February 11, 2022

Today we share the bittersweet news that after 5 years of service, Adam Johnston is leaving the Guild to pursue new opportunities. Adam was hired as Chief Operations Officer, and became Deputy Director of Operations in 2021. Among the many contributions he made to the organization during his tenure, he helped create new systems for our work, grew our operational capacity, and contributed to our financial stability, particularly during the pandemic. He also served as part of our Interim Management Team during our leadership transition.

Prior to being on staff, Adam first became involved with the Guild as a member in 2013, and continued to work with Guild member and partner organizations including Settlement Music School and Teaching Artists Guild for many years. Adam shares:

"The Guild immediately became a professional home for me. Being on staff has been an honor, and I plan to continue to participate in Guild programming in the future and benefit from the warmth and brilliance of this community."

We thank Adam for his time here, and wish him the best on his next steps!

DATE: February 4, 2022

CONTACT: Jenina Podulka, Communications Manager, (212) 268-3337 ext. 707; jeninapodulka@nationalguild.org 

New York, NY—The National Guild for Community Arts Education (Guild) is pleased to announce they have been approved to receive an American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to help the arts and cultural sector recover from the pandemic. The Guild is recommended to receive $150,000 in support of its mission to ensure all Americans have opportunities to maximize their creative potential by developing leaders, strengthening organizations, and advocating for community arts education. In total, the NEA will award grants totaling $57,750,000 to 567 arts organizations (including 11 Guild member organizations) in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, DC.

“Our nation’s arts sector has been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Endowment for the Arts’ American Rescue Plan funding will help arts organizations, such as The National Guild for Community Arts Education, rebuild and reopen,” said Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson, chair of the NEA. “The arts are crucial in helping America’s communities heal, unite, and inspire, as well as essential to our nation’s economic recovery.”  

“The COVID crisis is still taking an alarming toll on the community arts education field, especially BIPOC-led, small budget, and culturally-specific organizations,” said Karen LaShelle (Chair of the Board of Trustees, National Guild for Community Arts Education). “Since March 2020, we have endeavored to be transparent, nimble, and deeply collaborative with practitioners from all over the country. It is gratifying to receive this support in order to continue this important work.”

With this investment, the Guild is building on its track record of supporting the community arts education workforce in challenging times with a robust menu of online content open to all, and removing financial barriers to participation. By harnessing the creativity and leadership of the arts and cultural sector, the Guild is guiding efforts to build a field that is human-centered and grounded in equity.

The American Rescue Plan was signed into law in March 2021 when the NEA was provided $135 million for the arts sector. The funding for organizations is the third installment providing more than $57.7 million for arts organizations. In April 2021, the NEA announced $52 million (40 percent) in ARP funding would be allocated to 62 state, jurisdictional, and regional arts organizations for regranting through their respective programs. The second installment in November 2021 allocated $20.2 million to 66 local arts agencies for subgranting to local artists and art organizations.

For more information on the NEA’s American Rescue Plan grants, including the full list of arts organizations funded in this announcement, visit www.arts.gov/COVID-19/the-american-rescue-plan.

DATE: January 28, 2022

CONTACT: Jenina Podulka, Communications Manager, (212) 268-3337 ext. 707; jeninapodulka@nationalguild.org 
 

New York, NY—The National Guild for Community Arts Education (Guild) announced today two grant awards totaling $59,500 from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) to support the recovery of the nonprofit arts and culture sector. Following New York State’s $105 million investment in the arts for FY2022, NYSCA has awarded more than $80 million since June 2021. 

"The arts have long been a critical sector in our economy, and as we continue to rebuild a stronger New York, it's essential we do all we can to help this industry thrive once again," said Governor Kathy Hochul. "These awardees represent the best of what New York's vibrant communities have to offer and with this funding in hand, they will be able to not only continue their creative and inspiring work, but help spur revitalization in their own backyard as well." You can read Governor Hochul’s press release here.

“NYSCA applauds Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature for their responsive investment of $105 million for the nonprofit arts and culture sector. 2022 will continue to bring change and the Guild will play a vital role in the renewal of our state’s economy and creative ecosystem,” said Mara Manus, Executive Director, NYSCA. “On behalf of the entire NYSCA Team, we wish to extend our sincere congratulations on your award.”

“Council congratulates the Guild on their grant award! New York State arts and culture organizations inspire New Yorkers and cultivate community in every region,” said Katherine Nicholls, Chair, NYSCA. “Arts and culture are crucial to our state’s health, and Council recognizes the dynamic impact of NYSCA grantees on the well-being of all New Yorkers.” 

Based in New York City, the Guild is the only national service organization for providers of community arts education in all artistic disciplines, unified by a shared belief in the power of the arts to transform lives. The Guild’s strength is its ability to convene practitioners, funders, youth, policy makers, researchers, teaching artists, and cross-sector partners to address challenges within the field and develop solutions together. 

Since Spring 2020, the Guild has been listening to and building with the field to navigate the COVID-19 crisis together. With NYSCA’s investment, the Guild has developed virtual engagements with, for, and by practitioners from a diversity of backgrounds and regions throughout New York State, in settings and disciplines that would have been impossible to do in-person. By harnessing the creativity and leadership of our peers, the Guild is making strides towards our shared vision for healthier communities, greater equity, and a world where every individual has a chance to fulfill their creative potential.

December 10, 2021

In advance of our Annual Meeting on December 9th, Guild members voted on the board of trustees slate. Here are the results:

Directors of Full Member Institutions elected for their first three-year term:

Matt D'Arrigo, Co-Founder and Director of the Center of Creative Youth Development at the Clare Rose Foundation; San Diego, CA

Matt D’Arrigo has dedicated the past 20 years of his life to being a champion and advocate for the arts and young people. He is the Co-Founder and Director of The Center for Creative Youth Development (CYD) at the Clare Rose Foundation in San Diego, CA. The Center is a philanthropic intermediary established to ensure that CYD funders, practitioners, organizations, and young people have access to the resources, tools, opportunities, and relationships they need to thrive. Through a collective action approach D’Arrigo oversees all local, regional, and national strategy, investments, advocacy, coalition building, and field building activities.

Prior to joining Clare Rose Foundation, D’Arrigo was the Founder and CEO of A Reason To Survive (ARTS), a nationally recognized CYD organization based in National City, CA. His work with ARTS was the subject of the 2013 Academy Award winning documentary short “Inocente”, featured on the Today Show, was a case study in the New York Times best selling book "Decisive" by Chip and Dan Heath, and profiled in Darius Graham’s book “Being the Difference: True Stories of Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things to Change the World”. 

Magda Martinez, Chief Operating Officer, Mural Arts; Philadelphia, PA

Magda Martinez joined Mural Arts Philadelphia after 16 years as the Director of Programs at the Fleisher Art Memorial. As a member of Fleisher’s leadership team, Magda shaped the strategic vision of the institution. In addition, she designed and implemented Fleisher’s nationally recognized audience engagement initiative—which has been featured in the publications Staying Relevant in a Changing Neighborhood: How Fleisher Art Memorial is Adapting to Shifting Community Demographics and The Road to Results: Effective Practices for Building Arts Audiences—and the nationally recognized Teen Lounge, an arts-based drop-in program for young people between the ages 13–18, featured in the report Something to Say: Success Principles for Afterschool Arts Programs From Urban Youth and Other Experts.

Magda has served as a board member of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund and has served on the board of the Bartol Foundation and Taller Puertorriqueño.

Erin Perry, Executive Director, Legacy Arts Project; Pittsburgh, PA

Erin Perry is a mother, wife, teacher, artist and arts administrator, and long time advocate for culturally relevant education and community engagement. She is the executive director of the Legacy Arts Project (LAP) and is passionate about the healing and transformative power of the arts. Since her first immersive experience with West African drum and dance, Erin has been on a mission to learn more about herself and the world through cultural exploration, appreciation, and expression.

As Ms. Perry has continued to evolve, so has her work. Rooted in cultural exploration, she has grown to understand the role of arts and culture in the development of a strong self-identity. As such, she has traveled throughout the African diaspora, experiencing culture through direct immersion in the activities of the people and places she has visited. From these experiences, relationships have been formed, knowledge transmitted, and bridges built, enabling Erin to develop a foundation from which to share her knowledge.

Directors of Full Member Institutions reelected for a three-year term:

Eric Delli Bovi, President & CEO, Urban Gateways; Chicago, IL

"At Large" Candidates reelected for a three-year term:

Roma Calatayud-Stocks; Minneapolis, MN

Robyn Newhouse, Vice-President/Community Service, The Republican; Springfield, MA

New Board Officers:

Chair: Karen LaShelle, Executive Director, Creative Action, Austin, TX

Treasurer: Kyle Carpenter, Chief Executive Officer, MacPhail Center for Music, Minneapolis, MN

Secretary: Katie Smythe, Founding CEO and Artistic Director, New Ballet Ensemble & School, Memphis, TN

You can view the full list of Guild Trustees here.

December 3, 2021

Contact: Jenina Podulka 

jeninapodulka@nationalguild.org  

New York, NY—The National Guild for Community Arts Education (“Guild”) is thrilled to announce that Quanice G. Floyd (she/her) will become its new Executive Director effective January 10, 2022. The Guild is the sole national service organization for providers of community arts education, with over 400 members spanning a wide range of art forms, organization types, and geographic locations across the U.S. A longtime member of the Guild family, Ms. Floyd is a passionate advocate with a deep understanding of the community arts education field, as well as a demonstrated commitment to racial equity. Her visionary leadership will be invaluable in this critical time of transformation for the organization. Ms. Floyd was selected as part of a national open call for applications that took place in spring 2021. The search was led by Arts Consulting Group (ACG). 

Ms. Floyd has strong familiarity with the Guild’s work and the work of its members. As a music educator and arts administrator for many years, she worked at several Guild member organizations including Levine Music and Washington Performing Arts. She first became involved with the Guild as a volunteer supporting the annual Conference for Community Arts Education in 2015 and 2016, and then went on to join two of the Guild’s member networks—the Emerging Leaders Network and the ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, Native American) Network. In 2018, she was accepted to the Guild’s Community Arts Education Leadership Institute (CAELI), receiving the first CAELI Alumni Scholarship. She then served as the Guild’s Director of Learning and Leadership Development in 2019, and as staff liaison to the board’s Racial Equity Committee. 

Ms. Floyd had the opportunity to further apply her leadership towards championing the transformative power of the arts as Executive Director of Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS). In this position, she served as a statewide advocate and lobbyist for arts education in schools across the state of Maryland, inaugurated an annual Anti-Racist Arts Education Symposium, and advocated successfully to pass a law that funds AEMS's arts education data collection efforts. In 2020, she was awarded Arts Advocate of the Year by the Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA). She also is the founder and former director of the Arts Administrators of Color Network, and has played an integral role in campaigns for racial equity across the field, most recently as part of the Progressive Arts Education Coalition (PAEC).

In her journey from Guild member, to volunteer, to program participant, to staff member, now culminating in a return as Executive Director, Ms. Floyd exemplifies the power of investment in leadership pathways. This investment in the field is an integral part of the Guild’s strategy to ensure that all people have opportunities to maximize their creative potential.

“We are very excited to welcome Ms. Floyd, and eagerly anticipate her arrival as our next leader at this pivotal moment in the Guild’s history,” said Chair of the Guild’s Board of Trustees, Duffie Adelson. “Ms. Floyd is passionate about community arts education and its power to transform lives. Her voice is highly respected and sought after across the nation. She is a visionary leader and an “outside the box” thinker with a proven ability to build organizations around equity. We look forward to supporting and working alongside her as she leads us forward in our service to our members and the field.”

“It is an honor to be able to guide the National Guild into its next chapter,” said Ms. Floyd. “It is a critical time for our sector. Artists and organizations are just beginning to understand the two pandemics we have been reckoning with (white supremacy and COVID-19). We need a space and a place to heal and reimagine—not only to move beyond the moment, but also to make sure these things are not perpetuated for future generations. The field needs leadership that is collective, collaborative, and community-centered, and the Guild will be a place that embodies, supports, and grows that type of leadership. Community arts education plays a significant role in strengthening relationships with our communities, and I am looking forward to helping the Guild and the sector be the change we want and deserve to be.”

“Arts Consulting Group was honored to partner with the Guild and to have worked with a broad and inclusive search committee on this critical search,” said Wyona Lynch-McWhite, Senior Vice President of Arts Consulting Group. “Ms. Floyd is an advocate and passionate visionary for community arts education who will work to advance the organization’s mission.”

Ms. Floyd will be introduced to members as the incoming Executive Director during the Guild’s 2021 Annual Member Meeting on Thursday, December 9th. The meeting is open to all (Guild membership is not required)—more information, and the link to register, can be found here.

The National Guild for Community Arts Education ensures all people have opportunities to maximize their creative potential by developing leaders, strengthening organizations, and advocating for community arts education. The Guild’s work supports all arts disciplines and facets of leadership—from creative youth development, to emerging leaders, to creative aging.  Through these strategies, the Guild aims to address our country’s widening opportunity gap, which leaves millions of individuals with little or no access to the creative resources they need to reach their full potential. www.nationalguild.org

July 30, 2021

As part of our ongoing racial equity journey, Guild staff is unpacking our own white supremacy behaviors in monthly meetings about anti-racism, led by Ashley Hare—our Deputy Director of Equity & Human Development. The staff is currently poring through whitesupremacyculture.info—a website full of resources to understand, resist, and dismantle white supremacy culture. The website is conceived and designed by Tema Okun (who wrote the original article on White Supremacy Culture in 1999), with support from many colleagues and friends.

Learn more about the Guild's racial equity journey here.

We would love to hear what you're reading and seeing as part of your racial equity learning and unlearning! Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

July 21, 2021

The Guild is thrilled to welcome Natalia Vilela as our new Communications Coordinator! 

Natalia Vilela (she/they) is excited to join the National Guild team remotely from Long Beach, New York. Natalia is a knowledge-hungry Peruvian-American with a longtime interest in graphic design and community-empowering initiatives. She strives to amplify such initiatives via communicative visuals, and aims to promote work that captivates those who proudly strengthen others. One of their most recent experiences within the nonprofit realm involves working as the Communications Assistant for the migrant rights nonprofit Justice in Motion. Natalia holds a B.A. in Journalism from Hofstra University and a certificate from the Shillington School of Graphic Design.