In a new essay, Shawn Ginwright, professor at San Francisco State University and keynote speaker at the Guild’s 2015 Conference, argues that youth development models should move from “trauma informed care” to “healing centered engagement.” While acknowledging the importance of trauma-informed work, Dr. Ginwright’s own experience working with young people—in particular, young African American men who have experienced severe trauma—indicated that the term “trauma-informed” did not “encompass the totality of the [young people’s] experience[s] and focused only on [their] harm, injury and trauma.”

“For me, I realized the term slipped into the murky water of deficit based, rather than asset driven strategies to support young people who have been harmed. Without careful consideration of the terms we use, we can create blind spots in our efforts to support young people,” writes Dr. Ginwright.

After identifying possible deficiencies with the “trauma-informed” framework—including that it focuses on individual rather than collective harm, and that it is centered on pathology rather than possibility—Dr. Ginwright offers a “healing centered” lens as an alternative approach. According to the essay:

“A healing centered approach is holistic involving culture, spirituality, civic action and collective healing. A healing centered approach views trauma not simply as an individual isolated experience, but rather highlights the ways in which trauma and healing are experienced collectively. The term healing centered engagement expands how we think about responses to trauma and offers more holistic approach to fostering well-being.”

You can read the full essay here.

Community arts educators advocate strongly for the importance of arts integration in K-12 schools. However, it’s not always clear how much data—particularly robust quantitative data—there is to back up the case. New research from the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is helpful for starting to fill that gap. According to the Wallace Foundation, the research “finds that high-quality programs that incorporate music, theater or other arts into core subjects such as English and math can make a difference in learning.” Furthermore, the study details how specific arts integration programs may be eligible for funding under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

“AIR researchers scoured studies of arts-integration programs and found 44—a substantial number—that meet the standards of evidence the law requires. Programs that fit the bill incorporate a range of activities, including teacher professional development, school improvement efforts, procurement of instructional materials and supports for English learners,” writes the Wallace Foundation.

You can see the presentation given by AIR on the report or read the full document here.

A recent article in the Los Angeles Times highlighted the growing relationship between trauma, art, and healing, particularly in the context of military veterans. For one veteran, Sgt. Mike Dowling, creative writing was a profound vehicle healing. "Writing that book was a cathartic experience," said Dowling, speaking to the LA times. "Once I got it down on paper, it felt OK to talk about what had been deeply repressed, painful feelings. I found that through writing, I could actually channel some of the energy of certain memories and images into artistic reflections that were empowering."

According to the article, “Art therapy has long been a component of school counseling departments, acute care hospitals and nursing homes. But now it's also being tapped by veterans' agencies and clinics for its value as a constructive expression of states of mind both extreme and inescapable.”

For those dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, art is often one of the only ways to explore deep feelings of pain in a way that is expressive and liberating. For one expert, Tess Banko, executive director of the UCLA Veteran Family Wellness Center and a Marine Corps veteran, the key is the role that art plays in promoting love. "It is important to know that someone loves you — even it is only you — and that is where artistic expression can really make a difference."

Read the full article here.

A new book from Amy Nathan, Making Time for Making Music: How to Bring Music into Your Busy Life, explores how time-stretched adults can make focused time to follow their musical passion. The book draws on conversations with an “advice panel” that includes numerous Guild members, including: Eastman New Horizons Chorus, Harmony Project, Peabody Preparatory, San Francisco Community Music Center, and Third Street Music School.

According to Erika Floreska, executive director at Bloomingdale School of Music, “Amy Nathan once again opens up the world of music to make it more accessible to more people. This book, by focusing on real stories, challenges, and benefits adults have faced keeping and bringing music into their lives, demonstrates how music is for all—at any level, at any point in life. Makes me want to get my flute out!”

The book demonstrates the wide-ranging avenues for accessing music and music education, while also exploring the long-term benefits on health and well-being. According to the author, “the book is filled with real-life success stories from more than 350 adults in the U.S., UK and elsewhere (ranging in age from 25 to 96) who don’t have musical careers but still fit in time for music-making."

Making Time for Making Music is a reminder that there is always enough time for the things that matter.

You can learn more about the book here.

Bloomberg Philanthropies is investing $43 million in over 200 small and midsize arts organizations in seven cities, according to The New York Times. The supported cities include Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Denver, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Washington.

“By invitation only, selected organizations are being offered unrestricted support — roughly 10 percent of their annual operating budgets — in addition to arts-management training. That includes a consulting mentor for each organization and a series of seminars for all grantees in a given city on topics such as fund-raising, strategic planning, marketing and board development.”

The funding is provided through a cohort model. Grant recipients in particular cities connect with one another during the training process. According to the NY Times, “Each institution is asked to match 20 percent of the dollar amount it is given — a chance to put into practice some of the fund-raising tools offered through the program.”

Read the full article here.