Creative Youth Development National Partnership Receives $50,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

 

DATE: April 20, 2021

CONTACT

Jenina Podulka

National Guild for Community Arts Education

jeninapodulka@nationalguild.org 

nationalguild.org

 

New York, NY—The National Guild for Community Arts Education has been approved for a $50,000 Grants for Arts Projects award to support the Creative Youth Development National Partnership. This project will foster systemic change through robust programs for young artists that prioritize youth leadership and voice, and are rooted in racial equity, social justice, and collective action. The CYD National Partnership’s project is among 1,073 projects across America, totaling nearly $25 million, that were selected during this first round of fiscal year 2021 funding in the Grants for Arts Projects funding category. 

“We are excited to continue supporting the growth of CYD Peer Networks in Austin, Texas, and Detroit, Michigan,” said Ashley Hare, the Guild’s Director of Leadership Development. “The pandemic last year was unexpected, but gave us more time together to recenter around the values of CYD, and ensure authentic relationship-building between youth and adult practitioners.”

Creative youth development (CYD) peer networks are localized (usually city, state, county, neighborhood) convenings of multiple CYD organizations from artistic mediums who are connecting with one another to learn, collaborate, and collectively advance CYD. Research has shown that peer learning networks facilitate the sharing of knowledge, ideas, and promising practices, resulting in long-term positive outcomes for participants, organizations, and the field. In 2020, the Partnership launched three Regional Peer Networks as well as the National Youth Network, which is made up of young people (ages 13-24) from across the United States. Learn more about the Partnership’s work to date here. 

 

In 2021, the Partnership’s work will include:

  • Sustaining the growth of two Regional Peer Networks and the National Youth Network.

  • Developing a CYD Self-Assessment Tool, which will allow organizations and networks to assess how well they are adhering to the values of creative youth development and provide them with action steps to better embody these values.

  • Disseminating findings via an online learning series and other digital platforms.

  • Producing the 4th annual National Young Artists Summit. 

  • Confronting adultism—behaviors and attitudes based on the assumptions that adults are better and more knowledgeable than young people, and entitled to act on behalf of young people without their agreement—especially in regards to how it can show up in creative youth development spaces.

  • Authentically including members of the National Youth Network as part of the CYD National Partnership.

 

“The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support this project from the Creative Youth Development National Partnership,” said Arts Endowment Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. “The CYD National Partnership is among the arts organizations across the country that have demonstrated creativity, excellence, and resilience during this very challenging year.” 

 

For more information on projects included in the Arts Endowment grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.

 

The CYD National Partnership aims to ensure that creative youth development is a broadly-implemented, well-researched, and equitably-funded practice and available to all youth. In 2018, the Partnership created the CYD National Action Blueprint in concert with 650+ cross-sector stakeholders, calling for all young people to have equitable access to opportunities to: realize their creative potential; live richer, fuller lives; and develop the critical learning and life skills they need to become active contributors to their communities. The Partnership's work is guided by the core values of CYD: youth voice, racial equity and social justice, and collective action. Activities are focused on three strategic priorities for advancing CYD: Building pathways to funding; Documenting and communicating impact; and Field Building. www.creativeyouthdevelopment.org 

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. 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 

 

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Applications for National Young Artists Summit planning committee open until 4/28

April 13, 2021
 
Youth leaders ages 15–20 can apply to join the 2021 National Young Artists Summit planning committee through Wednesday, April 28th at 11:59pm. 
 
 
Working with a group of youth from across the country, committee members design 2021 National Young Artists Summit—a full-day Summit, entirely designed and led by young people, providing opportunities for youth leaders, ages 15–20 from a range of artistic disciplines, to connect, create, and celebrate. The Summit will take place virtually on Saturday, October 16, 2021, and is a program of the Creative Youth Development National Partnership. This work is funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
 
If you are: 15–20 years old; a life-long learner; possess tenacious spirits; share the belief in the transformational power of youth voice, racial and social justice, and collective action—this position is for you! Please help spread the word to young people who you think might be interested in this position.

NADAC releases first issue of Arts Research Quarterly

April 9, 2021

The National Archive of Data on Arts and Culture (NADAC) has introduced Arts Research Quarterly. Produced in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Arts Research Quarterly samples recent research publications on the arts ecosystem and on the arts' value and impact for individuals and communities. The literature is based on secondary analysis of arts datasets, whether they are housed at NADAC or elsewhere. 

The first issue spotlights articles and reports on crowdfunding in the arts sector, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the arts and creative industries, motivations and barriers affecting arts engagement, and other topics.

Access the first issue here.

The National Archive of Data on Arts and Culture (NADAC) is a repository that facilitates research on arts and culture by acquiring data, particularly those funded by federal agencies and other organizations, and sharing those data with researchers, policymakers, people in the arts and culture field, and the general public. It is one of several topical archives hosted by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), the largest social science data archive in the world and part of the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research. NADAC is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Thanks to the support from the NEA, users can obtain data from NADAC completely free of charge.

All Our Yesterdays—A Brief History of the National Guild for Community Arts Education 1967–2001, available now!

April 7, 2021
 
Lolita Mayadas, former Executive Director of the National Guild for Community Arts Education, has written a history of the Guild from 1967–2001 called All Our Yesterdays—available now at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
 
From the book's description: "Written in a style that is part-history and part-memoir, this book takes the reader through periods of great stress when the association might well have folded. At the same time, the vision and determination of its leaders were instrumental in keeping the torch lit, resulting in significant achievements."
 
We are excited about this addition to the story of the Guild!
 
 
All Our Yesterdays sell sheet

Three Media Literacy Resources from Guild Member Jacob Burns Film Center

April 2, 2021
 
Guild member (and Catalyzing Creative Aging program alum) Jacob Burns Film Center is engaging schools and community organizations with free virtual programs focused on media literacy and social emotional learning through film. 
 
These resources are available for practitioners across the country to use: 
  • Classroom to Screening Room: Free virtual field trips with streaming links, live post film discussions with JBFC Educators, and Discussion Guides built for in-person, hybrid, or full remote learning environments.
  • Image, Sound, and Story: Searchable library of media literacy lessons for teachers focusing on building filmmaking and storytelling fundamentals, so learners can be critical of what they watch and intentional with what they make.
  • Short Film Library: Ever-expanding curated library of short films (narrative, documentary, and animations) with accompanying filmmaker backgrounds and discussion questions aimed towards learning film and story techniques and building empathy.

Guild member Sitar Arts Center featured in The Alchemy of High-Performing Arts Organizations, Part II: A Spotlight on Organizations of Color

March 31, 2021

Guild member Sitar Arts Center was recently featured in The Alchemy of High-Performing Arts Organizations, A Spotlight on Organizations of Color from SMU DataArts, the leading source of data for the arts and culture sector, and The Wallace Foundation, a leading national funder of high-quality arts and afterschool programs. The report is based on interviews with 21 arts leaders nationwide, including Sitar Arts Center's Executive Director, Maureen Dwyer, and aims to provide insights to arts organizations across the U.S. in their own approach to financial sustainability.  

Read the full report here.

Growing Divides: Historical and Emerging Inequalities in Arts Internships

March 26, 2021

“Growing Divides: Historical and Emerging Inequalities in Arts Internships” is the 11th major research report commissioned by the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project. The report, authored by Alexandre Frenette, Gillian Gualtieri and Megan Robinson of the Curb Center at Vanderbilt University, is a revealing deep dive into the efficacy, popularity and growing inequities that are reshaping what they call the “intern economy".

“Growing Divides” exposes important emerging trends that deserve greater attention and proactive energy from arts schools. Pre-pandemic evidence from SNAAP data suggests that the current conditions will continue to pose particular challenges for women, people of color, and first-generation college graduates. Arts schools’ leadership and policymakers must consider how to ensure a more robust and equitable arts economy for arts students and alumni in a post-COVID-19 context.

Read the full report here.

11 Strategies for Adapting Culminating Events During COVID

March 24, 2021
 
Findings From National Study on Adapting Culminating Events in CYD Programs
 
Young people consistently rank culminating events—performances, exhibitions, youth summits, screenings of their films—as a powerful motivator and key aspect of their involvement in creative youth development programs.

Recently-released research from CultureThrive explores how CYD programs are adapting culminating events to the current, largely virtual environments. Findings include the top challenges organizations face, trends in programming and events, strategies for adapting culminating events during the COVID-19 pandemic, and implications for funders. 

 
Find out more on CultureThrive's website.

Some hopeful news is that while organizations face many challenges, including youth engagement; technology and connectivity; and staff capacity and stress, opportunities have emerged with regard to events during the pandemic. Specifically, 58% of organizations reported that, overall, community members have been more available to attend their events. This has included alumni, elected officials, creative industry professionals, funders, and friends, all of which has been engaging for young people. CYD programs also reported significant increases in youth leading events during the pandemic and in youth employment opportunities related to culminating events. Detailed findings from the study are here.

 
 
Graphic: 11 Strategies for Adapting Culminating Events for Right Now

NALAC announces 2021 Advocacy Fellows

March 12, 2021

The National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC) has announced this year’s cohort of artists and cultural workers participating in its annual Advocacy Leadership Institute (ALI).

With the support of faculty and staff, fellows will participate in a series of preparatory webinars laying the groundwork for a virtual advocacy intensive where fellows will meet with congressional leaders and staff from federal agencies working in cultural policy.

“While they work across various approaches and mediums, this year’s fellows share a commitment to building a more equitable arts field and uphold creativity as a powerful tool for social justice,” said Monica A. Sosa, Program Manager of Leadership Institutes at NALAC.

Learn more about the fellows on NALAC's website.