ARTS CONGRESS
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! Join hundreds of other advocates from all over the state of at the 2008 Arizona Arts Congress. Meet with legislators and talk about the arts positive impact on quality of life, cultural understanding, education, sense of community and the bottom line contribution to our states economy. Tell your story about arts education and the importance of the arts to a well-rounded education and life!
Monday, February 4, 2008 " 10AM-2P Senate Lawn " Arizona State Capitol
Get Informed about the issues
Learn how to advocate for the arts and arts in education effectively
Networkwith arts supporters from across the state
Be Heard by your Senators and Representatives*
New this year:guest speakers on the topics of advocacy, arts education and the economic impact of the arts, one-on-one time with legislators and a buffet lunch.
2008 is a critical year for the arts in Arizona. Help us make sure that the value of the arts in Arizona is understood at the State Capitol.
*Sign-up to escort your legislator to lunch and help educate them on value of the arts in their district.
Special reduced registration fee is only $25 for members and $30 for non-members.
For more information, visit Arizona Citizens for the Arts/Arizona Action for the Arts at www.azcitizensforthearts.org and Arizona Commission on the Arts at www.azarts.gov.
SOUTHWEST ARTS CONFERENCE 2008
Dont miss this annual convening of Arizona arts leaders, educators, artists, and advocates! Register now for the Friday, January 25, 2008 conference! The final program is now available online! To choose what sessions you'll attend, click here. Conference registration forms can be found here and on the Arizona Commission on the Arts website at www.azarts.org.
AAAE AWARDS AND CONTESTS
From time to time, AAAE offers or sponsors various awards and contests. Click here to find more information about what's available now.
KENNEDY CENTER/NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Kennedy Center/National Symphony Orchestra annually sponsors the Summer Music Institute for talented young musicians. The Arizona Alliance will submit the state's top five nominees to the Kennedy Center panel. One musician from most states will be selected to participate on scholarship for the 4-week 2008 Summer Music Institute program. This program is designed for serious music students, and includes round-trip air transportation to and from Washington, D. C., housing, local transportation, and meals. For more information on the Kennedy Center/National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute, please visit the Kennedy Center page. Applications for 2008 are available for download now.
CREATIVE TICKET SCHOOL AWARDS PROGRAM - STATE AND NATIONAL
State Level
The Creative Ticket School Awards Program provides an important outlet for expanding recognition of the role individual schools play in providing a creative learning environment for outstanding student achievement. This awards program provides a platform for the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network and the Arizona Alliance for Arts Education to highlight schools that have developed exemplary arts education programs. The Creative Ticket Schools of Excellence Awards are designed to honor individual schools exclusively.
Through the nomination of schools for the Creative Ticket School Awards, exemplary arts education programs in district elementary, middle and high schools will be identified. To be considered for a Creative Ticket Schools of Excellence Award, (the state level honor) the schools' arts education program should include two or more of the following characteristics:
- The school should teach all the arts (music, visual arts, dance, and theatre) as specific disciplines as well as integrated into other subject areas.
- The program should use creative approaches to learning, provide appropriate learning environments for teaching the arts, and recognize that the arts are critical and essential to education.
- The program should provide opportunities for parental involvement in the educational lives of their children through hands-on, creative, arts-based activities.
- The program should provide students various opportunities for learning about other cultures through the arts, enabling them to explore differences in ways that are devoid of cultural bias.
- The program should provide community connections that build value and respect for the community by offering students diverse experiences beyond the classroom.
National Level
National Level : Creative Ticket-National Schools of Distinction Award
This Award honors up to five schools each year from across the nation that provide teaching programs in the four basic art forms (music, visual arts, dance and theatre). Each State Alliance is eligible to nominate up to five schools for consideration for the national-level award. In addition, the KCAAEN collaborates with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) to recognize the K-8 Principals of the Creative Ticket National Schools of Distinction Award-Winning Schools.
To download an application for the State and National Levels, click here.
School DISTRICTS that exemplify these characteristics should be nominated for the KCAAEN and NSBA Award.
AAAE/ARIZONA SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AWARDS
The Arizona Alliance for Arts Education and the Arizona School Administrators encourage nominations of Superintendents and Administrators that have demonstrated commitment and support for arts education programs in Arizona through funding, program promotion, maintenance or expansion. Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2008 school year. For guidelines and nomination forms, click here.
STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST
Arizona Alliance for Arts Education invited students to participate in a student essay contest. Each year a topic is given to students in three different divisions. Division 1 is comprised of students in grades 4, 5 and 6; division 2 of 7, 8 and 9; division 3 of grades 10, 11 and 12. The essay (preferably typewritten for older students) has a maximum length of 400 words and is double-spaced. This year's topic was "How the Arts Help Me Achieve Success." Contestants were judged on style and content with emphasis on thoughts, honesty and creativity, and writing that is clear. Cash awards for arts education in the winners' schools will be presented at a meeting of their respective school boards with $150 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place. Application procedures and an application form are available for download.
NEW THIS YEAR: winners in upper grades will be invited to read their essays and have lunch with their Arizona legislators at the Arts Congress event on February 4, 2008. This annual event takes place on the lawn of the Capitol in front of arts supporters and Arizona legislators. The overall winning essay will also be read at the Governor's Arts Awards in the spring of 2008. The deadline was December 7, 2007. Watch here for the announcement of the winning entries!
MEMBERSHIP
Members of the alliance are essential to aiding our organization in promoting learning through the arts. For more information on becoming a member, contact the Alliance at 602.264.0299, or click here to download a membership application.