Not sure which sessions to choose? While we are confident that all of the conference content is relevant to all conference attendees, we have curated three “tracks” for those participants who appreciate a recommended agenda. Each session below is tagged with the following labels to indicate audiences that may find that session particularly of interest: Teaching Artists, Program Staff, and Executive Leadership.
Thursday, April 4
BREAKOUT SESSIONS A
Thursday, April 4 – 10:15am CT
Session A1: Natural Resources
Jordan Knecht (he/him), Teaching Artist, Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE)
Charles Bessett (he/him), Community Partner, CAPE
Sophia Ulloa (she/her), Community Member, CAPE
This session will focus on how our CAPE community class uses natural resources found within and around the school, including non-conventional materials (rusty metal, collected stories, and discarded clothing), to facilitate collaborative projects. We will introduce our concept of natural resources, which includes not only physical materials, but the resources found within each member of our class as well. Participants will come away with an expanded concept of what kinds of materials can be used creatively in a classroom. They will learn new collaborative strategies that, rather than be limited by physical ability, celebrate the unique abilities of each participant. They will also learn innovative techniques for non-conventional dyeing, including ice-dye, bleach discharging, and rust-dye.
Thursday, April 4 – 10:15am – 11:15am CT
Location: Churchill, 3rd Floor
Track: Teaching Artists
Session A2: Dismantling the Master’s House: Tools for Equitable Organizational Change
Clockwork Janz (they/them), Director of Creative Talent + Equitable Partnerships, Arts for Learning Indiana
There is no quick and easy fix to old and inequitable structures doing harm within your community, but there are many free tools out there for making equitable changes to your organization. Keeping on these tools, and being steady and persistent, are necessary to drive systemic change. This session will focus on becoming familiar with some of the free tools out there, setting goals for putting these tools into action, and building a network of accountability for moving this work forward. Also, one participant will come away with a copy of All About Love: New Vision by bell hooks, an important text for integrating oneself into a new space in their equity journey.
Thursday, April 4 – 10:15am – 11:15am CT
Location: Dickinson II, 4th Floor
Tracks: Executive Leadership, Program Staff
Session A3: The Healing Arts: Lessons from a Trauma Informed Healing Arts Theater Program
Sam Leopold (he/him), Program Manager, Partnership with Children
Katie Nicholson, Clinical Director, Partnership with Children
Join us for a dynamic and participatory session focused on the impact that community, healing, and theater collaboration have on academic and social emotional learning (SEL) in four elementary schools in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Participants will learn about the collaborative program model we employ in our four-year, federally funded Student Voice and Engagement program. This session will center on lessons we have learned as we work to implement a program that hinges on collaboration across the school ecosystem to support students’ social emotional learning and English Language Arts skill development through the exploration of theater, using best practices in theater education, social work, and evaluation. Participants will walk away with best practices and tools for program design, partnership, and assessment of arts and SEL learning.
Thursday, April 4 – 10:15am – 11:15am CT
Location: Dickinson III, 4th Floor
Track: Program Staff
Session A4: From Partnership to Programming: Engaging Community to Impact Program Design (Panel Discussion)
Facilitator:
Amy Rasmussen (she/her), Executive Director, Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE)
Panelists:
Ellamonique Baccus (she/her), Executive Director, Arts Partners
Claudia Gomez (she/her), Senior Manager of Programs, Center for Arts-Inspired Learning
Tya Anthony (she/they), Director of Education, RedLine Contemporary Art Center
Learn best practices and innovative strategies from three organizations that collaborate with their communities to design and implement programs. Arts Partners’s Artists to Authors program was a competitive paid fellowship for local BIPOC artists and authors that resulted in the publication of culturally relevant books used by Arts Partners in arts integration programs in Wichita public schools. Spanish Sprouts is the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning’s preschool multi-arts initiative that works closely with educators, parents, and community stakeholders to deepen cultural connections to the communities served by CAL beyond the school day. RedLine Contemporary Art Center operates using a Methodology of Community Responsiveness that transforms ideas born from the community into implemented programs with the voice, experience, and leadership of constituents and participants inherently built into the process, creating pathways for community members to be integrated into all facets of RedLine’s programming.
Thursday, April 4 – 10:15am – 11:15am CT
Location: Wilde Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Track: Program Staff
Session A5: Focusing Your Organization’s Time and Effort on What is Most Essential
Facilitator: Bill Pearson (he/him), Board Chair, Young Audiences National / Board Member, Young Audiences New York
This interactive session will address current questions on the minds of many nonprofit leaders: How do you determine which functions within your organization can be outsourced? What are successful examples of outsourcing non-mission specific functions, such as human resources, finance, and technology? What are the best practices and common pitfalls to avoid when making this transition? In this conversation, participants will share their own successes and challenges and take away practical strategies for moving forward.
Thursday, April 4 – 10:15am – 11:15am CT
Location: Dickinson I, 4th Floor
Track: Executive Leadership
COFFEE CHATS 1-3
Thursday, April 4 – 12:15pm CT
Chat 1: Creative Aging in Action: Building Relationships & Creating Safe Spaces
Facilitator: Jennifer Kubik, Program Coordinator, Think 360 Arts for Learning
As an organization celebrating its 60th year, Think 360 Arts for Learning has expanded its offerings to include older adult (55+) programs. Considering our first-year audiences are now in this demographic, we recognize the need for arts engagement throughout the entire lifespan. Collaborating with our community partners to fit this need, we developed rich relationships with communities throughout the state to serve older adults. In this chat, we will discuss what constitutes a quality arts program for older adults, strategies for building and maintaining relationships, and how the Creative Aging movement combats ageism.
Thursday, April 4 – 12:15pm – 1:00pm CT
Location: Dickinson I, 4th Floor
Tracks: Executive Leadership, Program Staff
Chat 2: Going Beyond the Numbers: Using Qualitative Data to Center Youth Voice
Facilitators:
Susanne Harnett (she/her), Managing Senior Associate, Metis Associates
Matt Klepfer (they/them), Research Analyst, Metis Associates
Andrea Allen (she/her), Research Analyst, Metis Associates
We can learn so much about a program’s impact through the expression and voices of the students we serve. Beyond the quantitative data from survey collection and other performance metrics, qualitative data can provide a fuller picture that can help inform both program design and advocacy. But how do we determine which qualitative measures to look at, and how do we review, analyze, and use the information? In this chat we’ll discuss these and other common questions and collectively share out successful strategies for qualitative assessment.
Thursday, April 4 – 12:15pm – 1:00pm CT
Location: Churchill, 3rd Floor
Track: Program Staff
Chat 3: Strategies for Building Effective Collaborations with Classroom Teachers
Facilitators:
Quynn Johnson, YA Nationally Credentialed Teaching Artist, Arts for Learning Maryland
Laura Marchese, YA Nationally Credentialed Teaching Artist, Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern PA
Among Young Audiences teaching artists, a conversation arose about the challenges we sometimes face in building and nurturing relationships with classroom teachers around a mutual understanding of each other’s goals and boundaries. A teaching artist’s collaborative relationship with classroom teachers can make or break a residency and greatly impact student learning. The goal of this conversation is to create a list of shareable strategies for building effective collaborations with classroom teachers.
Thursday, April 4 – 12:15pm – 1:00pm CT
Location: Dickinson II, 4th Floor
Track: Teaching Artists
Friday, April 5
BREAKOUT SESSIONS B
Friday, April 5 – 10:30am CT
Session B1: The Power of Words + Perseverance
Jessica Mueller (she/her), Teaching Artist, CAPE
Tracy Netter (she/her), CPS Art Teacher, New Sullivan Elementary
Presenters will lead participants through step-by-step instruction of an arts integration project for all ages. We will explore social emotional learning concepts through mantra writing (for self and others) and by conceptualizing unique hand lettering and layout designs for posters and embroidery. By delving into text-based art and embroidery, participants will engage in project-based learning and problem-solving skills to foster compassion and empathy (for self and others). This project and presentation were inspired by MotherWords, a mental health/embroidery project developed by presenter Jessica Mueller.
Friday, April 5 – 10:30am – 11:30am CT
Location: Dickinson III, 4th Floor
Track: Teaching Artists
Session B2: A Strong Foundation: Crafting a Dynamic Professional Development Framework for Organizational Growth
Juliane Toce (she/her), Director of Education, Arts for Learning Maryland
Katherine Dilworth (she/her), Director of Arts Integration / YA Nationally Credentialed Teaching Artist, Arts for Learning Maryland
Expand your organization without diluting your impact. People love what you’re doing! They want more of it! So, you grow. But in that growth, you lose some of the magic. Where did the magic go? Come walk through how we are maintaining our magic through rapid growth and expansion. Learn how you can ensure the quality of the programs you’re running by keeping your partners and staff steadfastly aligned with your mission and vision. Design a way to stay responsive to the needs of your unique community while deepening the relationships with teaching artists and gaining the trust of classroom teachers and schools.
Friday, April 5 – 10:30am – 11:30am CT
Location: Churchill, 3rd Floor
Tracks: Executive Leadership, Program Staff
Session B3: Authentic Partnership for Meaningful Change
Kimberly Washburn Motte, Arts Learning Director, South Carolina Arts Commission
Regi Strickland, Regional Director, ArtsNOW Learning
In high-need, underfunded areas, leveraging the power of the arts through arts integration can transform teacher practice and student engagement. This session explores how ArtsNOW, an education nonprofit organization focusing on arts integration professional learning, and Arts Grow SC, a collective impact initiative of the South Carolina Arts Commission, forged an authentic partnership to create broad-reaching, meaningful change in primarily rural areas with limited access to the arts. Participants will learn the roles that each organization plays and the importance of a network of support and will work in groups to collaboratively workshop relevant strategies to inspire future mutually beneficial partnerships.
Friday, April 5 – 10:30am – 11:30am CT
Location: Wilde Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Tracks: Executive Leadership, Program Staff
Session B4: Artistic Disruption: Arts for Learning Indiana’s ‘third space’ Initiative
Paisley Gibson (she/her), Director of Programs, PreK-Elementary Education, Arts for Learning Indiana
Giselle Trujillo (she/her), Teaching Artist, Arts for Learning Indiana
Melli Hoppe (she/her), YA Nationally Credentialed Teaching Artist, Arts for Learning Indiana
The “third space” project enhances the school environment and elevates the learning experience by showcasing works of art from established local artists, and integrating art into the curriculum and physical space of schools. The project incorporates an approach to teaching that helps to improve learning and develop students’ thinking. This interactive session will feature a presentation, film viewing, panel discussion, and a Q&A. In addition to gaining an understanding of the “third space” concept, participants will be encouraged to reimagine school environments as dynamic learning spaces and the role of the arts within them.
Friday, April 5 – 10:30am – 11:30am CT
Location: Dickinson I & II, 4th Floor
Track: Program Staff
BREAKOUT SESSIONS C
Friday, April 5 – 11:45am CT
Session C1: Youth As Partners: Collaborating to Create, Connect and Change
Dana Carr (she/her), Chief Executive Officer, The Creative Impact Group
During this session, we will explore best practices for incorporating and elevating youth voice in community arts-based programming. This kind of programming is the perfect medium for implementing a developmental approach that honors youth voices and input as true partners. By discussing the challenges and examining real world applications, we will discover the benefits of community-based arts programming in collaborative, youth-centered spaces. Participants will learn several tried and true methods for incorporating and elevating youth voice based in multiple developmental frameworks, coming away with creative project ideas that they can implement within their own programming.
Friday, April 5 – 11:45am – 12:45pm CT
Location: Dickinson I & II, 4th Floor
Tracks: Teaching Artists Program Staff
Session C2: Designing a Human-Centered Brand for Impact
Omote Ekwotafia (she/her), Founder, Otwo Design Studio
Renee Benson (she/her), Director of Access, Belonging and Strategic Partnerships / YA Nationally Credentialed Teaching Artist, Young Audiences of Louisiana
Community collaborations are an essential part of arts in education programming at all levels. A key component of a successful partnership is finding entities who share your goals and culture. In this session, participants will explore best practices in DEIAB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, Belonging) and branding and begin applying them to their work through session activities. As a result, participants will learn how to collaborate in ways that are genuine and attractive not only to fellow organizations that share goals and culture, but to educators, artists, and administrators who want to participate in and support their work. Participants will come away with a stakeholder profile to facilitate understanding of key demographics; a branding template to gather the main messages of their brand; and a goal framework to reach desired impact.
Friday, April 5 – 11:45am – 12:45pm CT
Location: Wilde Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Track: Executive Leadership
Session C3: Arts Lab: A Multi-year Collaboration between YANJEP and Community Partners
Liz Winter (she/her), Education Operations Director, Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern PA
Laura Marchese (she/her), YA Nationally Credentialed Teaching Artist, Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern PA
Arts Lab, currently in its sixth year at Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern PA (YANJEP), is a multi-year project that began with the focus of impacting student attendance by creating an arts-rich school environment. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on different collaborations in their own organizations and hear about the multi-layered collaborations that structured this project, such as those between YANJEP and funders, Arts Champions, school administration, teaching artists and classroom teachers, and the larger school community. The session will include art-making, a video presentation, and multiple opportunities to move, discuss, reflect, and connect with other participants to inspire creative thinking.
Friday, April 5 – 11:45am – 12:45pm CT
Location: Churchill, 3rd Floor
Tracks: Teaching Artists, Program Staff
Session C4: Collaborative Partnerships as a Culturally Sustaining Practice – The IDEAL Example
Andrew Lusher (he/him), Artist and Programming Manager, Arts for Learning Virginia
Spotlighting Arts for Learning Virginia’s innovative IDEAL residency, a ten-week out-of-school time program for students in grade five, this session will focus on collaborative partnerships as a culturally sustaining arts practice to support high-quality educational experiences. IDEAL (Intentional Designs of Expression in Artistic Languages) is an ideal example of bringing together professional arts practitioners, local arts institutions, and three school divisions, resulting in culturally sustaining arts practices rooted in collaborative community partnerships. Participants will explore the intersection between culturally sustaining practices and community engagement, and take part in a community asset mapping activity, identifying the cultural wealth of their own communities and imagining potential collaborative relationships.
Friday, April 5 – 11:45am – 12:45pm CT
Location: Dickinson III, 4th Floor
Track: Program Staff
COFFEE CHATS 4-6
Friday, April 5 – 1:30pm CT
Chat 4: What Does Professionalism Look Like to You?
Facilitators:
Alexandra Novak Foster (she/her), Education Manager, Arts for Learning Connecticut
Clockwork Janz (they/them), Director of Creative Talent + Equitable Partnerships, Arts for Learning Indiana
Chris Espinosa-XYZ (he/him), YA Nationally Credentialed Teaching Artist, Young Audiences of Northeast Texas
In this conversation, we will explore what “professionalism” looks like across different cultural lenses in an effort to understand how to improve relationships and conversations between staff members, board members, and teaching artists. In a field where we all believe that students benefit from multi-modal learning, alternative learning practices, and alternative assessments, we often forget the importance of these practices in our daily lives and workplaces. We look to investigate how these themes can help us to all collaborate with more intention across our roles.
Friday, April 5 – 1:30pm – 2:15pm CT
Location: Churchill, 3rd Floor
Tracks: Teaching Artists, Program Staff
Chat 5: Arts Education and Materiality
Facilitators:
Erin Preston (she/her), Research Consultant, Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE)
Mark Diaz (he/siya/sila), Associate Director of Education, CAPE
Brandon Phouybanhdyt (he/him), Program Coordinator, CAPE
Student agency is a core goal of learning in the arts; yet, research on learning in the arts has long equated student choice with agency. A more recent line of research in arts education has used a materialist lens of disrupting the binaries of nature and culture, human and non-human actors, to understand agency by looking at how we learn with materials. This has implications for how arts educators think about 1) differences between choice and agency, 2) our own relationships with materials and our bodies, and 3) how materials can disrupt disciplinary boundaries. Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) has been exploring how this notion of materiality intersects with their work on arts integration in school and community settings, and this investigation has shaped their professional learning for staff, teachers, and teaching artists. In this conversation, we’ll dig into these ideas together as we consider our post-Covid learning spaces: What new understandings about art education, in light of learning spaces infiltrated with arts practices, are possible when the agency is reframed as tied to materials?
Friday, April 5 – 1:30pm – 2:15pm CT
Location: Dickinson I & II, 4th Floor
Track: Program Staff
Chat 6: Board Member Meet and Greet
Facilitator:
David Dik (he/him), National Executive Director, Young Audiences Arts for Learning
Join this informal space for networking and conversation with other board members and advisory council members from around the country.
Friday, April 5 – 1:30pm – 2:15pm CT
Location: Dickinson III, 4th Floor
Track: Executive Leadership
Networking Meetings
Friday, April 5 – 2:30 CT