Americans for the Arts

Americans for the Arts is proud to be the beneficiary of proceeds from an online auction of photographs by more than 50 masters and emerging talents in contemporary photography at iGavel. The “America” auction was organized by Fast Ashley’s Studios in Brooklyn, New York and its fine art printing service IC LAB and includes original prints that range from landscape, portrait, and documentary to fashion and still life. The diverse collection of participating photographers includes Jock Sturges, Les Krims, Ben Watts, David Armstrong, Cass Bird, Jason Nocito, and Joseph Szabo.

All proceeds from the “America” online auction will be generously donated by Fast Ashley’s Studios and IC LAB to Americans for the Arts. You can view the original prints at iGavel without registering, but you must click the “New Users” link if you wish to place a bid for an item.

We are really excited to be heading to Seattle for the 2009 Annual Convention. Although Americans for the Arts hosts the convention, it is really YOUR convention. You are the presenters, participants, and consumers of this event. You are the ones who make it successful. We just set the stage for you to connect, listen, and learn from one another. 

We are currently accepting proposals to present. DEADLINE: AUGUST 1.

Below are some suggestions for what separates a good proposal from a weak proposal.

There are moments where you sense things so intensely they have a texture and vibration all their own. One experiences joy and humility in the same breath and it brings a lump to your throat even though you are smiling broadly. I had many grateful moments like these over the course of Convention. To me, our Convention is a graduation experience of sorts (true confessions from a former high school teacher). It happens in June. It’s a culmination of a year’s worth of work. And, when it happens, you forget all the hard times in between and fall back in love with your work all over again. If we did a yearbook, this text would be on my senior page.

Lively hoots and hollers accompanied the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) panel introduction when Lynn Tuttle, Director of Arts Education with the Arizona Department of Education, led 120+ national arts education professionals in a 20-minute overview of everything you ever wanted to know about NCLB and the arts.

She offered “NCLB BINGO” as the framework for sharing the plain-language facts about this legislation and the controversies that surround it. The dubious prizes included tomes on navigating titled programs, and other stimulating education legislation.

I always look forward to Convention, but this is especially interesting because of the host city—Philadelphia. Last year I applied to a several graduate programs in urban planning, urban design, and historic preservation. Among my primary criteria was the opportunity to live in a city that could serve as an interesting urban lab, one that was experiencing a great cultural renaissance and recognized the value of art and culture within their urban infrastructure. It’s no surprise that I spent a good portion of the year highly considering life in Philadelphia.

Convention is right around the corner and I can taste the anticipation in the air! I am hearing from so many people about how excited they are to see each other, to attend sessions and just be in the same room together. Yes, I oversee two program tracks (Leadership and Career360) and I will be working throughout the three+ days. But my convention experience is more than my job. It reconnects me with why I do the work that I do. Sometimes I attend other national convenings and it takes energy away from me. The people at our convention fill me with energy; they feed my soul. I can’t wait.

We have invited some attendees to blog their convention experience and I’d like to take a moment to introduce them now.

Career 360 is a new, innovative dimension of our Annual Convention. So far,
the feedback we have been receiving confirms that lots of people are really
excited about participating in a full menu of discussions, appointments
and sessions.

At Career 360 Clinics, we have the best consultants in the country at your feet.
Looking for advice on your organization’s strategic, fundraising or marketing
plan? What about your community’s cultural policy plan or your local creative
economy initiative? Ask questions about public art master plans. Meet with
some coaches. Talk to arts administration faculty.

To make the most
of this opportunity, come prepared with specific questions, issues and topics.
You will only have 30-minutes – !use it wisely! - but you will get pointed
in the right direction for next steps.

The consultants
listed below will be available for 30-minute appointments. Sign up will be
available at CenterStage on first come, first serve basis.

Career 360 is a new dimension of convention this year. It is happening on Saturday afternoon, June 21 and runs concurrently to ArtVenures and Walk&Talks. Looking for some career advice or ways to lead a sustainable career in the arts? This program is for you!

Career 360 begins over lunch with Talk Turkey (or Tofu) and a facilitated roundtable on various career development topics. Grab a sandwich from the buffet in CenterStage and head over to the Philadelphia Ballroom for the following discussions:

The Leadership Track at the Annual Convention is about vision and inspiring others to think and work differently. Examples of leadership can be seen in every session at convention, but in the Leadership Track it is on stage and under the spotlight. Come learn how to lead by cultivating the best in oneself and in others, and how to lead an organization through a new initiative or institutional challenge.

This peice comes by way of Julia McBride’s “Coach Julia” e-newsletter. It is too good not to share.  Julia is one of the coaches in the Personal Evolution advanced workshop of our Annual Convention.

A North Carolina teacher named Julia Scatliff O'Grady has created the Leap Day Challenge, urging readers of her blog "to take a leap during the year of the leap." A leap can be anything you choose to pay attention to in 2008 that will make you and the world stronger as a result. O’Grady has designated Friday, February 29 as the day on which all of us who accept the challenge will set aside some time to act on our leap and to celebrate.

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