 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Board Development Initiative is an effort to enhance the effectiveness of boards serving arts education organizations by providing trainings, tools, and information on effective governance practices that inspire and help board members meet their responsibilities to the organization and community. Click here for full details about the Board Development Initiative.
This initiative is being launched with a Fall 2010 Webinar Series featuring three webinars designed for executive directors and board members. The three webinars will be led by David Styers, Consultant, BoardSource and include:
The Board Building Cycle: Nine Steps to Finding, Recruiting and Engaging Nonprofit Boards Tuesday, September 28, 1:00 - 2:30pm ET
Sharing Leadership: The Board/Staff Partnership
Tuesday, October 12, 1:00 – 2:30pm ET
The Board’s Role in Fundraising
Tuesday, October 26, 1:00- 2:30pm ET
Download registration form (Word)
Download webinar descriptions (PDF)
Download latest issue of GuildNotes (Members Only)
Our new Member Forum is a flexible web-based discussion tool that enables community arts education professionals (like you!) to connect with each other across the country to ask questions and share information, advice and ideas. Through the Forum, you can create and reply to threads (conversations on a topic), search for previous conversations, and receive email notification of new posts (through the "subscribe" functions).
The Forum is an exclusive benefit of National Guild membership. Log-in now to begin networking with hundreds of your peers in community arts education.
Not a member? Join today.
A comprehensive online guide to managing a successful community arts education organization
The National Guild for Community Arts Education is pleased to announce the launch of the Community Arts Education Resource Center. The Resource Center, designed especially for staff, faculty and trustees in the field, is a comprehensive online guide to managing a successful community arts education organization.
Through the Resource Center, community arts education professionals can directly access peer-reviewed information, learn effective practices and download field-tested templates and sample documents, expediting their search for information and answers.
"The launch of the Community Arts Education Resource Center comes at a critical time for many arts education providers," said Jonathan Herman, Executive Director of the National Guild, "Economic pressures coupled with increased public interest in the arts are driving organizations to develop new ways of doing business and improve their ability to serve the public."
This important resource features sections on program planning, board development, partnerships, evaluation, marketing and communications, fundraising, finance, community engagement, facilities, faculty and staff, and more.
Each section offers an introduction to the topic, comprehensive information and tools, and related resources. Registered users can also download articles, reports, templates and sample documents directly from the Resource Center's Toolbox.
To get a sense of the quality and scope of the Resource Center, preview the site at http://resourcecenter.nationalguild.org.
The Resource Center is a benefit of National Guild membership. To learn more about the benefits of Guild membership and how to join contact Heather Ikemire at heatherikemire@nationalguild.org or at (212) 268-3337 ext. 10 or
Ken Cole, Associate Director at
kencole@nationalguild.org or at (212) 268-3337 ext. 18.
Download full press release (PDF) (Word)
The National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts has changed its name to the National Guild for Community Arts Education to better reflect the field that is uniting to increase access to arts instruction for all Americans.
"Community arts education today happens as much in cultural centers, theater companies and parks and recreation departments as it does in dedicated arts schools," said Jonathan Herman, the National Guild's Executive Director, “The sector is responding to increased public interest in arts instruction at the same time that resources are shrinking. In an effort to improve efficiency and increase impact, community arts education providers are coming together to share information, leverage resources and advocate for increased support.”
Today’s community arts education field includes more than 5,000 community schools of the arts, arts and cultural centers, and arts education divisions of performing arts organizations, museums, parks and recreation departments, and conservatory preparatory programs.
Download the Guild's new logo (members-only)
View the Spring 2010 issue of GuildNotes. PDF file requires Acrobat Reader.
Our quarterly newsletter includes updates on Guild programs and services; feature articles and interviews that offer practical guidance, insights, and the latest research in community arts education; and information on faculty and student resources.
This year's Conference for Community Arts Education wil be presented at the Parc 55 hotel in San Francisco, November 4-6, 2010, with preconference institutes on November 3. To get a sense of the quality and scope of the conference program, visit www.communityartsed.org and stay tuned for more details
The Guild annually presents the Conference for Community Arts Education to provide essential networking and professional development opportunities for staff, faculty, teaching artists and trustees in the community arts education field.
If you are interested in presenting and would like to propose a session, site visit or student performance, download a proposal form at: www.nationalguild.org/national/conference.htm.
The National Guild expresses its sincere appreciation to all those who supported our programs and operations in 2009. Our continued success and the strength of the community arts education movement reflect their kind patronage. Click here for a list of contributions received during 2009.
MetLife Foundation and the Guild have announced the grant recipients of this year’s MetLife Foundation Creative Aging Program. Grants will support the design and implementation of sustainable creative aging programs, which provide participatory, skill-based arts education for adults age 60 and older. In addition, technical assistance will be provided for the implementation of best practices detailed in the Guild’s Creativity Matters: The Arts and Aging Toolkit and program evaluation. Grants have been awarded to 12 Guild member organizations in 10 states.
Download grantee list and program descriptions.
The Creative Aging Program was initiated in 2009 by MetLife Foundation and the Guild in response to the rapid population growth of Americans aged 60+, as well as the research demonstrating the potential health benefits of professionally-led, participatory arts programs for older adults. In fact, on average participants in last year’s program realized a statistically significant improvement in their moods reinforcing the findings in more controlled research on creative aging, such as the National Endowment for the Arts’ 2006 Creativity and Aging Study.
The MetLife Foundation Creative Aging Program is designed to:
To learn more about the MetLifeCreative Aging Program, click here.
We will unveil an important new members-only resource in 2010, the Community Arts Education Resource Center: a comprehensive online guide to managing a successful community arts education organization with sections on program planning, evaluation, marketing, and more. Guild members will be able to access trusted information, learn effective practices and download field-tested sample documents directly from their desktops, expediting the search for information and answers.
Presenters at the 2009 Conference have provided a variety of materials for the benefit of National Guild members and conference delegates. Resources include articles, handouts, presentations and more. These resources will provide you inspiration and valuable information on fundraising, marketing, community engagement, assessment & evaluation, governance and more.
Log-in to the Members-Only Section to access conference materials and other best practices resources. Forgot your username and password? Email Claire Wilmoth or call (212) 268-3337 ext. 12.
Download press release in English (PDF)
Download press release in Spanish (PDF)
Art programs for older people improve participants’ physical and emotional health, studies show. Now available in Spanish, Creativity Matters: The Arts and Aging Toolkit (or La Creatividad Importa: Guía de Recursos Para las Artes y el Envejecimiento) provides best practices and models of successful programs for artists, educators and aging services providers.
The Toolkit is available for $35, and may be purchased through the National Guild office at (212) 268-3337 ext. 16, or downloaded online free-of-charge at www.artsandaging.org. A review copy is available to press upon request. To request a copy, contact Heather Ikemire, marketing and communications manager, at (212) 268-3337 ext. 10, or at heatherikemire@nationalguild.org.
Learn more about the Guild's Creative Aging Initiative.
The 2009 slate for the board of trustees was elected at the Conference for Community Arts Education in Minneapolis.
The Guild was pleased to welcome 60 new Full members, nine Education Affiliate members and six Business Affiliates to our network in 2009. We encourage you to connect with these new members to share information, ideas and strategies in the year ahead! Download list of new members in 2009.
Community arts education providers across the country report they are being
forced to reduce classes and programs, cut back or eliminate outreach activities,
cut faculty and staff positions, and in some cases, offer less financial aid to
families struggling to provide arts instruction to their children, according to a recent web-based survey conducted by the National Guild during May 2009. The purpose of the survey is to understand the recession’s impact on community arts education organizations, their students and those they employ.
This biennial report provides critical benchmarking data on faculty pay rates, instructional fees, administrative staffing and salaries, financial aid, enrollment demographics, program offerings, organizational finances and more. Members who participated in the survey receive a complimentary copy. The regular member price is $75. To order, call (212) 268-3337 ext. 16. Learn more about how the Survey Report can benefit your organization!
Help our network grow! Refer a new full or education affiliate member to the National Guild and receive a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate. Click here for details.
New Members who join the Guild by January 31, 2009 receive 10% off annual dues for one year.
The Guild's latest publication, A Guide to Assessing Your Community Arts School: Questions for Internal Review and Reflection, is now available for download, free-of-charge. Jointly developed with the Accreditng Commission for Community and Precollegiate Arts Schools (ACCPAS), the Guide is designed to assist community arts school leaders with the important task of organizational assessment and to make the ACCPAS accreditation process more user-friendly. Containing questions derived from ACCPAS accreditation standards, the Guide addresses a wide range of issues from mission to finances, governance, staffing, facilities, evaluation, planning and more. Organizations that may not want to take the assessment process all the way to accreditation will find the Guide useful for their own internal review. Those interested in pursuing accreditation will find it a helpful preparatory resource. Download a free copy (PDF)
Members Only: To access additional resources on assessment and evaluation, log-in to the members-only section of the website, and click on "Assessment and Evaluation" under Sample Documents, Templates and Best Practices Information. Forgot your username and password? Email Heather Ikemire at heatherikemire@nationalguild.org
The Guild, in partnership with the National Center for Creative Aging and New Jersey Performing Arts Center, recently released the Spanish language version of Creativity Matters: The Arts and Aging Toolkit. The Toolkit is available to members for $30; the non-member price is $35. To purchase, click here, or call the Guild office at (212) 268-3337 ext. 16.
Students, enrolled full time in a two to four year degree program, can now enjoy all the benefits of individual membership (formerly basic membership) at a discounted rate. Stay informed about the latest news, research and opportunities in community arts education and connect with a network of over 380 providers across the country! Valid student I.D. required.
Learn more and download an application
The Guild's latest publication, Creativity Matters: The Arts and Aging Toolkit, is now available online, free-of-charge, at www.artsandaging.org. The Toolkit describes best practices and demonstrates exemplary models for participatory arts educaiton programs for older adults.
By putting the Guild logo on your website and publications, you can signal their commitment to access to excellence in arts education to parents, students and funders. "Member" logos are available in formats suitable for web or print use.
The National Guild's Board of Trustees unanimously approved a plan in September, 2005, to help focus the organization on new goals. Get details and read the plan.
