Conference for Community Arts Education

Posted by on July 21, 2006

The National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts will host its 69th national convention, the Conference for Community Arts Education (http://www.communityartsed.org/), in Phoenix, AZ, from October 31 ?to November 4, 2006. 350 leaders of community-based arts education organizations from 45 states will attend to share information and ideas, learn from experts in the field, and set the direction for the future of the community arts education field. The Conference is the only national event of its kind in the U.S. Major sponsors include the National Endowment for the Arts, MetLife Foundation, Yamaha and Steinway & Sons.

Nationally renowned leaders in the fields of advocacy, arts integration, arts education assessment, board development, curriculum, evaluation, finance, fund raising, marketing/public relations, management, partnerships, planning, research, and technology, will lead sessions. Two pre-conference institutes, on arts education partnerships and outcome-based evaluation, are also planned. Staff, faculty, trustees and volunteers at community-based arts education organizations and programs are encouraged to attend. Detailed program, schedule and registration information is available at http://www.communityartsed.org/ or by phone at (212) 268-3337 x 18. The early registration deadline is Monday, July 31.

http://www.communityartsed.org/pdf/ConfRegistrationEarly.pdf.

Research affirms the many individual and community benefits derived from arts participation. Community arts educators, dedicated to life-long learning in the arts, provide quality arts instruction to people of all ages, aptitudes and backgrounds. Delegates to the Conference will represent hundreds of institutions offering training in dance, literary arts, media arts, music, theater, and/or the visual arts. Collectively, their institutions employ more than 13,000 teaching artists and serve more than 350,000 children, adults and seniors. They strive to ensure arts instruction is accessible by setting affordable tuition fees, providing financial aid to students unable to pay, and operating programs in community settings.

As the service association for community-based arts education organizations, the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts (http://www.nationalguild.org/) aims to make high quality arts education available to every interested child and adult in the United States. The Guild’s national network encompasses arts education professionals, organizations, volunteers, and philanthropic supporters. In concert with this network, the Guild researches and promotes best practices, provides opportunities for professional development and dialogue, and advocates for broad access.