The Guild has received a grant from the William Penn Foundation to assess the organizational capacity needs of place-based, out-of-school, arts education providers (e.g. arts centers, community arts schools) in the Greater Philadelphia region. The purpose is to inform the design of a potential capacity building initiative to support these organizations’ effectiveness.

The project will be undertaken in collaboration with ArtsRising, a community-wide enterprise to expand equitable access to high-quality arts education for children and youth, in and out of school. Through its core ArtsZones program, ArtsRising taps the expertise and enthusiasm of educators, parents, and community members at all levels and helps diverse arts organizations build capacity to serve young people. This multi-year initiative is led by a partnership of the Philadelphia Education Fund, the Fleisher Art Memorial (a National Guild member) and Public Citizens for Children and Youth.

Key project activities include a needs assessment, landscape analysis, and a report incorporating research fi ndings and recommendations regarding the potential capacity-building initiative. The Guild has contracted the TCC Group to partner on these activities.

The report is expected in early 2012. The findings will deepen our understanding of the fi eld and inform the development of our programs and services for community arts education providers nationwide.