U.S. Bank Lends Major Support to Arts Partners

U.S. Bank and the U. S. Bancorp Foundation have awarded $25,000 to the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) to support Arts Partners, a collaboration among artists, arts organizations, school districts, governments, and donors to develop a comprehensive solution for providing arts education opportunities for every student in the Portland metropolitan area. RACC is the managing partner of this collaborative effort. U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the 6th largest commercial bank in the United States. Read the press release.

Arts Partners’ Governance Structure Streamlined

As we move out of planning and into implementing the Arts Partners’ Year One program model in the schools, the initial Governance Structure cried out for “dynamic re-design” to reflect the output of the working committees to date and the nature of the work ahead.

As shown in the revised Arts Partners Governance Structure, the two original program-based committees (Design & Implementation) were transformed into three—Service Delivery, Professional Development, and Assessment & Evaluation—reflecting Arts Partners’ primary program model components.

The other key change is that the Operating Partners [originally known as “Implementation Partner(s)”] have been divided into three distinct yet interrelated roles: Implementation Partner (service delivery in the schools); Professional Development Partner (training of arts service providers and school staff); Evaluation Partner (assessment and evaluation of overall program). These operating roles mirror the functions of the revamped program model committees.

Arts Partners’ emphasis on collaboration will continue to flourish as Operating Partners and their corresponding program model committees work together to develop the best program for our region’s students.

First Arts Partners Schools Named

A total of 20 schools from four districts (Gresham-Barlow, Hillsboro, North Clackamas and Portland) will participate as Arts Partners development sites in 2008-2009. An inquisitive and enthusiastic group of principals from these initial partnering schools gathered at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center on August 18th to hear firsthand how Arts Partners’ Year One program will enhance arts education for their students. Upcoming September visits to the schools will mark the first step of on-site planning with school faculty to implement Arts Partners’ program in their buildings.

Implementation Partner Sought For Portland Metro Arts Partners

The Regional Arts & Culture Council and Portland Metro Arts Partners seek applications from organizations or consortia of organizations/individuals to be a contracted Implementation Partner for Arts Partners. Responsibilities include the daily execution of this arts education initiative in the tri-county Portland metropolitan region. Responses to this Request for Qualifications (pdf) are due at the RACC offices by 12pm on Friday, July 18, 2008.

Arts Partners Initiative Bolstered by PGE Foundation

The PGE Foundation has become the first private sector supporter of Arts Partners by awarding $25,000 to help bring arts education to every K-8 student in the Portland metropolitan area. The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is the managing partner of this collaborative effort, now entering its second year of planning. PGE Foundation is the corporate foundation of Portland General Electric. Public funding has come from City of Portland, Clackamas & Multnomah County, Oregon Arts Commission, City of Hillsboro, and Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council. Read the press release.

Carol R. Smith to Chair Arts Partners Governing Committee

Carol R. Smith has been named the chair of the Arts Partners Governing Committee, a group of community leaders appointed by the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) to oversee the design and implementation of Arts Partners. Carol has been a principal at both the elementary and middle school levels and served as Fine Arts Specialist coordinating art, music, drama and dance curriculum for the Beaverton School District. She holds a Master of Arts degree in music performance and received her Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus on curriculum and instruction. She was a member of the Arts Partners Visioning Committee and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the RACC Board. Read the press release.

Governing Committee Appointed

At its May 28^th meeting, the RACC Board of Directors confirmed the appointment of the Arts Partners Governing Committee. This group of educators, government officials, business leaders, and philanthropists is responsible for overseeing the project’s design and implementation. The first committee meeting is scheduled for June 9^th.

In addition to the Governing Committee, three working committees, comprised of teachers, arts specialists, principals, artists, parents, business owners and civic leaders, have been meeting regularly since March and are addressing program design, policies and procedures, and advocacy. An Advisory Council, representing a broad range of stakeholders across the community, will meet quarterly to respond to the work of these three committees.

In total, over 100 volunteers are involved in the development of Arts Partners! What a statement of support and commitment!

Thank You!

Due to overwhelming response from the community, Mayor Potter has put $150,000 into the FY09 budget to help fund Arts Partners. Within 48 hours of our call to action, hundreds of messages had been received by the Mayor and Commissioners. Thanks to everyone who took the time to send an email in support of arts education. What an extraordinary accomplishment for our community!

CALL TO ACTION for the arts community!

Our children need your help. Arts Partners needs your voice!

Please help us in securing public funding to support Arts Partners and our efforts to bring arts education to every K-8 student in the region by 2012. When Mayor Potter released his proposed budget for FY09 on April 15, it did not include essential support from the City of Portland to help make this vision a reality. Even if you reside outside city limits, you can express your concern that Portland school children would not have the same meaningful learning opportunities as the students from neighboring communities. Equitable access for all students requires the support of all communities.

Please write to Mayor Potter and the Portland City Commissioners today and tell them that you support investing $200,000 of the city’s $33 million surplus in arts education activities that are proven to enhance our children's education. (That’s 0.6% of the surplus funds available!) We’ll help you write the message, and it only takes two minutes to make a difference.

Click here for more information and to email Mayor Potter and the Portland City Commissioners today, or visit www.racc.org/help .

Thank you!

From Dialog to Doing

Don’t worry if you missed the March 4th Update Meeting. Here’s what was shared, including an opportunity to become involved in the planning of Arts Partners.

In November, the Arts Partners Visioning Committee was charged with three tasks:
1) Finalize a purpose statement for the initiative,
2) Propose a governance structure and
3) Develop a process to launch the planning.

The Visioning Committee Recommendations were presented to and approved by the RACC Board of Directors at its February 20th meeting, paving the way for project design and implementation. With a governance structure in place, the Visioning Committee has been dissolved; its members are identifying their places within the newly established committee structure.

We now invite you to join the planning effort by participating in one of the working committees – Program Design, Program Implementation or Partnership Advancement – or to become part of the Arts Partners Advisory Council. Details about the committees and council (beginning on page 2 of the Governance Description) will help you make your choice. Indicate your interest by submitting an Arts Partners Interest Form or via e-mail to mstalcup@racc.org.

What’s Happened. What’s Next!

Arts Partners continues to move forward. In the past month, the purpose statement has been solidified and a governance structure determined.

Please join us for an update on this new regional arts education initiative and learn how you can become involved in the actual program design, implementation and communication. Gina Thorsen, one of our mentors from Big Thought in Dallas, TX, will be on hand for the launch of this crucial next step.

Arts Partners Update Meeting
Tuesday, March 4th
4:00 – 5:30 pm
Northwest Children's Theater
1819 NW Everett Street ~ Portland
(limited parking in lot at NW 19th & Flanders)

RSVP appreciated: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/100556768

“Arts Education Touted as Key to U.S. Innovation Agenda”

Following the release of national poll results, Education Week reports an emerging agenda to promote imagination and innovation as key outcomes of learning. Commissioned by the Arts Education Partnership, the poll substantiates the importance of arts education in addressing this need. In addition, AEP has launched the Imagine Nation, a new website providing information and resources to support arts in education including the Dallas Arts Learning Initiative managed by Big Thought. How might this movement support our regional efforts?

Arts Partners Purpose Statement

Based on input from key stakeholders and area citizens, the Arts Partners Visioning Committee has drafted the following purpose statement and would like your feedback. As stated by Big Thought consultant Gigi Antoni, “It is important to keep in mind that the purpose statement is a target or compass – a directional tool – not the ‘how’.” For example, measurable impact will be determined by the program design and assessment planning, all part of the dynamic design process.

Proposed Arts Partners Purpose Statement: To integrate the community’s arts and cultural resources into the education of every K-8 student in the region’s school districts, resulting in a measurable impact on learning.

Responses received by January 28^th will be most useful to the planning process. To give your feedback or see what others are saying, click 'comments' below.

The Lowdown

Arts Partners is a collaborative initiative to bring arts education to every student in the Portland metropolitan area. This effort is a systemic approach intended to address the inequity in delivery of arts services to the children of our community. The emerging vision – arts resources for every school and integration of arts and culture into every elementary classroom in the tri-county area. The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is the convening partner. The initial planning for this regional effort has been facilitated by the Arts Partners Visioning Committee under the guidance of leaders from Big Thought, a highly successful model in Dallas, Texas. Big Thought selected Portland as the only city they will mentor through the process of developing a local partnership.

In August 2007, nearly 200 educators, artists, business leaders and community members attended a public unveiling of the Portland area Arts Partners initiative. In October and November, a series of community meetings were conducted throughout the tri-county area which were designed to identify the values and educational priorities of area residents. Simultaneously, school district leaders and arts/cultural providers were interviewed in order to identify their organizational goals and needs. The results of these conversations were shared in the Stakeholder Feedback Report which provides information needed to further define the scope and direction of this initiative.

During a site visit in late November, Big Thought consultants presented the report and facilitated continued conversations with the Portland arts and cultural community and regional school district leaders. The Visioning Committee reconvened to review findings and implications from these meetings and to make decisions on how to proceed. The Visioning Committee will retire in early spring as program design begins and a governance structure is in place. Implementation in 15 to 20 pilot sites across the tri-county area is slated for September 2008.