Cherie Hill Named President-Elect of California Dance Education Association

Cherie Hill, Director of Community and Culture at Luna Dance Institute (Berkeley, California) has been elected as president of the California Dance Education Association. The CDEA is a state affiliate of the National Dance Education Organization, a non-profit professional organization serving emerging, practicing, and master dance artists, teachers, and scholars. The organization advances dance as a performing art in diverse educational sectors and communities.

In her new role, Hill says she is "honored to serve California and the field of dance education in this capacity and to join CDEA's incredible Executive Board. CDEA's work in advocacy is remarkable and I look forward to being a leader for emerging, practicing and master dance artists, teacher, and scholars throughout the state.”

Cherie Hill is an alum of the Community Arts Education Leadership Institute (CAELI).

Read the full release here.

Opera America Awards Opera Minnesota a Civic Practice Grant

Opera America awarded $180,000 to seven companies across the country as part of their first-ever Civic Practice Grants. The awards of up to $30,000 each are supported by Opera America's Opera Fund Endowment and awarded on a biennial basis. In a release, Opera America says the grants are to "support opera companies’ efforts to learn more about civic priorities within their communities, to develop relationships with leading arts and non-arts organizations and their leaders, and to discover and deliver services that strengthen their communities, as well as the visibility and trust of the opera company within it."

Minnesota Opera, a Guild member, was among the seven projects funded. Funding from Opera America will go to build its capacity to develop a civic practice with the local Hmong-American community. Through a conversation series co-created with project partners, the company will listen and learn what are the pressing needs of this community and what of its own expertise and resources might be a support.

Other funded projects include the Chicago Opera Theater, Houston Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Omaha, San Francisco Opera and The Santa Fe Opera.

Read the full release here.

Houston Study Examines Impact of Arts Education

A study released in February by the Houston Education Research Consortium explores the impacts of arts education on elementary and middle school students in Houston, TX. Researchers worked with the school district to randomly assign schools to participate in Houston's Arts Access Initiative, and studied students enrolled in the program as well as students not receiving additional arts education.

Researchers found that "arts-learning experiences benefit students in terms of reductions in disciplinary infractions, increases in compassion for others and improvements in writing achievement," as well as improved school engagement.

Read the full study here.

Guild Members Awarded 2019 National Endowment for the Arts Grants

The National Endowment for the Arts announced recipients of over $27 million in 2019 grant funding this week, awarded to grantees in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The grants are awarded to further the Endowment's goal to provide all Americans with the opportunity to participate in and experience the arts.

The awards announced represent three of the NEA's funding categories: Art Works and Challenge America to support projects by nonprofit organizations, and Creative Writing Fellowships. Through these grants, the National Endowment for the Arts "supports local economies and preserves American heritage while embracing new forms of creative expression."

Thirteen Guild members were among the winners, awarded a total of $420,500 to provide arts education and programming in their communities across the country. Congratulations to the grantees on their hard work! If you are a 2019 NEA grantee and not listed below, please contact Sabine at sabinebernards@nationalguild.org to be added to the list.

Read the full release here.

2019 Guild members awarded NEA grants:

ART 180

$10,000 | Richmond, VA

To support after-school arts programming for teens from underserved communities.

Arts Corps

$35,500 | Seattle, WA

To support a multidisciplinary arts education program for Seattle youth from underserved communities

Big Thought

$100,000 | Dallas, TX

To support Dallas City of Learning (DCOL), a collective impact project

Campanile Center for the Arts

$10,000 | Minocqua, WI

To support a concert performance and related outreach activities in rural Wisconsin.

Center of Creative Arts

$40,000 | Saint Louis, MO

To support a dance outreach program for youth from underserved communities.

Cleveland Play House

$15,000 | Cleveland, OH

To support training and mentorship activities for emerging theater leaders in artistic direction and theater management.

Creative Action

$50,000 | Austin, TX

To support creative youth development programs for teens in film, theater, and visual arts.

Destiny Arts Center

$15,000 | Oakland, CA

To support performing arts instruction for students.

Flower City Arts Center

$10,000 | Rochester, NY

To support an artist-in-residence program for visual artists.

Minnesota Opera

$50,000 | Minneapolis, MN

To support the world premiere and additional performances of The Fix, a new opera by Composer Joel Puckett and Librettist Eric Simonson.

New Urban Arts

$15,000 | Providence, RI

To support an arts mentorship program for underserved high school students.

Philadelphia Young Playwrights

$15,000 | Philadelphia, PA

To support the Core Playwriting Program.

Project STEP, Inc.

$55,000 | Boston, MA

To support an intensive string music training program for youth.

2019 Grantmakers in the Arts Conference Accepting Proposals

Grantmakers in the Arts is currently seeking session proposals for the 2019 GIA Conference in Denver, Colorado. The conference, which will take place Sunday, October 13 – Wednesday, October 16, 2019, is the largest annual convening of arts funders, and an opportunity for those in the field to learn from each other.

Session proposals are now being accepted from GIA members.Grantmakers in the Arts will continue to foreground its funding focus areas: arts education, capitalization, racial equity, support for individual artists, and funding at the intersection of arts and other portfolios. We also encourage session proposals that explore Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw’s concept of intersectionality – exploring the impact of overlaps between identities such as between race, gender, sexuality, disability, and others such as discussions of the #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, Just Transition movements and how they manifest in the field of arts and cultural funding.

More information on the session proposals here.

2019 Community Arts Education Leadership Institute Applications Now Open

The National Guild for Community Arts Education is happy to announce that applications for CAELI 2019 are now open.

Community Arts Education Leadership Institute (CAELI) provides an intensive, transformative experience through which both seasoned and emerging leaders advance their skills by engaging with top leadership trainers, nationally renowned practitioners, and a diverse cohort of peers.

The eight-month program includes a five-day seminar at Bryn Mawr College (Philadelphia, PA), from July 16-20, 2019, a 360-degree feedback process, peer-mentoring, and follow-up coaching. To optimize the learning experience, participation is limited to 26 individuals selected through a competitive application process.

"The institute offers a perfect balance of instruction, introspection, coaching, and practical application," says one alum. "All of its elements add up to an experience that profoundly helps emerging leaders develop personally and professionally."

Applications are due April 5. Join us for a webinar on March 6 to learn more about the program and application process.

Lincoln Center Names New President

Henry Timms, current head of the 92nd Street Y, has been tapped to lead Lincoln Center. He will be taking over as president of the nation's largest performing arts complex, which includes the Metropolitan Opera, the Philharmonic, and the New York City Ballet.

He is taking over after Lincoln Center has seen two different presidents come and go in only a few years. He will be tasked with seeing Lincoln Center through large projects which have stalled in recent year, including the renovation of Geffen Hall.

Read the full article here.

Karen Deschere, Executive Director of Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts, Passes Away

Karen Deschere passed away after a long battle with cancer on January 11, 2019. A lifelong music lover, Karen devoted herself to her work in the arts across the country, including serving as the Executive Director of the Hudson Valley Philharmonic; Managing Director for Education at the Grammy Foundation in Los Angeles; Executive Director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus and Civic Orchestra of Chicago, adjuncts of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; President and Chief Executive Officer of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee; Education Director at Boys and Girls Harbor in Harlem. Most recently, Karen served as the executive director of Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts in New Jersey since 2014.

In a memorial post, Wharton remembered Karen's "love for music and her deep commitment and undying passion to change lives through music." Outside of work, Karen sang in many church choirs wherever she moved across the U.S.

Karen was both a respected and loved member of the National Guild member community as well as a participant in the 2017 Community Arts Education Leadership Institute (CAELI). Those who participated in the program with Karen remember her generosity, kindness, and passion for arts leadership. She will be missed by many; the Guild and our community are thankful to have had Karen’s voice and leadership over these many years.

A memorial service celebrating Karen’s life will be held on February 9, from 11 AM – 1 PM at The First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York, 48 Fifth Avenue (Between 11^th and 12^th Streets), NYC 10011

In lieu of flowers or other tributes, contributions may be sent to The Karen Deschere Fund for Excellence at Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts, 60 Locust Avenue, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922.

Read the full release from Wharton here.

Foundation Center and GuideStar Merge

Foundation Center and GuideStar have merged into one organization called Candid. Foundation Center provides resources and tools to nonprofits including training and lists of funding opportunities. GuideStar provides information about nonprofits to prospective donors, foundations, and nonprofit leaders.

Together, the two organizations aim to connect nonprofits, foundations, and donors to resources, tools, and information through their online platform. "Every year, millions of nonprofits spend trillions of dollars around the world," their new website states. "Candid finds out where that money comes from, where it goes, and why it matters."

Organizations can use the platform to research nonprofits, find funding, get verified, and stay up to date on funding and social issues.

Teaching Artists & the Los Angeles Teachers’ Strike

Teaching artists in Los Angeles found ways to support their certified teacher colleagues in the recent Los Angeles Unified School District strike. The strike, which lasted for six days and ended on January 22, called for smaller class sizes, better services for students, and better pay for more than 30,000 teachers.

In a post on their blog, the Teaching Artists Guild stated their support of the strike saying that "onsite, during school-day arts programming taught with teaching artist partners should be canceled during the strike," in solidarity with the district teachers. Jean Johnstone, the executive director of the Teaching Artist Guild, told Hyperallergic, "this is a new area for us. We’re not a union, but we want to do the right thing and stand by our colleagues who are striking.” A credentialed teacher needs to be present when teaching artists are in the classroom, so teaching artist programs were effectively on hold during the strike.

Some teaching artists joined teachers on the picket line, including San Pedro-based visual artists Jayn Ghormley. Ghormley said, "teachers are my heroes. When they were striking, I needed to be with the teachers." Many organizations were less explicit in their support of the strike, saying they both supported teachers and saw the need for the district to find a financial balance.

Marissa Sykes, a teaching artist at Inner-City Arts who works at the Creativity Lab, hopes the strike's benefits outweigh the disruption to their students' lives. "I want the students to know that their communities are behind them," she told Hyperallergic. "I’m excited for students to see their teachers being dedicated to fight for them.”

Read more in the Teaching Artist Guild blog post and the Hyperallergic Article.