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NAEF Column: Feb/Mar 2022

NAEA News Feb/Mar 2022

The columns for this issue of NAEA News were written prior to the 2022 National Convention. As such, you may find information about Convention sessions and references to past occurrences in the future tense.


National Art Education Foundation Featured Events at NAEA Convention

The National Art Education Foundation (NAEF) convenes its Board of Trustees and supports a number of sessions and events at the NAEA National Convention each year. The NAEF Board of Trustees will hold its annual meeting on Wednesday, March 2. NAEF sessions during the Convention include a session on applying for NAEF Grants on Thursday, March 3 at 12:50 pm (Hilton/Mercury Ballroom/3rd Floor) and a panel featuring recent NAEF grantee projects on Saturday, March 5 at 1:00 pm (Hilton/Clinton/2nd Floor). This year’s session will feature two exemplary projects focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Flávia Bastos and James Rees will present their NAEF-funded, award-winning research on Who Is American Today? An Ongoing Research Project Investigating High School Students’ Views of Being American Through Digital Media. Michelle Paisano will discuss her NAEF-funded work to bring visual arts education back to the Native American Reservation in Laguna, New Mexico.

NAEF has been instrumental in supporting NAEA initiatives with direct funding of $575,000 since 2011. Among the NAEA initiatives NAEF has supported are the NAEA School for Art Leaders (SAL) since 2015; the NAEA Research Commission Preconvention since 2016; and the NAEA Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Commission since 2020.

The 11th NAEF Annual Fundraising Benefit Event returns to Saturday, March 5, in the morning. This year’s program highlights our Convention location in New York City by featuring ArtMuse founder and executive director, Natasha Schlesinger, in a program titled Art Junction: Curating, Advising, Guiding and Bridging Art and Technology in Today’s Contemporary Art World. Schlesinger will speak about her role as an art advisor, guide, curator, and art tech entrepreneur in the contemporary art world. She will present her various projects and concepts, both past and current, from art curations to partnerships and her tech/NFT ventures. The conversation will include opportunities for audience questions. We welcome all Convention attendees to enrich their New York City experience by attending this ticketed special event!

NAEA News_Feb2022_NAEF

In addition to the benefit event, NAEF is launching its first-ever silent auction! Beginning March 5, eight signed artist proof prints by Shepard Fairey and collaborating artists will be open for bidding. These works were donated to NAEF by Nicholas Bowers, lead studio assistant to Fairey, and Obey Studios.

The bidding will close March 12 at 8 pm EST. Thank you in advance for your support. Click here for information.

NAEF Retreat
NAEF convened a board retreat in Alexandria, Virginia, in late October 2021, coordinated by Kathi Levin and Jonathan Katz.

Acknowledgements
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to acknowledge the leadership of Doug Blandy who will be completing his tenure on the board following this year’s convention. Thank you, Doug for your vision, hard work, voice of reason and friendship! Thanks to Samantha Melvin and NAEA Staff, including A. J. Calbert and Krista Brooke, for working on launching the NAEF online auction of Shepard Fairey prints taking place on March 5-12, 2022.



Column by:
Diane Scully, NAEF Chair

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