medium in which it was created. For more informaton, contact Joe Rizzo at 617-784-7789 or email evolutioninart@gmail.com.
Deadline Approaching: 2013 Dream Rocket Project. Last Call for student submissions to be exhibited at the 2013 NAEA National Convention. Due date is February 15 postmarked. Students all ages K - 12 are welcome, including all skill levels. With the deadline quickly approaching, you might find it best just to use canvas and paints! Don't worry about the edges. They do not accept paper products unless they are laminated. They have some extra canvas they can cut up and ship to your school if materials are keeping you from participating. About the program: Your class/school is invited to participate in their convention display. If your school signs up for the "Dream Rocket Project Challenge" they will waive all reservation fee's for your school to participate.
-They will email/mail you submission forms and further information once you sign up.
-Print a Flyer
-View past artwork submissions on Flickr
-If you would like them to schedule a display at your towns local library, let them know.
***
The Dream Rocket Challenge for Schools:
Pledge to submit at least 15 artworks by either of the below deadline dates and we will waive the $20 reservation fee per submission.
To sign up, reply with the following answers...
Our school would like to accept this challenge!
School Name:
Teachers Name:
Teachers Email:
School Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Phone:
Number of classes that may be involved?
Number of students that may be involved?
Grade levels that may be involved?
Would your class be interested in receiving free NASA classroom activity kit? YES / NO
Contact: Jennifer Marsh, 614-561-9057 or jennifer@thedreamrocket.com
What is the role of art in STEM? School districts, education foundations and the federal government are pushing for greater educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math. Meanwhile, more questions are coming up about whether art and design deserve a place at the STEM table. Many schools have committed to a STEAM concept, but some educators suggest the arts already are involved in the creative and innovative elements that are encouraged as part of a well-rounded STEM education. (District Administration magazine, 1/2013)
California: Elevating arts education in Tahoe/Truckee schools. Many local parents with young children may be aware of American Girl Dolls, which have been a big hit over the past few years. Perhaps you were one of those parents clamoring to get one of these toys for your student over the holidays. No matter whether you have had a close encounter with these dolls or not — there is an incredible opportunity to receive grant funds for our local elementary schools, thanks to a new partnership. Americans for the Arts is teaming up with American Girl to help promote the arts in U.S. schools through the Elevate the Arts School Grant Contest and Saige Learning Guide. This partnership dovetails with American Girl's introduction of its 2013 Girl of the Year, Saige Copeland. (Sierra Sun)
Arne Duncan Eyes NCLB Waiver for Handful of Calif. Districts (January 15, 2013, Education Week Politics K-12 Blog)
Hawaii Completes Most Race to Top Work, Without Teachers' Contract (January 15, 2013, Education Week Politics K-12 Blog)
1-14-13
National Coalition for Core Arts Standards Releases Guiding Framework Document The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) has released a narrative framework document that details the rationale, goals, and strategy of the new National Standards for Arts Education that are currently being written by five arts discipline teams. The National Core Arts Standards: A Conceptual Framework for Arts Learning will be formally released as part of a streaming video presentation during the January 18-20 meeting of the coalition’s leadership and writing teams at the New York City headquarters of The College Board.
Texas: Museum, school redesign art education for area students. Longview Museum of Fine Arts is bringing art education back into Pine Tree schools. Through a partnership between the museum and district, representatives from LMFA go to the intermediate and primary schools on a regular basis to provide arts education. (news-journal.com)
1-11-13
NAEA Supports No Name-Calling Week, Jan. 21-25, 2013! No Name-Calling Week was inspired by a young adult novel entitled "The Misfits" by popular author, James Howe. The book tells the story of four best friends trying to survive the seventh grade in the face of all too frequent taunts based on their weight, height, intelligence, and sexual orientation/gender expression. Motivated by the inequities they see around them, the "Gang of Five" (as they are known) creates a new political party during student council elections and run on a platform aimed at wiping out name-calling of all kinds. The No-Name Party in the end, wins the support of the school's principal for their cause and their idea for a "No Name-Calling Day" at school. Motivated by this simple, yet powerful, idea, the No Name-Calling Week Coalition created by GLSEN and Simon & Schuster Children's publishing, consisting of over 40 national partner organizations, organized an actual No Name-Calling Week in schools across the nation. The project seeks to focus national attention on the problem of name-calling in schools, and to provide students and educators with the tools and inspiration to launch an on-going dialogue about ways to eliminate name-calling in their communities.
Your February 2013 digital edition of SchoolArts magazine is now available!
REPOST: Use Arts Integration to Enhance the Common Core. "These days, integration in any area, be it STEM or the arts, seems to be the buzzword to curriculum designers everywhere. There are so many resources floating around out there with the claim of integrating content areas. Yet, true integration is often difficult to find. Indeed, integration is a rare yet seemingly 'magical' approach that has the capacity to turn learning into meaningful practice. Which of course, as any teacher will tell you, is anything but magic. Integration requires collaboration, research, intentional alignment, and practical application on behalf of the teachers who take on this challenge. From the students, integration demands creativity, problem-solving, perseverance, collaboration, and the ability to work through the rigorous demands of multiple ideas and concepts woven together to create a final product. Integration is not simply combining two or more contents together. It is an approach to teaching which includes intentional identification of naturally aligned standards, taught authentically alongside meaningful assessments which take both content areas to a whole new level. Put together, these components set the foundation for how we will be able to facilitate the Common Core State Standards." (Americans for teh Arts ARTSblog, 12/20/12)
Elevate the Arts with American Girl & Americans for the Arts. American Girl is partnering with Americans for the Arts to help sustain arts programs in U.S. schools. As part of the Elevate the Arts contest, schools can enter for the chance to win an arts grant of up to $10,000 for their school. Kids just have to ask their art teacher to lead a creative hot air balloon-themed project for the classroom that illustrates their collective passion for art. The teacher then submits a digital image of the project, plus a 500-word essay about how the school would use the money to elevate the arts! Submit the project and essay online by May 31, 2013. We’ll choose 13 schools to receive grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 from American Girl, in partnership with Americans for the Arts. Visit AmericanGirl.com to learn more about the contest and AmericansForTheArts.org for other resources related to our collaboration!
2013 Poster Design Competition Open for Entries. The Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts have announced that entries for our 2013 Poster Design Competition will be accepted through January 31, 2013. Winners will earn up to a full tuition scholarship to study at one of the more than 50 Art Institutes schools. This year's competition challenges high school seniors and high school graduates from the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico to design a poster that best expresses the Competition's theme "You Can Create Tomorrow." Contestants will compete in two different categories: (i) high school senior or (ii) high school graduate/adult.
PROGRAMS OFFERED BY THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART, WASHINGTON DC
• WINTER AND SPRING SCHOOL TOURS. The National Gallery of Art is currently accepting school tour requests for tours between January 7 and May 31, 2013. Our tours for students in kindergarten through grade 12, led by a docent, are organized around a theme and are structured to encourage close observation, foster an open exchange of ideas, and cultivate connections between art and life. When students have the opportunity to slow down and look carefully at a few works of art, they can think creatively and critically. They will question, puzzle, reason with evidence, and compare and connect. Most powerfully, they will develop their own interpretations and ideas about works of art. Docents consult closely with teachers to ensure that tours enhance, support, and extend classroom learning and curriculum objectives. Learn more about the benefits of teaching and learning with original works of art. (tours and registration information | school tour request form)
• TEACHER INSTITUTE: Impressionism & Post-Impressionism, July 15–20, 2013
& July 29–August 3, 2013. Application deadline: March 15, 2013. The National Gallery of Art invites teachers of kindergarten though grade twelve to apply for a six-day seminar that explores impressionist and post-impressionist French art. Individual sessions will integrate art, social history, language arts, and teaching strategies through examination of the collections of the National Gallery. (application form)
From OvationTV. Do you think the arts are important? We do! We’re the only arts network on TV, but on January 1, Time Warner Cable dropped us from their channel line-up. They have zero arts channels and 60+ sports channels! Stand up for the Arts! Sign and share the petition to get Ovation back on the air!
The search is on for Museum of the Year 2013: Nominate your favourite museum. LONDON.- As the application process for the Museum of the Year 2013 opens, the Art Fund begins its search to find out which cultural institutions are best loved by the British public. The Art Fund invites members of the public to tell them which inspirational museums should be in the running for the £100,000 prize via artfund.org/prize, @artfund and Facebook/theartfund and will solicit applications from nominated institutions. The Art Fund Prize for Museum of the Year highlights the many innovative and excellent ways that cultural institutions are bringing their collections to life by exploring the power of objects, telling stories and histories, inspiring audiences, and providing remarkable environments for reflection, illumination and fun.
Public art project in Los Angeles continues with next cycle of buses and outdoor media. LOS ANGELES, CA.- Produced by ForYourArt, the public art component of Arts Matter, kicked-off by Barbara Kruger in October, continues with the work of artist John Baldessari. Totaling 60 media assets, his project titled, Learn To Dream, Aprende A Soñar (For the LA Fund), will appear on buses, billboards, bus shelters, and other types of outdoor media throughout Los Angeles starting today, and running for four weeks. Learn To Dream, Aprende A Soñar is the second flight of original works of art by world-renowned artists produced by ForYourArt for Arts Matter, a first of its kind, citywide public art exhibition and fundraising campaign to support arts and creativity in the nation’s second largest public school system. (artdaily.org)
The Interdependence Hexagon Project. The Interdependence Hexagon Project is seeking participants for its 2013 art and social justice year! Please log on to their website to download all materials, forms, teacher-made lessons and units! They are international, promote BIG ideas inside of a small, engaging hexagonal shape - metaphor for their interconnectedness! Get started now - for June 30 deadline.
Interactive Active Magazine (IAM) is growing to serve you! They've added e-packets to their Art Store. Now you can buy traditional pattern packets and have them sent to you by mail or use their new e-packet download option for immediate access. Pattern Packets include instructions, a supply list, photo(s), and line drawing(s). Looking to sell your instructional books, DVDs or art supplies? Make sure to post yours in the Art Store today!
POLICY
Nearly $40 Million in Race to Top Funds for Maryland in Jeopardy (Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog, January 9, 2013)
1-9-13
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has released its third and final research report on Measures of Teaching Effectiveness. Media coverage of the release has been extensive. In addition to the three reports, a set of guiding principles (see below) has also been issued. The project has its own website: The MET project’s reports and publications are available on the project’s website at www.metproject.org.
• Press Release: Measures of Effective Teaching Project Releases Final Research Report
• Feedback for Better Teaching: Nine Principles for Using Measures of Effective Teaching
AEP Moderates DOE Webinar on Common Core and the Arts. Last month, the Department of Education hosted a panel discussion on the intersection of the arts and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The panel was moderated by Scott Jones, AEP’s Senior Associate for Research and Policy and featured Scott Norton, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Standards, Assessments, and Accountability, Council of Chief State School Officers; Scott Shuler, Arts Consultant, Connecticut State Department of Education; and Denise Brandenburg, Arts Education Specialist, National Endowment for the Arts. The webinar discussed the development and implementation of the CCSS, their overlap with the artistic disciplines, and other topics. Click here for a recording of the webinar.
Call for Submissions for Special Focus Issue of Arts Education Policy Review: Technology, Policy, and Arts Education. See also PDF Arts Education Policy Review (AEPR) seeks articles addressing or related to any of the following topics:
• Analysis of policy in relation to use of technology in P-12 arts education
• Policy and technology in higher education and teacher preparation
• Descriptions of innovative uses of technology in arts education that lead to policy reform
Deadline for Special Focus Submission: October 1, 2013. AEPR is also currently seeking articles that report on interviews with well-known educators and arts educators, focusing on issues of arts policy. For more information about submitting to the journal, see the complete Call for Papers on the Taylor and Francis website.
Call for Editorial Board Members: Arts Education Policy Review. See also PDF Arts Education Policy Review, a peer-reviewed journal published by Routledge/Taylor & Francis, is accepting applications for three-year term editorial board positions - one in visual art, one in dance, and one international editorial board member. Arts Education Policy Review presents discussion of major policy issues in arts education in the United States and throughout the world. Addressing education in music, visual arts, theatre, and dance, the journal presents a variety of views and emphasizes critical analysis. Its goal is to produce the most comprehensive and rigorous exchange of ideas available on arts education policy. Policy examinations from multiple viewpoints are a valuable resource not only for arts educators, but also for administrators, policy analysts, advocacy groups, parents, and audiences - all those involved in the arts and concerned about their role in education. APPLICATION INFORMATION: Interested applicants should send a letter of interest and CV to Editor-in-Chief, Colleen Conway at conwaycm@umich.edu by October 1, 2013. Applications will be reviewed by the Executive Editors and applicants will be notified of the status of the application by November 15th. The terms begin in January 2014.
ArtPlace announces America's top twelve ArtPlaces for 2013. America’s Top Twelve ArtPlaces were announced today by ArtPlace, a collaboration of leading national and regional foundations, banks, and federal agencies committed to accelerating “creative placemaking”—putting art at the heart of a portfolio of strategies designed to revitalize communities. America’s Top Twelve ArtPlaces were identified as having successfully combined the arts, artists, and venues for creativity and expression with independent businesses, restaurants, and a walkable lifestyle to make vibrant neighborhoods. They are: Brooklyn, NY / The intersection of Downtown, Fort Greene, Gowanus, Park Slope and Prospect Heights • Dallas, TX / The Dallas Arts District, with parts of Deep Ellum and Exposition Park • Los Angeles, CA / Central Hollywood • Miami Beach, FL / South Beach • Milwaukee, WI / East Town and a portion of the Lower East Side • New York, NY / Manhattan Valley • Oakland, CA / Downtown, including Chinatown, Old Oakland, and Jack London Square • Philadelphia, PA / Old City • Portland, OR / The Pearl District and a portion of Downtown • San Francisco, CA / The Mission District • Seattle, WA / The Pike-Pine Corridor • Washington, DC / The intersection of Adams Morgan, U St., and Dupont Circle (artdaily.org)
America's Top ArtPlaces 2013. ArtPlace released a report that names 12 communities nationwide that “most successfully combine art, artists and venues for creativity and expression with independent businesses, retail shops and restaurants, and a walkable lifestyle to make vibrant neighborhoods.”
Ranking up there with San Fran’s Mission District, NYC’s Manhattan Valley, and Seattle’s Pike-Pine Corridor is our very own intersection of Adams Morgan, U Street, and Dupont Circle! Check out pages 31-32 in the report to see what makes this neighborhood so unique. Also included in the longer list of top 44 metro areas is Alexandria. (ArtPlace, 1/8)
Texas: Visual Arts Preview: The Art Shows and Exhibitions You Can't Miss in 2013. This weekend is the unofficial kick-off of a new art season, which means it is time we look ahead to the most anticipated upcoming art shows. Over on Glasstire, they’ve beat us to the punch, the Texas-wide publication featuring six DFW shows in its Spring preview. I’ve mixed some of their picks here with my own to give you an overview of some of the art that we’ll be talking about in 2013. (D Magazine)
Deadline Approaching Soon for NEA Our Town Grants. The last day to apply is Monday, January 14, 2013 at 11:59 pm. Among the project types supported through Our Town are arts engagement projects that support artistically excellent artistic production or practice as the focus of creative placemaking work. This includes innovative programming, festivals, and performances in non-traditional spaces, and public art. Grants may range from $25,000 to $200,000.
Application Period Open for 2013 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards. The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, invites applications for the 2013 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards. The 12 award-winning programs this year will receive $10,000 and an invitation to accept their award from the PCAH Honorary Chairman, First Lady Michelle Obama, at a ceremony at the White House. The deadline for application submissions is Monday, February 4, 2013, 5:00 p.m. PST.
Deadline Approaching Soon for IMLS Grant Programs. The Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications for its 2013 Museums for America and National Leadership Grants for Museums programs. Museums of all sizes and types are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is next Tuesday, January 15, 2013. Together, these programs are the largest source of federal funding specifically for museums in the United States. Among the projects supported are those that create engaging experiences in museums and those that promote museums as strong community anchors.
Call for Proposals for Southeast Center for Education in the Arts Forum. The Southeast Center for Education in the Arts (SCEA) seeks proposals for its 2013 Arts and Education Forum entitled Create, Perform, Log-on. The SCEA forum will be held May 15-17 at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. This meeting will examine how professional development can adapt to innovations in technology, art making, and teaching practice. Educators, artists, and professionals from diverse disciplines will be challenged to critically and creatively explore current and future practice in arts education, curricular integration, and professional development. SCEA is accepting proposals for challenge sessions until Friday, February 1.
Call for Presentations: Kennedy Center Conference on Arts Education and Special Education. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Office of VSA and Accessibility invites the submission of proposals for the 2013 Examining the Intersection of Arts Education and Special Education Conference on August 7-8. This unique conference presents practices, policies, and research at the forefront of serving students with disabilities through arts and special education. The conference will provide attendees with innovative and thought provoking sessions addressing an array of topics and emerging issues relevant to providing students with disabilities access to and engagement in arts educational programming. Entry deadline is February 8, 2013.
Deadline Approaching for the Anthony Quinn Foundation Scholarship Program. The Anthony Quinn Foundation would like to remind you that applications for The Scholarship Program end in just 1 week. This is your chance to help change a young artists life. Modeled after the personal experience of Anthony Quinn, the Program raises and distributes funds for High School students interested in the arts who wish to attend a pre-college, summer, or after-school arts education program. The application period closes on January 15th.
Art Institute of Boston 2013 Studio Residencies for Teaching Artists. The Art Institute of Boston (AIB) at Lesley University's Studio Residencies for Teaching Artist workshops are offered each year in July in an intensive week-long format—in Boston, MA, and/or Bar Harbor, ME. AIB's intensive studio workshops are designed for artists who are also art educators and have limited time to create their own work in a focused environment during the academic year. Art educators may receive 67.5 Professional Development Points and educators/students may also take these courses for credit at undergraduate or graduate tuition rates. For more information, please contact Linda Harris at 617-585-6724.
United Kingdom: V&A Games Design Residency - Call for Proposals. Bursary: £8,400. The V&A is inviting applications from early to mid-career UK-based digital games designers who wish to develop their practice in response to the V&A’s Britain 1500 – 1900 galleries. The Residency will be based in the V&A for six months, and will include a substantial public engagement programme. It will be followed by a production period that will be based in Dundee, funded by the V&A at Dundee partners, including
the University of Abertay Dundee. The V&A Residency will take place over a six-month period from October 2013 – March 2014 in London with the Dundee-based production period to take place before end of July 2014. A studio will be provided at the V&A in London, and a work base in Dundee. The residency has been organised in collaboration with UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE), the games industry body. Deadline for applications - 28 January. Interviews - 8th March
Quiet Art is Now Available! Foster The Future, the charity initiative of the Grammy-nominated band Foster The People, partnered with Irv's Storytime to create Quiet Art, a collaborative book featuring illustrations from Foster The People fans nationwide. A portion of the book’s proceeds (70%) will benefit the Arts Education Partnership. Quiet Art tells the story of young Wilda and her persistent efforts to use art to communicate with the noisy, impatient world around her. This book is a product of Irv's Storytime, an organization that brings people together to share, illustrate, and produce collaborative stories. Quiet Art is available for Kindle, in paperback, and in a VIP package through Irv’s Storytime.
Exhibit showcases the inventive work of future art teachers. A is for apple. Apples, in cultures around the world, are imbued with powerful symbolism related to knowledge, health, fertility and youth. Legend holds that an apple fell on Newton's head and inspired him to consider the properties of gravitational force. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, as they say. Mythologies of various cultures are filled with stories of apples or other fruit capable of granting special powers, like knowledge — apple is for A? — or eternal youth. The fruit is also a traditional symbol of educators and a traditional gift from student to teacher. (Columbia Daily Tribune)
Teachers Gravitate to Social Networks Tailored for Educators (Education Week)
Show Your Art on a NYC Billboard. It's Free to Join. Calling all artists! Share your work on See.Me - a new creative community - and have a chance at over $125,000 in awards, including a massive billboard display of your work in Times Square, New York City.
POLICY
Cliff Averted; Sequestration Delayed. The somewhat better news is that the measure slightly decreased the impending education cuts to an estimated 5.9 percent, or about $3 billion. Even so, cuts of that magnitude will be damaging for schools and districts that are already dealing with the consequences of shrinking state and local education budgets. If Congress is unable to reach a new solution by March 1, 2013, the cuts will be triggered and mainly affect schools’ budgets for the 2013–14 school year. (ASCD Educator Advocates)
From No Child Left Behind to a Whole Child Education for All (ASCD)
Senate Panel to Take a Closer Look at NCLB Waivers (Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog, January 8, 2013)
California Gets Official NCLB Waiver Rejection Letter (Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog, January 4, 2013)
District Race to Top Winners Turn to Implementation (Education Week, January 4, 2013)
1-7-12
The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) will be meeting in New York City from January 17 – 20, 2013. There will be a live stream from the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards meeting on Friday, January 18 at 4:00 pm EST. Live Update to the Field and Q & A Session will take place January 18 at 4:00 PM EST. Instructions to follow.
VSA Indiana E-News - January 2013. Featuring: INVEST IN ARTISTS NOW!; Upcoming Events, VSA Call for Art & Scripts!; and Did you know?
NYC: Nation's longest running fine art fair announces 2013 exhibitors list. The Art Show, the nation's longest running fine art fair, announces participating galleries for its 25th edition, to take place March 6 through March 10, 2013 at the historic Park Avenue Armory, with a ticketed Gala Preview on March 5. Organized by the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) to benefit New York’s Henry Street Settlement, the 25th annual Art Show will once again present thoughtfully curated solo, two-person, and thematic exhibitions by 72 of the nation’s leading art dealers and galleries. (artdaily.org)
France: Design with a difference: Parsons school comes to Paris. From Marc Jacobs to Alexander Wang, star alumni of New York's Parsons design school have long made inroads in Paris. But now the faculty is going a step further, opening a full-fledged branch in the world capital of fashion. Many of the industry's most sought-after names learned the ropes at Parsons The New School for Design, from Tom Ford to Proenza Schouler's Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough, Jacobs or Wang, newly named at the house of Balenciaga. Joel Towers, Executive Dean of Parsons, says the school learned how to use New York city as a "laboratory", and hopes to achieve the same in Paris, picked as a European hub of art, craft and heritage.
1-4-12
Panelist biographies are now posted for the 2013 NAEA Museum Education Division Preconference: Visitor Engagement in a Participatory Culture.
Southeast Center for Education in the Arts Call for Proposals. How can professional development adapt to innovations in technology, art making, and teaching practice? Educators today are challenged to rethink their practice and refine their teaching skills to deepen student understanding in a world that is rapidly changing. SCEA’s sixth annual Arts & Education Forum on May 15-17, 2013 at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will challenge educators, artists, and technologists to critically and creatively address current and future practice in education, artistic practice, and professional development.
They need professional development providers, teachers, artists, and technologists to help us create the content of the Forum. Submit a presenter proposal now! Proposals are due February 1, 2013.
VIDEO: Research In Art And Design Education: Issues And Exemplars
Pennsylvania: Pay What You Wish Admission for MLK Day of Service to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Monday, January 21. Throughout the day the Museum will host an Art and Service Workshop with a range of activities for all ages. This event is a unique and exciting way to give back to the greater Philadelphia community as part of a nationwide effort to honor Dr. King’s legacy through social action.
Pennsylvania: READING-BERKS GUILD 11th ANNUAL JURIED SPRING CRAFT FESTIVAL AT KUTZTOWN, APRIL 6 and 7, 2013. The Reading-Berks Chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen will hold its 11th Annual Juried Spring Fine Arts and Craft Festival in Keystone Hall, Kutztown University, Kutztown, Pa., on Saturday, April 6 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sunday, April 7, 2013 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). The very popular Mid-Atlantic craft event is presented in partnership with the Pennsylvania German Scholarship Studies, the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center in Kutztown and the university, whose art students also will exhibit their work at the show. Keystone Hall is at South Campus Drive and Baldy Street on the university campus. The high quality Guild member art and craft includes traditional wood turning, shaker boxes, braided and penny rugs, schnerenschnitte paper cuttings, folk art, theorem painting, country furniture, calligraphy, basketry, tinsmithing, redware, block printing, quilting, wheat weaving, painted beeswax, hand-hammered aluminum, felted wool and metal yard art. There is also contemporary ceramics, glass, jewelry, dried florals, wearable art, photography and fine artwork. The show also features refreshments, live music and door prizes. There is ample free and handicapped parking. Admission is $4; children under 12 are free. Proceeds benefit the Guild’s educational programs. For more details, visit the Guild’s website or e-mail info@rbcrafts.org.
District Race to Top Winners Turn to Implementation. The 16 victors splitting $400 million in district Race to the Top awards include charters, mid-size systems, and two consortia. (Education Week, 1/4/13)
1-2-13
“Art Educators as Artists” Exhibition. USSEA is organizing the second “Art Educators as Artists” Exhibition during the NAEA Convention in Fort Worth. The works will be exhibited onsite as well as on the USSEA website to promote the participant art educators and artists. You can submit up to three artworks (originals only). The dimensions of the artworks cannot exceed 12" x 12". Only 2-D works will be accepted. Please include the title, medium, year, and price of your artwork along with your jpegs. Those who are interested in participating can send the jpegs of their artworks to Dr. Fatih Benzer at: fatihbenzer70@yahoo.com. The deadline for submissions is February 20, 2013.
National PTA Reflections, Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 11 am to noon ET, U.S. Department of Education. Please join the National PTA and the U.S. Department of Education as we celebrate the unveiling of more than 70 pieces of nationally recognized student artwork from the renowned PTA Reflections Program. The artwork represents students’ interpretations of the 2011-2012 PTA Reflections Program theme "Diversity Means." A ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception will take place Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 11 am to noon ET, U.S. Department of Education, LBJ Education Building, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202. To attend, please RSVP no later than Monday, January 21, 2013 to jacquelyn.zimmermann@ed.gov. Limited seating available.
Chillin' With January Crafts from Crayola! Turn a cold winter day into a bright, sunny day by creating dazzling arts and crafts. Have fun while you learn about your favorite penguin pals on Penguin Awareness Day, or celebrating New Year's Day, Three Kings Day, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. While you're stuck indoors, spend some time exploring and creating on Crayola.com where you will find art activities and games, craft ideas, coloring pages, and much more.
Vans Custom Culture Art Competition. The fourth annual Vans Custom Culture art competition opens on January 2, 2013. This awesome opportunity is open to the first 1,500 U.S.-based public or private high schools that register to compete. Each art class will receive four pairs of blank canvas Vans shoes to design their own creations around four themes: Action Sports, Music, Art, and Local Flavor. Teachers will upload photos of their students' finished shoes via the Vans Custom Culture website, then an internal selection and external public vote whittle the entries down to a group of five finalists who will travel to New York City for the Vans Custom Culture final event in June 2013. The top school will receive $50,000 for their visual arts program and the chance to have their shoes produced and sold in Vans stores. For more information, check out Vans Custom Culture website!
2013 Call for Presentations: Examining the Intersection of Arts Education and Special Education Conference, August 7-8, 2013 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Office of VSA and Accessibility, invites the submission of proposals for the 2013 Examining the Intersection of Arts Education and Special Education Conference. This unique conference presents practices, policies and research at the forefront of serving students with disabilities through arts and special education. The conference will provide attendees with innovative and thought provoking sessions addressing an array of topics and emerging issues relevant to providing students with disabilities access to and engagement in arts educational programming. Sessions will be presented by practitioners and those in the forefront of practice, policy and research at the intersection of arts education and special education. The conference will provide a variety of session formats to encourage engagement and create multiple opportunities for networking and knowledge transfer, ultimately benefitting the students with disabilities we serve. In addition, a research symposium of original research presentations and discussions will provide opportunities for researchers and practitioners to examine current and future research to practice needs. Please consider contributing a session! Entry deadline is February 8, 2013. Please submit by e-mail to: SMMalley@kennedy-center.org, Subject line: Conference proposal.
Maryland: Art educator artists needed for exhibition. The Washington County Arts Council invites all art educators in Washington County's public and private schools to enter work for the February 2013 exhibit. This is an invitational exhibition and all work will be accepted. Each educator is allowed to submit two works that have been completed within the last two years. Artwork may be dropped off 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, or Thursday, Jan. 31, at the Washington County Arts Council, 34-36 S. Potomac St., Suite 100, downtown Hagerstown.
California Denied NCLB Waiver, Now What? (Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog, December 26, 2012)
California: Premier Facility for Arts Education Opens in Culver City. Otis College of Art and Design has expanded its facilities by opening new graduate studios in Culver City, Los Angeles’ premier arts district. The space at 10455 Jefferson Boulevard includes artists’ studios, administrative offices, a computer lab, and two large public spaces, which will host artists in residence, public exhibitions and lectures, and open studio events.
California: In 2012, Visual art powered Oakland’s cultural renaissance. Visual art in Oakland isn’t new by any means. The city’s Cultural Arts department has long touted the claim that Oakland has more artists per capita than any city in the United States; many of the artists currently enjoying increased visibility have been here for decades.
Poetry in Motion Contest. As part of their new years resolution, allThingsMOTION is starting a monthly contest called "Poetry in Motion". They will be taking poetry submissions of no more than 100 words, and the winning submission will be turned into a short animation. There are no rules regarding content, but try to keep it PG, and the piece most be your own original work. By entering this contest, you are also granting allThingsMOTION.net the right to use, modify, and redistribute your submission piece. Use the online submission form, or simply email them directly.
DECEMBER 2012
12-21-12
Applications for 2013-2014 Teaching Ambassador Fellowship Now Open. “It is critical that we work collaboratively with teachers to develop policies that will truly transform and elevate the profession. I am proud of the work our Teaching Ambassadors do every year to talk with and listen to other teachers … (ED.gov)
AEP Spring 2013 National Forum: Arts, Education, and the Next America, April 4-5, 2013 at the Renaissance Washington, DC Dupont Circle Hotel. Doing more of what’s working and what’s undeniably right for every young person must be the order of the day. News: Now Accepting Concurrent Session Proposals for the AEP Spring 2013 National Forum: Arts, Education, and the Next America; Keynote Address from Dr. John Maeda, President of the Rhode Island School of Design; Special Feature with Grammy-nominated Band Foster the People; & Registration Opens January 21, 2013.
Read the January 2013 Online Edition of Arts & Activities magazine.
Art21 News: David Altmejd's Studio Assistants, U.S. Department of State Honors Five Artists, and More. In this issue: U.S. Department of State Honors Five Art21 Featured Artists; New Videos: David Altmejd and Tabaimo; Featured Video from the Archive: Keltie Ferris; Highlights from the Art21 Blog; and Online Projects with Eleanor Antin and assume vivid astro focus.
New York, NY: Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian launches new website for students. The National Museum of the American Indian’s George Gustav Heye Center has launched “Culture Quest,” a website designed specifically for students and educators. Developed by the museum’s education department in collaboration with New York-area public school teachers for grades 4-8, this new website brings the museum’s collection into classrooms and encourages students and educators to connect and engage with the museum, whether or not they are able to visit on-site. Culture Quest is accessible on the museum’s website, and it is available free of charge on DVD to educators by request. (artdaily.org)
Getting Back to the Top. We often hear that the United States has dropped to 16th in the world when it comes to the percentage of adults who earn college degrees – it is a talking point used consistently by both U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and President Obama. And the Administration is calling for us to regain the lead in this arena, for the good of the nation. But is the situation really so simple? As with so many education claims, do we do ourselves a disservice when we accept these statements and goals at face value? In a recent report, Getting Back on Top: An International Comparison of College Attainment, Where the U.S. Stands, the National School Boards Association's Center for Public Education unpacked the data behind these talking points. And some of their findings were a bit surprising. (LFA: Join The Conversation - Public Schools Insights)
POLICY
All 2012 Investing in Innovation Top Applicants Secure Private Donors’ Support. Today the U.S. Department of Education announced all 20 of the highest-rated applicants in the 2012 Investing in Innovation (i3) competition have secured their required private-sector matching funds and have become official i3 grantees. Together, they will share more than $140 million in federal funds to expand innovative practices designed to accelerate achievement and help prepare every student to succeed in college and in their careers. (ED.gov)
OII Grants Support More than Half of Race to the Top-District Winners. Ten grantees of the Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) are also 2012 Race to the Top-District (RTT-D) grant-award winners. On Tuesday, December 11, 2012, the Department of Education announced 16 RTT-D applicants that competed successfully for the first-time district-level grants that will support reform efforts in 55 school districts across 11 states. (ED.gov)
And the District Winners Are . . .Sixteen local district applications won the Race to the Top-District competition to share $400 million in grants. The 16 winning applications represent 55 different school districts, including rural districts, charter schools, large consortia of districts, and traditional districts. Read on for more details about the winners. (ASCD)
Race to the Top District Contest: Analyzing the Scores (Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog, 12/19)
Get Informed About the Fiscal Cliff. From the White House to the school house, the fiscal cliff is a topic of conversation and anxiety. ASCD’s newest Policy Points examines sequestration, one of the fiscal cliff’s components that will have the greatest influence on education spending. “Sequestration and Education Funding: A Primer” provides background information on what sequestration is, describes how we got to this point, explains what it means for education funding, and outlines the steps that educators can take to urge their representatives to stop it. Use the sequestration calculator to learn how much your state, district, or school stands to lose.. Check out the sequestration countdown clock to find out how much time is left before sequestration is triggered. Use the action alert system to tell your elected officials to repeal sequestration. Share these resources with your colleagues, and encourage them to contact their federal lawmakers. (ASCD Capitol Connection, December 19, 2012)
12-19-12
Common Core Architect Adds to Blog Salon Discussion. Posted by David Coleman On September - 17 - 2012. David Coleman, an architect of the Common Core State Standards and incoming president of The College Board, sent the following to Kristen Engebretsen in reaction to last week’s arts education blog salon on the common core: I am so glad that the arts community has gotten the message that the arts have a central and essential role in achieving the finest aspects of the common core. So many of the blog posts are so thoughtful and imaginative about the possibilities. They were a delight to read.
Let me review a few critical points that many have already grasped... (Americans for the Arts ARTSblog)
Your January 2013 digital edition of SchoolArts magazine is now available.
Art Matters announces 2012 grantees. Art Matters, the nonprofit foundation, is pleased to announce 32 grants ranging in amounts of 3,000 to 10,000 USD to artists who are working on socially engaging projects with a local, national and/or global focus. Art Matters considers applications by invitation only. Each round we select an anonymous group of internationally recognized artists, curators and other arts leaders to nominate artists to apply. We award grants of $3,000–$10,000 to U.S. artists for projects that are socially engaged with a focus on local, national and/or global concerns. We fund individuals, collectives and collaborative teams working all visual media including experimental performance, and film. Art Matters is particularly interested in subversive or provocative content, and artistic practice that expands definitions of a traditional medium.
Florida: Letter: Don't cut schools' visual arts programs. The Brevard School Board has to make some tough decisions as a result of voters rejecting a half-cent sales tax to support the schools. One of the cuts the district has mentioned is removing elementary visual arts programs. It would be sad to eliminate programs that have been awarded this outstanding distinction of being a model demonstration school. (Florida Today)
ENTRIES REQUESTED: 16th Annual National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition at NCECA. Held in conjunction with the 47nd National Council for Education in the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Conference March 20–23 in Houston, TX, the K-12 Exhibition is designed to showcase the best K-12 ceramic work made in the country. Selective awards include: Artistic Achievement, Artistic Merit, Honorable Mention, cash awards by donors, books, supplies, memberships to ceramics publications and associations, studio equipment, five $1,000 scholarships, three $500 scholarships, a kiln and wheel. Over 5,000+ NCECA attendees view the exhibition. Teachers submit entries any time between November 2012 and January 10, 2013. Works made during the last part of the pervious school year may be entered this fall. Each school may submit up to 10 works for $30.00. Submit 2 images of each work in JPEG format using an easy online entry system.
2013 SILENT AUCTION Sponsored by RAEA - CALL FOR ENTRIES: NAEA FORT WORTH 2013. The passion of RAEA members for art education does more than impart facts and figures. It is a superb resource of experiences that inspire, foster, and offer new insights into one's own classroom journey. All NAEA members are invited to donate a piece of their own original artwork for the Silent Auction sponsored by RAEA. All proceeds support joint programming with the NAEA Student Chapter and the RAEA Awards Program. CATEGORIES FOR ARTWORK INCLUDE: painting, drawing, mixed media, printmaking, fabric jewelry, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and glass. For information and donation form, contact Michael Ramsey at janeandmichaelramsey@hotmail.com.
$10 to Keep the Arts in Public Schools. The arts teach our students critical skills. If you want to promote these 10 skills in our schools, please help by donating $10 today. The first 10 people to donate will get a tote bag, and anyone who donates will receive a sticker that says: "Art. Ask For More."
Read more about the Top 10 Skills that Children Learn From the Arts.
POLICY
All 2012 Investing in Innovation Top Applicants Secure Support from Private Donors. Today the U.S. Department of Education announced all 20 of the highest-rated applicants in the 2012 Investing in Innovation (i3) competition have secured their required private-sector matching funds and have become official i3 grantees. (ED.gov)
Education Department Proposes Changes for Investing in Innovation. The Investing in Innovation grant program—one of U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's marquee initiatives—would get a makeover under a proposed set of new priorities released Friday. Up until now, the i3 program, which was initially created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, was geared to projects that addressed the four education redesign "assurances" spelled out in the stimulus, including improving state data systems, bolstering teacher quality, turning around low-performing schools, and revamping state standards and assessments. (Education Week Politics K-12 blog, 12/14)
In Race to the Top District Competition, Implementation Begins (Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog, 12/18)
NEA and AFT: Apply the Lessons of NCLB to the Common Core (Education Week/Living in Dialogue Blog, 12/18)
Education Department alters priorities on i3 grant program. The Education Department is proposing to revamp its Investing in Innovation -- or i3 -- grant program by having all applicants work to address one of 10 new priorities announced Friday. The priorities include improvement of science, technology, engineering and math programs; outcomes for students with disabEducation Week/ilities and those who are English-language learners; teacher and principal effectiveness; and low-performing schools. Under the proposed changes, the department would specify the priorities grant applicants should aim for when it issues a call for proposals. (Politics K-12 blog, 12/14)
12-17-12
Minnesota: Arts education program pushes teachers to try new approaches. Students in a hammer-and -nails-type shop class got an unusual assignment recently that could change how they look at every future school assignment. It could also change how their teacher looks at teaching every class in the future. “We’re really stretching them here,” said Craig Dischinger, an Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City High School industrial arts teacher, as he watched students who like to “build, build, build” instead of ponder their analysis of Greek myths and create a paper collage that represented the touch, smell and sight of the ancient legends. (InForum)
Art Supply Health & Safety Information, created by The Art & Creative Materials Institute, Inc. and published in the 2012 Blick Art Materials catalog.
Snapshot of a Deeper Learning Classroom: Aligning TED Talks to the Four Cs. As many of my readers know, this year I have been dedicated to using the 21st Century four Cs. The four Cs are a rubric of sorts that help align lessons to more reality-based learning and assessing. As I design a lesson or assessment, I ask myself if what I've designed, or what the students must master, correlates to the important skills of: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Creativity. My lessons and tests must incorporate one or more of of the four Cs to, in my opinion, be worthy of spending precious instructional time in the classroom. (edutopia)
3 Million Stories: Understanding the Lives and Careers of America's Arts Graduates, March 7-9, Nashville, TN. Who are the 3 million arts graduates in America? What do we know about them? What is the state of arts training in higher education today? Join SNAAP March 7th-9th, 2013 at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN for a three-day national conference on arts education and the creative workforce. Who should attend? Arts educators, administrators, policymakers, funders, researchers, artists and anyone else interested in understanding artists’ education and careers. A special registration offer is available for two more weeks. If you register for the conference prior to January 1st at the full rate of $185, you can register additional attendees from your same institution at the discounted rate of $150 per person. Contact 3millionstories@gmail.com for further information and discount codes.
Museums of the World - Resource from Best Education Sites
ED REVIEW - December 14, 2012...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders
12-14-12
"Educators Work To Resuscitate Arts Education After No Child Left Behind", Diverse Issues in Higher Education, December 6, 2012; Vol. 29, No. 22 Featuring F. Robert Sabol
If you ask Dr. Robert F. Sabol, professor of visual and performing arts at Purdue University, art education has suffered some serious setbacks since No Child Left Behind—the landmark federal education law that put a greater emphasis on high-stakes testing.
Since No Child Left Behind became law in 2002, school systems—under increased pressure to raise student proficiency rates in the “core” subjects of reading and math—have less money to spend on materials such as paint and clay, and art instructors have less time to teach students what to do with those things, a Sabol study found.
Arts Education Seen as Common-Core Partner. Advocates are making the case that the arts can help students meet the demands of the common core in English/language arts and mathematics. (Education Week, 12/11)
Use Arts Integration to Enhance Common Core. These days, integration in any area, be it STEM or the arts, seems to be the buzzword to curriculum designers everywhere. There are so many resources floating around out there with the claim of integrating content areas. Yet, true integration is often difficult to find. Indeed, integration is a rare yet seemingly "magical" approach that has the capacity to turn learning into meaningful practice. (edutopia)
Utah: State Leaders Pondering Graduation Requirements Change. "Allowing kids more flexibility in how they earn high school credits, moving computer literacy to middle school, and changing the way teachers grade are just a few ways Utah could potentially improve high school education and increase graduation rates, a State Office of Education Committee said. The committee spent the past nine months discussing ways to ramp up rigor in high school and college and career readiness upon graduation. It’s work that began in response to criticisms from some that 12th grade is a wasted year and out of a desire to improve high school education, said Brenda Hales, state associate superintendent...Under the committee’s recommendations, students would still be required to earn at least 24 credits to graduate. But students would, for example, be allowed to graduate early by skipping classes such as P.E., art, and career and technical education, provided they could demonstrate competency tests in those areas." (The Salt Lake Tribune, 12/7)
Massachusetts: Turnaround Arts School Gets Help From Yo-Yo Ma. "As part of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, Roxbury’s Orchard Gardens is one of eight pilot schools in the country named as a Turnaround Arts school. For the next two years, it’s receiving extra federal money devoted to the arts. And, on [December 6], the school had some very famous mentors visit. Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble played to a packed auditorium of sixth, seventh and eighth graders, who clapped along with the music...Two years ago, Orchard Gardens was among the five worst-performing schools in the state. It was designated a turnaround school, which made it eligible for additional federal and state funds. Under the leadership of a new principal, its students have made significant academic gains. Now it begins a two-year designation as a Turnaround Arts school. The program brings arts into high-poverty, under-performing schools."(WBUR-FM, 12/7)
California: District Faces Challenge of Naming Arts a Core Subject. "Arts advocates and educators are excited that the Los Angeles Unified School District Board voted unanimously in October to make arts a core subject. But making that desire a reality is complicated. Educators face a host of questions: What should be included in the arts curriculum? What should be classified as 'arts?' How can the arts play a greater role in public education in a time of lean budgets, when political priorities are on improving test scores in areas such as math and English? Even determining the current amount of arts education is tricky. The effort to redefine arts in school is not only happening in L.A.; it's going on across the country, as educators begin to implement new national curriculum standards...While there is general agreement that there has been a decline in arts education in the public schools, quantifying the situation is tricky." (KPCC-FM, 12/7)
California: Riverside: Art teachers honored. The California Art Education Association picked La Sierra High School’s ceramic arts program for one of its 2012 statewide California High School Exemplary Program awards. La Sierra High School art teachers Mike Sheline and Tina Naif were honored for their creative and transformational teaching at the California Art Education Association state conference breakfast Nov. 12 at the Riverside Marriott Hotel. The award details how these educators have created a strong visual arts program including exemplary use of community resources and authentic assessments. (The Press-Enterprise)
California: “Mayhem” National Juried Exhibition. Join in the madness, mischief, and monkey business with the aim to create pandemonium, chaos, and discord at Arc Gallery’s “Mayhem” National Juried Exhibition. “Mayhem” runs from May 4th to 25th at Arc Gallery, 1246 Folsom Street in San Francisco. Deadline for submissions is February 24th, 2013. No jewelry, video, film, performance, installations, works requiring external electrical source. $35 entry fee for up to three pieces. 60% of sale goes to artists, 40% to Arc. Opening on May 4th 7-10PM, Artist Talk on May 25th 12-2PM.
Schools Prepare for $4 Billion Hit to Federal Funding. In three weeks, schools will plummet over the edge of the fiscal cliff unless Congress acts now. Sequestration—deep, across-the-board cuts to nearly all federal spending—is a major component of the triple-threat fiscal cliff, which also includes the expiration of both the Bush-era tax cuts and the temporary payroll tax holiday. (ASCD Capitol Connection, 12/13)
Ovation’s Arts Education Toolkit Offers New Resources. Ovation announces its newest arts education materials, including streaming program clips and downloadable, National Standards-based lessons. Educators can log on to access resources for grades 9–12. Ovation presents its second group of resources from the Art in Progress series, offering an unprecedented look at the world’s leading contemporary artists as they actively engage in the creative process. Programs feature three renowned artists: Anish Kapoor, John Baldessari, and Fred Tomaselli. The Toolkit also features a lesson by Ovation’s education partner, The J. Paul Getty Museum
Vans Custom Culture Contest. Back for it's fourth year, the Vans Custom Culture art competition inspires high school students across the United States to embrace their creativity while raising awareness for the importance of art programs in our schools. Custom Culture invites art teachers to lead their students in the customization of four pairs of blank Vans sneakers. Teachers will upload photos of their students' finished sneakers to our website and after an internal selection and round of public voting, a group of five finalist schools will be flown to New York City where the winning school will receive a $50,000 donation to their art program and the chance to have their shoes produced and sold in Vans stores. Registration begins January 2nd, 2013 and closes February 11th, 2013 OR upon reaching their cap of 1,500 schools. For more information on the program, please email Scott Byrer at Scott_Byrer@vfc.com.
2013 Poster Design Competition Open for Entries. The Art Institutes and Americans for the Arts have announced that entries for their 2013 Poster Design Competition will be accepted through January 31, 2013. Winners will earn up to a full tuition scholarship to study at one of the more than 50 Art Institutes schools. This year's competition challenges high school seniors and high school graduates from the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico to design a poster that best expresses the Competition's theme "You Can Create Tomorrow." Contestants will compete in two different categories: (i) high school senior or (ii) high school graduate/adult.
Check out the Crayola Holiday Gift Guide
12-12-12
Education Department Announces 16 Winners of Race to the Top-District CompetitionThe U.S. Department of Education announced today that 16 applicants—representing 55 school districts across 11 states and D.C.—have won the 2012 Race to the Top-District competition. These districts will share nearly $400 million to support locally developed plans to personalize and deepen student learning, directly improve student achievement and educator effectiveness, close achievement gaps, and prepare every student to succeed in college and their careers. (ED.gov)
Arne Duncan Picks 16 Race to Top District Winners. Sixteen winners—including three charter school organizations—will share $400 million in the Race to the Top district competition, the U.S. Department of Education announced today. (Education Week, 12/12)
Listen to the archived audio recording of ART EDUCATION: NAEA, MUSEUM ED & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT with Renee Sandell & Carole Henry from blogtalkradio's EduTalk news program (original air date: 12/11/12)
Save the Date for Celebration of Artists on Jan. 29 at U.S. Department of Education: Art Exhibit Opening and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony with Music and Dance Performances ON THE THEME OF DIVERSITY. The National PTA Reflections program encourages students to explore the arts and express themselves by giving positive recognition for their artistic efforts. Since it was founded in 1969 by Mary Lou Anderson,
millions of students have benefited from this program. Featuring Dance Choreography; Film Production; Literature; Music Composition; Photography; and Visual Arts. Meet and Hear Remarks From: Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Deborah Delisle, U.S. Department of Education; President Betsy Landers, National PTA; Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Katz, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies; Reflections Committee Chair Cindy Dearin, National PTA; and Student Winners of Reflections 2012. At the U.S. Department of Education, Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 11 a.m., Lyndon Baines Johnson Education Building Auditorium, 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20202. Questions? Contact Jacquelyn.Zimmermann@ed.gov.
Get Your Passports Ready! Self-perception Through Art on Display at Department of Education by Students From Around the World. On Nov. 14, student artists and their families, diplomats from several foreign embassies, representatives of arts and cultural organizations in the D.C. area, and U.S. Department of Education staff celebrated the opening of “Yo Soy, Je Suis, I Am”, an exhibit of self-portraits by students from around the world. This exhibition of works is made possible by a partnership between the Department of Education and the Department of VSA and Accessibility at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. This partnership is responsible for an annual international art exhibit at the Department of Education’s headquarters building during International Education Week. (ED.gov)
The Arts Face Their Own Fiscal Cliff. There has been an endless amount of discussion about the impending fiscal cliff faced by the United States government, especially here in Washington, D.C. It strikes me that the arts face their own fiscal cliff. Too many of our great arts institutions have migrated from the typical challenge of balancing the annual budget to a far deeper evaluation of their very viability. (The Huffington Post, 12/10/12)
Under new principal, Savoy Elementary shows what art can teach. The morning after virtuoso cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed for well-heeled Washingtonians last week at the Kennedy Center, he traveled across the Anacostia River to play for a different audience: students at Savoy Elementary, a long-struggling school in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. Ma and Damian Woetzel, a former principal with the New York City Ballet, spent more than an hour in a classroom with students, dancing, playing music and rehearsing pieces that they later performed on stage for the whole school. It was one small part of Principal Patrick Pope’s broader effort to use the arts to transform Savoy, where poverty is pervasive and fewer than one-fifth of students are proficient in math and reading. As Pope sees it, song, dance, theater and visual arts aren’t tacked-on extras — they’re essential parts of creating a school where students and teachers thrive. Students agree. (The Washington Post, 12/9)
ELLs and NCLB Waivers: A Guide for States and Districts (December 10, 2012, Learning the Language Blog)
Grammy-nominated Foster The People Supports AEP with New Book, Quiet Art. Foster The Future, the charity initiative of the Grammy-nominated band Foster The People, partnered with Irv's Storytime this summer to create a collaborative book using illustrations from fans across the US. The finished book, Quiet Art is the story of a little girl, Wilda, and her persistent efforts to use art to communicate with the noisy, impatient world around her. Everyone is telling her to be "quiet!" and she must learn, with support from her Grandma Gert, to express herself and use the power of her own imagination to rebuild trust, faith and family. This book is a product of Irv's Storytime, an organization that brings people together to share, illustrate and produce collaborative stories. For Quiet Art, 70% of the book's profits will benefit the Arts Education Partnership (AEP).
NEA Awards $23.3 M in Grants through Art Works Program. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman announced that the NEA will award 832 grants totaling $23.3 million through its Art Works program, the NEA’s largest funding category. The supported projects span 13 artistic disciplines and fields and focus primarily on the creation of work and the presentation of both new and existing works for the benefit of American audiences. This grant announcement is the first of several for fiscal year 2013. These grants emerged from applications submitted to the March 2012 deadline.
Deadline Approaching for NEA Our Town Grants. The deadline is soon approaching for the National Endowment for the Arts' (NEA) primary creative placemaking grants program, Our Town. Applications are due Monday, January 14, 2013 at 11:59pm. Guidelines and application materials for Our Town are currently available on the NEA website. Grants may range from $25,000 to $200,000. Our Town grants support creative placemaking projects that incorporate excellent artistic practice or the production of artwork.
Call for Proposals for Southeast Center for Education in the Arts Forum. The Southeast Center for Education in the Arts (SCEA) seeks proposals for its 2013 Arts and Education Forum entitled “Create, Perform, Log-on.” The SCEA forum will be held May 15-17, 2013 at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. This meeting will examine how professional development can adapt to innovations in technology, art making, and teaching practice. SCEA welcomes proposals for challenge sessions, demonstration/experience sessions, and open roundtable discussions within three “Forum Strands": Teaching and Learning, Artistry, and Collaboration. Proposals must be submitted by Friday, February 1.
Folk Arts + Arts Integration. Local Learning announces publication of a handbook for incorporating folk arts and artists into arts integration approaches. The guide includes how-to's, key definitions, and worksheets. Based on Local Learning in Lafayette—an NEA-funded pilot program to develop folk arts integrated residencies in Lafayette, Louisiana—the handbook offers strategies for adapting this model in any community. This project and City Lore's folk arts integrated residencies were featured in a recent Local Learning workshop at the 2012 American Folklore Society meeting in New Orleans. Check out the handbook and see City Lore's teaching artists and folk artists in action at www.citylore.org/education/videos. Contact Paddy Bowman to learn more about how to include folk arts in arts-integration projects.
12-10-12
LISTEN LIVE to ART EDUCATION: NAEA, MUSEUM ED & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT on EduTalk's blogtalkradio, Tuesday, December 11 at 10:00 am ET. The interview features Renee Sandell and Carole Henry who will talk about Building a Professional Learning Community (PLC) through museum education and the NAEA SummerVision program.
California: LAUSD schools face challenge of making arts part of the core curriculum. Arts advocates and educators are excited that the Los Angeles Unified School District Board voted unanimously in October to make arts a "core subject." But making that desire a reality is complicated. Educators face a host of questions: What should be included in the arts curriculum? What should be classified as “arts?” How can the arts play a greater role in public education in a time of lean budgets, when political priorities are on improving test scores in areas such as math and English? Even determining the current amount of arts education is tricky. The effort to redefine arts in school is not only happening in L.A.; it's going on across the country, as educators begin to implement new national curriculum standards. The renewed focus on arts comes after what arts educators call years of curriculum narrowing following the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001; a focus on test scores has usually meant less time and resources for the arts, they say.(89.3 KPCC blog)
Illinois: CPS Arts Education Plan. The process to craft the first-ever CPS Arts Education Plan was initiated over a year ago, with a commitment to creating a policy and programming blueprint that forges a vision for increasing access, equity and the quality of arts education provided to CPS students. Concurrently, under the directive of Mayor Emanuel, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) began the process to create a new Cultural Plan for Chicago. After more than 30 community-based planning sessions, hosted by DCASE, various stakeholders and Chicago residents throughout its 50 wards indicated that arts education in our public schools was one of the top three priorities for the City of Chicago.
The Conversation: Diane Ravitch. Former U.S. Assistant Education Secretary Diane Ravitch tells Smiley and West why she is now a fierce opponent of privatization within public education. “We would make sure that the arts are a tremedously important focus in every school.” -Diane Ravitch (minute 32)
Teacher: How NCLB could have succeeded. Behind did not live up to its promises, writes teacher Mark Sass, in part because its underlying premise was largely ignored -- "all students are expected to learn and achieve at high levels." In this opinion article, Sass writes that the law should have brought changes to instruction, grading and funding formulas, among other things. "It is time that the cultural shift embedded within NCLB becomes visible and actionable in Colorado, and across the country," he writes. (Education News Colorado, 12/9)
Race to Top District Finalists Include New Hopefuls. Among the 61 finalists for the latest Race to the Top competition are high-scoring applicants from rural districts and states not previously receiving the federal grants. (Education Week, 12/10)
Missoui: A "High-Five" to future art educators. Art educators have an unusual ability to influence their students, to impact them on a personal level that is sometimes difficult for teachers in other fields to achieve. The current exhibition at the George Caleb Bingham Gallery at the University of Missouri, "High-Five: The Art of Artist Teachers," celebrates that capacity. An article about the art education program and exhibition will appear in Sunday's Ovation, but I wanted to add to what I discussed in the article in this blog. (Columbia Daily Tribune)
Exhibit showcases the inventive work of future art teachers. University of Missouri Associate Professor of Art Education Kathy Unrath gives students graduating from MU's art education program the gift of an apple — an actual edible fruit — during a ceremony as they near the end of their degree programs. It's a metaphor, she said, "as a way of welcoming them into my profession. ... When I give it to them, I say that the apple is the ubiquitous symbol for 'I appreciate what you're doing for me, what you're giving me.' When you give an apple to a teacher, it's like saying, 'You are the most awesome teacher.' " (Columbia Daily Tribune)
ClassTrips.com. From nature walks to museum adventures, class trips provide unique educational opportunities - through hearing, seeing, touching, talking, or doing. ClassTrips.com is a directory of day, overnight and travel trips for school, scout and youth groups that enrich classroom learning and support scout merit badge achievement. Over 500 types of trips to select from for PreK-12th grades. Each listing provides address, contact information, and a brief description. Trip lesson plans are available to help maximize each student’s learning experience. For those that can’t go on a class trip, we have a selection of school assembly and arts-in-education programs that can come to your school. Short on funds for class trips? We have a fundraising section that can provide you with ideas, and a directory of fundraising companies and products.
EducatorsResources.com is an online directory that helps teachers, principals, school administrators, PTAS/PTOs learn about resources, products and services. We offer the following sections with resources and information to help you make the school year a successful one: Sources for free curriculum material and a list of monthly themed observances to help spice up the curriculum; Grants and Awards. Provides an overview, resources and a listing of grants and awards; Service-Learning/Community Service Projects for Classroom Learning; School assembly and outreach programs. Provides tips and a variety of programs that travel to schools to enrich, educate, and entertain; A Marketplace of Instructional Materials and Supplies, Equipment and Services for classrooms and schools; Associations for both teachers and school administrators; Fundraising. Provides tips and a directory of fundraising companies and products for PTAs/PTOs.
Mystery Build Art Contest. Mystery Build is offering $15,000 in awards to participants who can create something amazing using only the materials in a Mystery Build Kit, without knowing what they will have to work with. You can expect to find some common sculpting materials like wood, clay, metal, fiber, and plenty more. The kits are 12" x 9" x 3" and contain 5 lbs. of materials. All 2013 Mystery Build Kits are identical. You can enter individually or as a team. TO ENTER: Purchase a Mystery Build Kit ($36); Create something amazing; Complete a submission form; and Upload photos and/or videos of your creation to their website. SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 10/20/13
Talent Call. Talentcall is an international creative contests platform hosting opportunities in drawing, graphic designing, dancing, fashion, photography, lyrics writing, music, and other forms of the visual and performing arts. It is also a social marketing platform for brands to reach thousands of followers by casting sponsored competitions. Talentcall is a free opportunity website for teachers to encourage their students through an innovative, safe, and creative environment. Here you can create an online version of your art classroom assignment. Or simply start an extracurricular activity. They can either sponsor your assignment or connect you with a sponsor who is happy to do so. Their aim is to help you connect your talented students with their breakthrough opportunity. They have over $5,000 in financial rewards (each competition reward ranges between $100- $500).
12-7-12
Art Matters created by Baltimore County Public Schools in Maryland (11/29/12).
News from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) where arts education is an integral part of the agency's funding, content development, and research portfolio. Following are samples from the NEA’s cache of podcasts, artist interviews, research reports, and convenings related to arts education as well as news from our arts education office.
ON THE NEWS FRONT
• On November 27, NEA announced the awarding of 831 grants totaling $23.3 million. Included among those are 70 arts education grants totaling more than $2 million.
• And just the week before, NEA announced the Education Leaders Institute Alumni Summit taking place December 12 in Chicago.
• First Lady Honors National Arts and Humanities Youth Program (NAHYP) Award Recipients. NAHYP is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.
• Art Works blog posts spotlighting NAHYP award recipients: Dreaming Big at an Early Age | Connecting Cultures
• NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman announced a new strategy for arts education at the NEA at the national forum of the Arts Education Partnership.
FREE CONTENT
• Art Works blog: Taking Note: Skills + Knowledge = 21st-Century Competencies
• Reflections by NEA Director of Research and Analysis Sunil Iyengar prompted by his reading of the National Academies’ new report, Education for Life and Work: Developing Transferable Knowledge and Skills in the 21st Century.
WORLD OF RESEARCH
• The Arts and Achievement in At-Risk Youth: Findings from Four Longitudinal Studies. This report examines arts-related variables from four large datasets -- three maintained by the U.S. Department of Education and one by the Department of Labor -- to understand the relationship between arts engagement and positive academic and social outcomes in children and young adults of low socioeconomic status (SES).
• As many of you know, the NEA published The Arts and Human Development: Framing a National Research Agenda for the Arts, Lifelong Learning, and Individual Well-Being in November 2011. Over the next year, the NEA convened a series of webinars including:
» Interagency Task Force on the Arts and Human Development: September 19, 2012 Webinar. The September 19, 2012, Task Force webinar focused on the question "Can the arts play a role in transforming struggling schools and improving student outcomes?"
» Interagency Task Force on the Arts and Human Development: August 1, 2012 Webinar. The August 1, 2012, Task Force webinar focused on how arts educators can reach youth who are immersed in today's interconnected, multimedia environment.
Five More States Secure Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Grants. Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin will each receive a share of the 2012 Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge $133 million grant fund to improve quality and expand access to early learning programs throughout their states. The five winners join nine existing state grantees who secured first-round funding last year. (ED.gov)
VSA Indiana E-News - December 2012. THE HOLIDAYS ARE THE SEASON FOR SHARING...STORIES; Upcoming Events; Access category added to Grants Program; Did You Know?; and This and That!
ClassTrips.com. From nature walks to museum adventures, class trips provide unique educational opportunities - through hearing, seeing, touching, talking, or doing. ClassTrips.com is a directory of day, overnight and travel trips for school, scout and youth groups that enrich classroom learning and support scout merit badge achievement. Over 500 types of trips to select from for PreK-12th grades. Each listing provides address, contact information, and a brief description. Trip lesson plans are available to help maximize each student’s learning experience. For those that can’t go on a class trip, we have a selection of school assembly and arts-in-education programs that can come to your school. Short on funds for class trips? We have a fundraising section that can provide you with ideas, and a directory of fundraising companies and products.
EducatorsResources.com is an online directory that helps teachers, principals, school administrators, PTAS/PTOs learn about resources, products and services. We offer the following sections with resources and information to help you make the school year a successful one: Sources for free curriculum material and a list of monthly themed observances to help spice up the curriculum; Grants and Awards. Provides an overview, resources and a listing of grants and awards; Service-Learning/Community Service Projects for Classroom Learning; School assembly and outreach programs. Provides tips and a variety of programs that travel to schools to enrich, educate, and entertain; A Marketplace of Instructional Materials and Supplies, Equipment and Services for classrooms and schools; Associations for both teachers and school administrators; Fundraising. Provides tips and a directory of fundraising companies and products for PTAs/PTOs.
12-5-12
The Space Foundation International Student Art Contest. Each year, the Space Foundation International Student Art Contest tinvites pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students from around the world to submit original artwork based on a space-oriented theme. The 2013 contest theme, "If I were going...", challenges students to imagine how they would personally experience space travel, exploration or settlement - and then interpret that idea into an original work of visual art (drawing, painting or digital). The Space Foundation will give a total of 41 awards to 36 Winners: 1st-, 2nd- and 3rd- Place in each of three media/art categories for each grade level/age group. One Grand Prize winner will be selected for each grade category from among the First-Place Winners in that group for a total of four Grand Prizes. In addition, the Space Foundation will confer a Space Foundation Achievement Award, which will be selected by the Space Foundation graphic arts team from among all the Winners. SUBMIT ENTRIES AT: artsonia.com/space. ENTRY DEADLINE: January 18, 2013
Duncan wants Congress to revamp NCLB. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is looking to Congress to revamp the No Child Left Behind Act, an effort he says the elected body needs to get serious about handling. So far, 34 states and the District of Columbia have been given waivers under the NCLB law. Noting that he will remain in the Obama administration for the "long haul," Duncan says he will concentrate his efforts on improving teacher and principal quality, and the Race to the Top grant program. (Education Week, 12/5)
Usual Suspects and Notable Absences Among Race to the Top District Finalists. The U.S. Department of Education selected 61 applicants as finalists for the Race to the Top-District (RTT-D) competition. The $400 million program will support local plans to create personalized learning environments for students.The finalists, chosen from 372 applicants, now have the chance to win one of 15 to 25 awards ranging from $5 million to $40 million based on the population of students served. The finalists represent 28 states and the District of Columbia, and include some of the country’s largest school districts—such as Boston, Dallas, New York City, Miami-Dade, and Philadelphia—as well as much smaller districts in rural areas. Los Angeles Unified School District is conspicuously absent from the list of finalists. Like some other districts, it was unable to obtain the necessary sign off on the plan from the district’s teachers union. (ASCD Capitol Connection, 12/4)
Changes Afoot at the Department of Ed. Key U.S. Department of Education officials have announced that they intend to leave at the end of President Obama’s first term, including Karen Cator, director of education technology, and Peter Cunningham, assistant secretary for communications and outreach, though they may not be the last. (ASCD Capitol Connection, 12/4)
Open Letter to Federal Leadership Re: Comprehensive Reauthorization of No Child Left Behind. National PTA President Betsy Landers urges federal leadership to come together to fix No Child Left Behind. (Learning First Alliance, 11/13)
Five Unanswered Questions About District Race to the Top (Education Week/Politics K-12 Blog, 12/5)
12-3-12
American Giving Awards Presented by Chase - Voting is Open Now Until Dec. 4! Art Feeds is an organization that exists to mobilize creative healing and encourage creative development in children. They offer free therapeutic art and creative education to students in schools on a weekly and consistent basis. They started in 2009 and have impacted 13,000 children to date. Currently, they work with 2,000 children weekly. Now they have the chance to impact 30,000 more wildly creative kiddos with your help. Art Feeds is up for NBC’s American Giving Awards presented by Chase and a chance to win $1 Million. Cast your vote November 27th-December 4th, then watch NBC’s American Giving Awards live on December 8th at 7 pm CST/8 pm EST.
Delightful December Crafts from Crayola. When the weather gets cold outside, arts and crafts with your family will keep you warm. Gather together and create crafts for the holidays: Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve - there is plenty to celebrate in December. Go to Crayola.com to view the Crayola Holiday Gift Guide and Special Holiday Offers. Crayola.com has art activities and games, craft ideas, coloring pages, and much more.
ED REVIEW - November 30, 2012...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders
News from Young Audiences Arts for Learning:
Healing Arts Programs for Children's Hospitals in Houston
Images from the Young Audiences Arts for Learning 60th Anniversary Gala
Pennsylvania: Leaning about the World of Art. MANSFIELD - This year's "Saturday Morning Art Class" at Mansfield University for local children ages 5 to 13 wrapped up Saturday with the focus on art from around the world. According to organizer Tasha Johnson, a senior art education major from Nashville, Tenn., she and art education majors Katelynn Warner, a senior from Sayre, and Emily Shea, a junior from Mifflinburg with a dual major of art education and graphic design, conducted three 30-minute workshops with all classes from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Allen Hall. This year about 13 students in the 4 and 5-year-old group, 15 in the 6 and 7-year-old group, and 20 in the 8 to 12 year-old group signed up for the classes, which are part of the university's requirement for students enrolled in the elementary curriculum, Johnson said. "We go through teaching different mediums, paint, clay, collage and incorporate artists like traditional, contemporary, local and for this last big one each teacher is picking a country and we will decorate the room, be in costume (and) teach about the country as well as its art," Johnson said. (The Sun Gazette)
Minnesota: Northfield 'has an edge' in meeting state arts education mandates. Minnesota has some of the highest standards for arts education in the country. But while schools don’t always meet those lofty expectations, the Northfield Public School District has been able to maintain healthy art programs. As schools work to increase student test scores in math, science and reading, arts education is often pushed aside, according to a survey released in October by the Perpich Center for Arts Education. “The increased level of standardized testing requirements puts the pinch on electives in general,” said Northfield High School principal Joel Leer. “But in the past six years of getting students registered [for classes at the high school], I would say there has been an increase in students enrolling in arts courses.” (Northfield News)
Alaska: Arts Education Consortium Seeks Nominations for Art Education Awards. Nominations are now open for the Alaska Arts Education Consortium’s “Alaska Champion of Arts in Education” awards. This award honors individuals or organizations from around Alaska who champion the arts in education, highlighting the positive impact of the arts on the lives of children and youth. Nominations are due by Jan. 31. For more information, contact Crista Cady at crista.cady@gmail.com.
Arts Education Data Helps Fight to Keep Arts in Schools
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The 30 Best iPhone Apps for Art Teachers - from The Teaching Palette. Since the launch of the iTunes App Store in July 2008, over 1 billion apps have been downloaded for use on the iTouch and iPhone. Currently, the App Store has 63,000 apps to choose from and it is no surprise that many of the iPhone/iTouch applications have educational value. Check out who made the cut for The Teaching Palette’s Best Apps for Art Teachers, along with some tips and suggested uses. Enjoy!
Got a Research Question? Ask A Fellow. Ask A Fellow is a project of the NAEA Distinguished Fellows intended to bring together researchers who have questions with Distinguished Fellows who have answers and can offer sound advice on research topics and projects. Art educators may submit questions about research or professional topics to the Distinguished Fellows. The question will be distributed to Distinguished Fellows for response. We expect one or two Fellows will find each question within their purview of interests, experience, and expertise. The questions should be clear and direct so they can be answered in a timely fashion. These collaborations are intended to be focused, functional, and temporary. A Distinguished Fellow will address the specific question and then exit from the discussion. "Ask A Fellow" is not intended for extended tenures, such as thesis or dissertation advisors or project collaborations.
Congratulations to Karen Keifer-Boyd! Karen Keifer-Boyd, professor of art education and women's studies, has received her second Fulbright Faculty Scholar grant and will spend a portion of spring 2012 teaching and conducting research on Social Justice Activism through Arts-based Research as Fulbright Visiting Professor in Gender Studies in the Zentrum für Frauen-und Geschlechterstudien (ZFG) Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies at Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Austria. She received her first Fulbright grant in 2006. Read more
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