Americans for the Arts

Over the past two summers, I have had the unique privilege to work with three incredible mentees through the internship program here at Americans for the Arts. With all three of these individuals, I worked hard to impart much of my knowledge about arts education, the nonprofit arts sector, the inner working of Washington, D.C.’s advocacy infrastructure, and much more. However, it was through these unique relationships that I also learned from them and grew as a person; we were engaging a process of cyclical mentorship. Often, we approach the leadership pipeline in the field as a departing of knowledge from the older generation to the younger. This process, though utilized effectively in the cultural sphere, leaves much to be desired. As we work together in the field, we must be aware of our own advancement in the pipeline and how we are interacting in relation to other operating alongside us. 

I've titled this blog post Trump because it contains braggadocio, gratuitous pandering, and an ominous message. Also, by mentioning Donald Trump and the musical, Hamilton, in the same post, it will get lots of readers!

Hamilton is one of the most brilliant musicals that Broadway has seen in a very long time. The hype over this show is merited I'm not just saying that because I met the cast and they all love me. I state that because Lin-Manuel Miranda can look at this this guy and think, "yeah, I see myself here!" But, that is because he was paying attention to Hamilton's story.

From August 2015 to February 2016 in California:

•  There were ZERO young women instrumentalists in the Grammy Band (out of 18)

• There was ONE young woman instrumentalist in the Monterey NextGen Orchestra (out of 20)

• There was ONE young woman instrumentalist in the California State High School Honors Jazz Band (out of 18), and

• There were ZERO young women instrumentalists in the California State Middle School Honors Jazz Band (out of 18). 

Just in case you weren’t keeping score, that’s a total of TWO young women instrumentalists out of 74.

Whether an educator, architect, doctor, volunteer, or accountant, we know the arts have had some impact on you. We know the arts develop certain skills in people that prove essential. We know that those skills lead to successes in work and life. Now is our time as a field to share these stories of impact with decision makers. 

This post has nothing to do with the financial implications of music, of the arts, or of education at all, and you won’t see a single chart or dollar sign on this page. Instead, I’m going to highlight a simple economic concept that many of you may have learned at some point, and see if we can use it to open up our minds to a new wrinkle in thinking about arts education.

If you haven’t heard about the movement to place art within STEM curriculum, or STEAM, you’ve been missing one of the steamiest topics to hit the arts in decades. Essentially a catchy acronym for arts integration targeted at math and science, STEAM has ignited the imaginations of scientists, artists, and educators nationwide. Those on the outside of art and education may wonder: what does a STEAM program look like? Why do it? This blog offers a quick look into one such program steaming forward in the center of the Midwest.