Empire State Partnerships' Summer Seminar Program
Philip Alexander, Program Director, ESP Professional Development Program
Over 300 educators, artists, and administrators gathered at Empire State Partnerships’ (ESP) Summer Seminar ’04 program to explore the theme of “Inquiry, Reflection, and Dialogue” and how it relates to their practice in arts education partnerships. The seminar, sponsored by ESP’s Professional Development Program, took place July 19-22 at the CW Post Campus of Long Island University (LIU). Participants attending the 8th annual seminar chose from over 36 workshops covering many aspects of arts-in-education partnerships, including management and planning strategies, curriculum models, evaluation methods, and uses of technology. As in previous years, peer-to-peer discussion groups were a daily feature of the seminar programming. Seminar attendees had several opportunities to meet with consultants and to plan for the upcoming years.
Choreographer Liz Lerman provided a memorable keynote address, touching on several issues related to the seminar’s theme: the re-thinking of organizational hierarchies; using artistic approaches to management procedures; and her own Critical Response Process, a feedback protocol developed for artists, educators, and administrators.
An inspiring and engaging art exhibition of work created by students in ESP partnerships was mounted at LIU’s Hillwood Art Museum. The exhibition represented various student communities across New York State and included statements from the artists. Some statements described how their work uses techniques of inquiry, while others articulated how their works of art participate in a dialogue with viewers once it has been completed and is publicly shown. This unique art show presented high-quality work by student painters, printmakers, and graphic artists, and demonstrated the power of critical thinking as part of the artistic experience.
Feedback from teachers who attended Summer Seminar ’04 indicates that the week provided several valuable learning experiences. “Our [peer-to-peer] discussion helped to clarify that in order to make our partnership more effective, and our work with our students more effective, we absolutely need to reserve time for reflection and dialogue,” wrote one grade-school teacher. Another teacher wrote how the seminar inspired her as a professional and as an individual: “I walk away from this experience with the intention to use the knowledge I gained to become a better teacher and person. I intend to share the ideas and information and continue to advocate for the integration of arts in education."
For more information on Summer Seminar ’04 and the ESP Professional Development Program, please visit www.espartsed.org.
An Introduction to the Association of Teaching Artists
Dale Davis, President, Association of Teaching Artists
The Association of Teaching Artists (ATA) is a nonprofit professional organization whose mission is to strengthen and serve teaching artists from all disciplines in New York State. ATA strives to create a community of professional teaching artists by: providing a network for communication and the exchange of resources; shaping the field of arts-in-education; providing advocacy, training, and professional development; and publicly recognizing distinguished achievement. ATA has become a national leader and model for teaching artists across the country who are beginning to advocate for their needs.
ATA was founded at a summit in Poughkeepsie, NY, in 1998. The Arts In Education program of the New York State Council on the Arts convened teaching artists, arts administrators, and leaders in statewide funding to consider the need for an organization for teaching artists. ATA was incorporated soon after. ATA’s listserv functions as an online community for teaching artists and arts-in-education professionals with access to broad-based information and the opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues. To subscribe to the listserv, send an email to associationofteachingartists-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
ATA’s web site, www.teachingartists.com, is responsive to the ideas and needs of teaching artists of every discipline and career stage. ATA also offers two awards to honor distinction in the arts-in-education field. The Teaching Artist Distinguished Service to the Field Award is a lifetime achievement award presented to a teaching artist who not only pioneered arts-in-education but who continues to define the best of what it means to be a teaching artist. ATA’s Golden Administrator Award honors a professional whose talent, dedication, and administrative skills actively strengthen and support teaching artists. ATA is also a collaborating partner in the annual Common Ground conference.
Dale Davis is president of The Association of Teaching Artists. Michele Kotler, Tiffany Nicely, Georgia Popoff, and Gary Ross are the current board members.
