press release archive
10/22/2008Contact:
Beth Garcia
Goodman Media for Americans for the Arts
212.576.2700 ext. 242 or bgarcia@goodmanmedia.com
Americans for the Arts Hosts Arts Education Knowledge Exchange in Los Angeles, October 27-28
Washington, DC — October 22, 2008 — Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Arts Commission presents District-Wide Change in Arts Education, an Arts Education Knowledge Exchange, on October 27 and 28 at the Los Angeles Music Center.
Too often teachers alone are expected to provide arts education when in fact elected school leaders, administrators, district staff, principals, arts organizations, and funders play important roles in high-quality, highly accessible arts education. At this Knowledge Exchange, Arts for All—a successful series of policy changes and educational initiatives intended to institutionalize sequential K-12 arts education in Los Angeles County school districts—will provide a lens for looking at how communities can work to support quality sequential K-12 arts education.
"The Arts for All team has continuously evaluated, refined, and improved educational initiatives over the past seven years," said Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts. "The Arts Education Knowledge Exchange offers arts education leaders from across the country an opportunity to adapt and integrate the information from one of the most highly developed arts education advancement efforts in the world."
Over the course of two days, Arts for All staff and participants will share knowledge, grapple with key questions, and synthesize information for applicability to participant communities around the country. Through in-depth case materials, Knowledge Exchange participants will experience ground-level implementation, and interactive consensus-building workshops. Instructors and presenters will include coalition members, partners from participating school districts, district arts coaches, funders, cultural organization staff, state, and national supporters who will provide participants with an understanding of what infrastructure is necessary to provide arts education, the coalition necessary to build it, and a step-by-step approach.
In addition, special sessions will be hosted by leaders of Arts for All for members of the funding community. These sessions will provide focused dialogues and networking opportunities to meet the needs and interests of funders seeking to leverage systemic change in arts education for the students in their communities.
Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it has a record of 48 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.
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