Second Breakout Session
Going Global: Supporting Cultural Exchange and Engaging International Artists Elena SV Flys
Arts Diplomacy and cross-cultural cooperation are essential for the arts field. In this session, Najean Lee from League of American Orchestras, talked about how to improve the visa process for guest artists. Their petition is to urge congress to enact the Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) S. 2466 to ensure timely processing for visa petitions due to the time-sensitive nature of arts events. Afterwards, they talked about cultural exchanges. They mentioned the small amount (12000 million dollars) that is allocated towards the cultural exchange programs division. Moreover, it seems like each year there are repeatedly proposals to cut the budgets for these programs. In order to protect them, they ask to appropriate $115 million to the Office of Citizen Exchanges, to increase resources and to increase operational capacity to the cultural programs division as well as to encourage the State Department to evaluate and publicly report on the impact and value of arts diplomacy.
For assistance with individual and assembles visa processes organizations can visit: http://www.artistsfromabroad.org/
Military/Veterans in the Arts Joshua Smith
As most of us are aware, the process of returning home from the military service can be traumatic. These traumatic experiences may lead to multiple health issues, to be mor specific, one you may be familiar withs is Post- Traumatic Stess Disorder. In order to help current military and veterans cope with these painful and sometimes hindering memories, creative theraputic methods have been developed.
This year on the Arts Advocacy agenda we are called to support H.R. 102. This bill proposes to expand Care for Veterans Act, sponsored by California representative Julia Brownley. The act fights to improve acces to evidence-based complementary alternative treatments for veterans, which includes creative art therapies.
With the proposed budget to abolish the NEA, creative research projects pertaining to measuring the impact of creative therapies in military populations. Though we know creative therapies have a positive impact, its always neccessary to quantify and measure the impact of it.
To help creative therapies prosper we should support continued funding through the Department of Veteran Affairs and Department of Defense for creative art therapies service and artist- directed programs for veterans and active military.
This informative session was full of insight on the benefits of creative arts therapies, especcially in relation to the military.
Visit the link below to learn more about Arts and The Military and how you can help support creative therapies for our veterans!
Arts & the Military: http://guidebook.com/guide/121969/poi/9437723/
Author: Joshua Smith
#EMU #ArtsAdvocacy #ArtsManagement&Administration
State Trends in Arts Education Hannah Burke
In this session we discussed current policy and political happenings concerning state education and the arts. Speakers on this panel included Kathi Levin from the National Association of Arts Education, Tooshar Swain from the National Association of Music Education, Jim Palmarini, and Jeff Poulin from Americans for the Arts. The Every Student Succeeds Act was discussed at length about what it means for states arts education. Under the ESSA, states hold responsibility for the accountability of structure of their curriculum. In a report from the Department of Education, it was shown that a majority of states have music and arts efforts, but Louisiana is the only one to currently have accountability standards in this area. It is also important to note that Title 4 part A allows for up to 80% of funding to be used for "well rounded education" which language has allowed to include the arts. In round two of ESSA, the data showed that there was support for the arts in most plans, but they were found in a wider variety of places the music/arts are being seen. For example, schools implemented the arts and music in various after school care programs and saw immense growth in the lower income student population that utilized those programs. Overall, 20% of new plans acknowledged the arts as a critical function in their standards.
The National Corporations for Core Arts Standards has been working on a document that summarizes the standards and effects from 2014 forward. Until 2014, the Status of Arts Standards had remained the same since 1994. These new arts standards have four main concerns: (1) what students should know how to do, (2) nurturing arts literacy, (3) 21st century skills being developed, and (4) for the standards to serve as an advocacy resource. These four concerns being addressed in the document ensure and articulate that there is a "body of knowledge" that is crucial, skill based, and measurable. This document is not yet available in print but is available via PDF (Understanding Core Arts Standards ). The State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education is also an important resource concerning these efforts.
Jeff Poulin also gave us an introduction into ArtistYear, a program that is a part of the AmeriCorps network. Artist year aims to fill the opportunity gap in Arts Education that is shown in the fact that 68% of students in lower income schools or in need of arts education are the ones that are failing to receive these services. Over 2.5 Million annual arts graduates need job placements after graduation. This program provides aide to both of these issues as it takes artistic professionals and partners them with certified educators. This program is supported in the CREATE Act as well and to lay many concerns to rest, "Its not an either-or, its not a replacement for" meaning that this program is based on partnerships and does not replace certified educators nor does it create a demand for one side or another. With this understanding, check out their video about ArtistYear below or check out their website at https://artistyear.org/what-we-do/.
New Tax Law Joe Rohrer
The tax policy breakout session hosted by Ben Kershaw, from American Alliance of Museums , Kate McClanahan from Americans for the Arts, and Heather Noonan, from the League of American Orchestras, took a look at policy changes that result from the new tax legislation passed in 2017. The session also touched on proposals that did not end up in the final bill – it was noted, the importance of knowing oppositional views that exist even if they don't make it into law.
The advocacy areas that were discussed were:
-Enact the Artist-Museum Partnership Act (H.R. 1830, S. 931)
-Maintain the qualified performing artist tax deduction
-Reinstate deductions for unreimbursed employee business expenses
-Maintain eligibility in the Low-income Housing Tax Credit Program
-Preserve the Historic Tax Credit
-Maintain the income tax exemption for private activity bondsm often employed to finance cultural infrastructure (from the 2018 Congressional Arts Handbook)
The CREATE Act Dacia Whiteside
During Arts Advocacy Day , I had the pleasure of attending the “break-out” session for the CREATE Act, which is a collection of provisions for the current federal policy concerning the creative economy, artists and entrepreneurs. I’ve done research on the CREATE act before the conference, and I admired how well thought out this bill was . Now that I understand in even more detail, I am amazed by arts advocates and the steps they are taking to get the bill passed. Provisions that will take place are: increasing business loans for artist, fair income tax deductions, and ensured access to FEMA in case of natural disaster, to name only a few! The one that hits close to home for me, especially today was the provision that ensures access to FEMA for artist. My mom is a self-employed artist and works very hard for everything she has. Fortunately, we have never had to go through a natural disaster but I can only imagine what that would be like! My mom spends several dollars on supplies for her work. Not only money is being spent, but some projects require a lot of time! I’ve seen her spend days, weeks , and even years on her pieces that she would never be able to get back. Inspiration can not be bought, so if this were to happen to her , there would be no price that anyone could pay to replace her hard work but...it would help if she could get assistance for supply replacement, or provide her something monetary to make up the business she would be losing from the tragic event. #WishfulThinking. But the CREATE Act would make that possible. When the speaker was explaining that this has happened to thousands of citizens in the U.S I was heartbroken. She explained from her personal experiences that in a neighborhood that was affected by natural disaster one person was able to get access to FEMA relief because he was employed by a company that could provide him with a W-2 form. And the self employed artist who literally lives next door to the same victim who can have access to relief, can not simply because they are SELF EMPLOYED...(not unemployed!) That’s ridiculous. Are we as a country insinuating that employees of this nation that chose to work for a company that can provide government issued forms work any harder? Are we saying that citizens should not have access to protection if they chose to follow their own creative path? That’s what it would look like if this bill is not acted upon. Advocates are prepared for certain provisions to be passed individually, because there are many of them . But they are all necessary to enhances our creative economy. We need to encourage our senators and congress men and women to sponsor and support in favor of this bill to ensure protection and fair treatment of our nations artist , entrepreneurs, and those who are continue to make our creative economy thrive!
Arts Diplomacy and cross-cultural cooperation are essential for the arts field. In this session, Najean Lee from League of American Orchestras, talked about how to improve the visa process for guest artists. Their petition is to urge congress to enact the Arts Require Timely Service (ARTS) S. 2466 to ensure timely processing for visa petitions due to the time-sensitive nature of arts events. Afterwards, they talked about cultural exchanges. They mentioned the small amount (12000 million dollars) that is allocated towards the cultural exchange programs division. Moreover, it seems like each year there are repeatedly proposals to cut the budgets for these programs. In order to protect them, they ask to appropriate $115 million to the Office of Citizen Exchanges, to increase resources and to increase operational capacity to the cultural programs division as well as to encourage the State Department to evaluate and publicly report on the impact and value of arts diplomacy.
For assistance with individual and assembles visa processes organizations can visit: http://www.artistsfromabroad.org/
Military/Veterans in the Arts Joshua Smith
As most of us are aware, the process of returning home from the military service can be traumatic. These traumatic experiences may lead to multiple health issues, to be mor specific, one you may be familiar withs is Post- Traumatic Stess Disorder. In order to help current military and veterans cope with these painful and sometimes hindering memories, creative theraputic methods have been developed.
This year on the Arts Advocacy agenda we are called to support H.R. 102. This bill proposes to expand Care for Veterans Act, sponsored by California representative Julia Brownley. The act fights to improve acces to evidence-based complementary alternative treatments for veterans, which includes creative art therapies.
With the proposed budget to abolish the NEA, creative research projects pertaining to measuring the impact of creative therapies in military populations. Though we know creative therapies have a positive impact, its always neccessary to quantify and measure the impact of it.
To help creative therapies prosper we should support continued funding through the Department of Veteran Affairs and Department of Defense for creative art therapies service and artist- directed programs for veterans and active military.
This informative session was full of insight on the benefits of creative arts therapies, especcially in relation to the military.
Visit the link below to learn more about Arts and The Military and how you can help support creative therapies for our veterans!
Arts & the Military: http://guidebook.com/guide/121969/poi/9437723/
Author: Joshua Smith
#EMU #ArtsAdvocacy #ArtsManagement&Administration
 |
| Left to right: Ashley Martinez (North American Drama Therapy Association) , Donna Betts (American Art Therapy Association) & Judy Simpson (American Music Therapy Association) |
State Trends in Arts Education Hannah Burke
In this session we discussed current policy and political happenings concerning state education and the arts. Speakers on this panel included Kathi Levin from the National Association of Arts Education, Tooshar Swain from the National Association of Music Education, Jim Palmarini, and Jeff Poulin from Americans for the Arts. The Every Student Succeeds Act was discussed at length about what it means for states arts education. Under the ESSA, states hold responsibility for the accountability of structure of their curriculum. In a report from the Department of Education, it was shown that a majority of states have music and arts efforts, but Louisiana is the only one to currently have accountability standards in this area. It is also important to note that Title 4 part A allows for up to 80% of funding to be used for "well rounded education" which language has allowed to include the arts. In round two of ESSA, the data showed that there was support for the arts in most plans, but they were found in a wider variety of places the music/arts are being seen. For example, schools implemented the arts and music in various after school care programs and saw immense growth in the lower income student population that utilized those programs. Overall, 20% of new plans acknowledged the arts as a critical function in their standards.
The National Corporations for Core Arts Standards has been working on a document that summarizes the standards and effects from 2014 forward. Until 2014, the Status of Arts Standards had remained the same since 1994. These new arts standards have four main concerns: (1) what students should know how to do, (2) nurturing arts literacy, (3) 21st century skills being developed, and (4) for the standards to serve as an advocacy resource. These four concerns being addressed in the document ensure and articulate that there is a "body of knowledge" that is crucial, skill based, and measurable. This document is not yet available in print but is available via PDF (Understanding Core Arts Standards ). The State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education is also an important resource concerning these efforts.
Jeff Poulin also gave us an introduction into ArtistYear, a program that is a part of the AmeriCorps network. Artist year aims to fill the opportunity gap in Arts Education that is shown in the fact that 68% of students in lower income schools or in need of arts education are the ones that are failing to receive these services. Over 2.5 Million annual arts graduates need job placements after graduation. This program provides aide to both of these issues as it takes artistic professionals and partners them with certified educators. This program is supported in the CREATE Act as well and to lay many concerns to rest, "Its not an either-or, its not a replacement for" meaning that this program is based on partnerships and does not replace certified educators nor does it create a demand for one side or another. With this understanding, check out their video about ArtistYear below or check out their website at https://artistyear.org/what-we-do/.
New Tax Law Joe Rohrer
The tax policy breakout session hosted by Ben Kershaw, from American Alliance of Museums , Kate McClanahan from Americans for the Arts, and Heather Noonan, from the League of American Orchestras, took a look at policy changes that result from the new tax legislation passed in 2017. The session also touched on proposals that did not end up in the final bill – it was noted, the importance of knowing oppositional views that exist even if they don't make it into law.
The advocacy areas that were discussed were:
-Enact the Artist-Museum Partnership Act (H.R. 1830, S. 931)
-Maintain the qualified performing artist tax deduction
-Reinstate deductions for unreimbursed employee business expenses
-Maintain eligibility in the Low-income Housing Tax Credit Program
-Preserve the Historic Tax Credit
-Maintain the income tax exemption for private activity bondsm often employed to finance cultural infrastructure (from the 2018 Congressional Arts Handbook)
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from left to right: Heather Noonan, Ben Kershaw, Kate Mclanahan
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During Arts Advocacy Day , I had the pleasure of attending the “break-out” session for the CREATE Act, which is a collection of provisions for the current federal policy concerning the creative economy, artists and entrepreneurs. I’ve done research on the CREATE act before the conference, and I admired how well thought out this bill was . Now that I understand in even more detail, I am amazed by arts advocates and the steps they are taking to get the bill passed. Provisions that will take place are: increasing business loans for artist, fair income tax deductions, and ensured access to FEMA in case of natural disaster, to name only a few! The one that hits close to home for me, especially today was the provision that ensures access to FEMA for artist. My mom is a self-employed artist and works very hard for everything she has. Fortunately, we have never had to go through a natural disaster but I can only imagine what that would be like! My mom spends several dollars on supplies for her work. Not only money is being spent, but some projects require a lot of time! I’ve seen her spend days, weeks , and even years on her pieces that she would never be able to get back. Inspiration can not be bought, so if this were to happen to her , there would be no price that anyone could pay to replace her hard work but...it would help if she could get assistance for supply replacement, or provide her something monetary to make up the business she would be losing from the tragic event. #WishfulThinking. But the CREATE Act would make that possible. When the speaker was explaining that this has happened to thousands of citizens in the U.S I was heartbroken. She explained from her personal experiences that in a neighborhood that was affected by natural disaster one person was able to get access to FEMA relief because he was employed by a company that could provide him with a W-2 form. And the self employed artist who literally lives next door to the same victim who can have access to relief, can not simply because they are SELF EMPLOYED...(not unemployed!) That’s ridiculous. Are we as a country insinuating that employees of this nation that chose to work for a company that can provide government issued forms work any harder? Are we saying that citizens should not have access to protection if they chose to follow their own creative path? That’s what it would look like if this bill is not acted upon. Advocates are prepared for certain provisions to be passed individually, because there are many of them . But they are all necessary to enhances our creative economy. We need to encourage our senators and congress men and women to sponsor and support in favor of this bill to ensure protection and fair treatment of our nations artist , entrepreneurs, and those who are continue to make our creative economy thrive!
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