01/08/2007
Contact:
Beth Olsen
Goodman Media for Americans for the Arts
212.576.2700 ext. 243 or bolsen@goodmanmedia.com
Americans for the Arts Announces New Members of Arts Education Council
Washington, DC—January 8, 2007—Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America, announced today three additions to its Arts Education Council. The Arts Education Council represents the Arts Education Network—a segment of the professional members of Americans for the Arts who work to improve access to, and quality of, arts education. The council provides guidance on the development and execution of programs and services that meet the needs of the Arts Education Network. Network members are arts professionals, staff of arts organizations, advocates, and community and education leaders, numbered 1,500 strong.
“The Arts Education Council is essential to Americans for the Arts and showcases our dedication to arts education for our children and communities,” stated Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “We are proud to welcome these new members to the council, whose expertise will help increase the visibility and stability of the arts and arts education nationwide.”
New Arts Education Council members:
Arnold Aprill, Executive Director, Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education, Chicago, IL
Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE), the organization Arnold April founded, is known for unprecedented innovation and intelligence in the diverse field of arts education and making lasting, positive change for Chicago students, teaching artists, and teachers. CAPE, under Aprill’s direction, has received three U.S. Department of Education grants in partnership with Chicago Public Schools. He is a recipient of the prestigious Leadership for a Changing World Award from the Ford Foundation and presents nationally and internationally on school improvement through the arts.
Donna Collins, Executive Director, Ohio Alliance for Arts Education and Ohio Citizens for the Arts, Columbus, OH
Donna Collins serves as executive director for both the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education and Ohio Citizens for the Arts. As a leader in the field of arts education and arts advocacy, Collins has had the opportunity to work with the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network, most recently as a member of the Network Leadership Committee and the Advocacy Committee. She serves on the boards of the Ohio Music Education Association and Ohio Art Education Association, including on committees for strategic planning, advocacy, and professional development. Collins also serves on the VSA Arts of Ohio board, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s Education Committee, and BalletMet’s Advocacy Committee.
Steve Tennen, Executive Director, ArtsConnection, New York City
Steven Tennen has been executive director of ArtsConnection, one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive arts-in-education organizations, since November 1985. Under his leadership, ArtsConnection has grown from a service provider to a full educational partner with more than 120 New York City public schools annually. During the past six years, ArtsConnection received three U.S. Department of Education Model Development and Dissemination grants; hosted the national symposium Beyond Arts Integration to share the research results of its 2001 Model Development and Dissemination grant, and has been the subject of the Dana Press publication Partnering Arts Education: A Working Model from ArtsConnection.
The Arts Education Network is designed to connect members around issues affecting arts in education policy, to advocate for inclusion and integration of high-quality arts education programming in America’s schools and communities, and to expand participation in the field of arts education. The Arts Education Network’s key constituents are arts professionals, artists, administrators, educators, and community arts leaders who plan, implement, and fund arts education programming at the local, state and national levels.
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 more than 45 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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