Former President Visits Portland

Barack Obama converses with Telling Room students

On January 26 former President Barack Obama participated in a zoom conversation with 26 students from Portland’s Telling Room’s Young Writers & Leaders program, an after-school creative writing and leadership program for international and multicultural students. For security reasons the virtual conversation was kept quiet but fortunately the conversation was videotaped and you can see the edited version below that was released this week to the media.

President Obama talked with the students about his recently published memoir, “A Promised Land.” Each student received a copy and were clearly thrilled for the opportunity to ask the President some questions and hear from him about writing and other topics. He talked a little about his play list and admits that he can’t listen while writing because he starts singing and moving. His final advice to the group was to “reach out to those who are doing what they want to be doing and ask them to teach you”.

The relationships with the Obama family has been going on for some time. Co-founder of the Telling Room, Sara Corbett is friends with Michelle Obama and helped with the President’s memoir. You can read the entire article in The Portland Press Herald, published on February 18th.

Telling Room’s Young Writers & Leaders program, an after-school creative writing and leadership program for international and multicultural students. 

Telling Room Mission

At the Telling Room, we empower youth through writing and share their voices with the world. Focused on young writers ages 6 to 18, we seek to build confidence, strengthen literacy skills, and provide real audiences for our students. We believe that the power of creative expression can change our communities and prepare our youth for future success.

One the years The Telling Room has been a recipient of Arts Learning Grants provided by the Maine Arts Commission. Their story has been shared on this blog in the past. Learn more about available funding for arts education on the Maine Arts Commission website.

Kathy Shaw Retires

Amazing work for 28 years

The Maine Arts Commission Senior Grants Director, Kathy Shaw, is retiring tomorrow after serving the people of Maine for 28 years. She has been a wonderful colleague supporting arts education in multiple ways. She has  worked with the Arts Learning grant program and applicants, helped set up the Dance Education and Ticket to Ride grants in the Grants Management System, supported the work of teaching artists in the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative, and has been available to answer my questions and provide advice since I started at the MAC almost 5 years ago.

Kathy has been the kind, patient, and helpful voice on the other end of the phone or email for Maine arts grantees for 28 years — in addition to many other ways she’s served the field during that time, including as Director of Arts Accessibility. Now she hopes to spend more time in her garden — but not before we give her a proper send off! Please attend the Open House we are hosting in Kathy’s honor on Friday, June 29 at 2 pm at the Arts Commission offices at 193 State Street (across from the Blaine House) in Augusta. RSVP here for this free event — and to leave a note for Kathy!

Kathy Ann joined the Maine Arts Commission staff in 1988 to serve as Museum & Visual Arts Associate, moved up to Contemporary Arts Associate, and has held the position of Senior Grants Associate since 2007. She oversees the management of all the agency’s grant programs in coordination with program staff. Additionally, she serves as the agency’s grants liaison with the National Endowment for the Arts. Kathy Ann holds a Bachelor of Arts in Special Studies degree in Aesthetics, Art History and Philosophy from the University of Maine, Orono, and has completed course work for a Masters of Arts degree in Museum Studies from John F. Kennedy Center for Museum Studies in San Francisco. After returning to Maine, she held the position of Assistant Development Director at the Portland Museum of Art. Kathy Ann is on the Board of Directors of the Kennebec Valley Humane Society. She enjoys gardening and studying comparative religion at her home in Augusta where she lives with her husband and two Newfoundland dogs.

Best wishes Kathy Shaw – may all your retirement wishes come true!

Arts Learning Grants

Maine Arts Commission grants – March 1 Deadline

The Maine Arts Commission (MAC) awards grants to artists, arts organizations, and arts educators through 12 different programs. The 2018 applications for six of these, with a deadline of March 1, are now open. The Arts Learning grant is especially for schools and educators working with students providing arts education.

Application deadline: March 1, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.

Maximum award: $5,000 (with a required 50% match)

SUMMARY
This grant supports schools, arts organizations/institutions and community-based teaching artists as they collaborate on the design and delivery of high-quality arts learning experiences for PK-12 students.

This program supports high-quality visual or performing arts education of PK-12 students and/or educators of this population.

There is a required 50% in-kind or cash match for this grant. (For example, an applicant asking for $5,000 must provide $2,500 of matching support.)

The funding cycle for this program is July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. Funds will not be available until after July 1, and cannot be spent for activities outside the funding cycle dates.

GUIDELINES – PDF

ABOUT THE ARTS LEARNING GRANT

Funds are to be used to enhance PK-12 arts education through teaching artist programs, community arts education programs, curriculum planning, professional learning for arts educators, teaching artists and teachers of all content.

The proposal should include the use of best standards-based practices reflecting 21st-century teaching and learning.

PK-12 schools through their districts, community organizations, and cultural institutions acting as or in partnership with teaching artists are eligible to apply for the Arts Learning grant. Applicants are encouraged to select teaching artists from the Maine Arts Commission’s Teaching Artist Roster.

The Maine Arts Commission learned during extensive data collection over the past two years that students in Maine’s most underserved regions have fewer opportunities for arts education. The agency therefore is earmarking funds for these regions of Maine. During fiscal year 2018-19, a dedicated grant of $5,000 will be offered to a single applicant from Aroostook, Washington or Oxford County. All other application processes will remain the same for this opportunity. For more information please contact Argy Nestor, Director of Arts Education, 207-287-2713 or argy.nestor@maine.gov.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Your school district or organization is eligible to apply only if it meets all of the following criteria:

• Is a nonprofit organization, legally established in the state of Maine.
• Has a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service, is a public school district, or is a unit of municipal, county or tribal government.
• Is in compliance with final reports required for any previous Maine Arts Commission awards received.

NOTE: An individual school must apply through its school district. As the legal applicant, all paperwork will be conducted through the Superintendent’s offices and communications and funds will go directly to the district to be delivered to the school. The Maine Arts Commission cannot contract directly with individual schools regardless of the project. It will be the responsibility of the project staff to communicate with the district office for the transfer of funds.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Please log into our Grants Management System. Your account is free and you can browse grant guidelines and requirements for all programs without applying. Your account also gives you the ability to add your entry to our Artists and Organizations Directory and to post press releases and events to this site’s news and calendar sections.

ASSISTANCE

Agency staff are always here as a resource for you. We recommend contacting the correct staff person a minimum of two-weeks prior to submitting your application.

For general questions about the application or review process please contact Kathy Ann Shaw, Senior Director for Grants and Arts Accessibility, at Kathy Shaw@maine.gov. or 207-287-2750.

For specific questions about the Arts Learning application please contact Argy Nestor, Director of Arts Education, at argy.nestor@maine.gov or 207-287-2713.

Grant information is available in large print format by request. All Maine Arts Commission programs are accessible to people with disabilities. All programs funded by the Maine Arts Commission must also be accessible.

Brewer in the Snow

Arts Learning Grant recipient

In the snow storm earlier this month when many schools had back to back snow days I headed off to the beautiful Brewer Community School. I arrived to find the parking lot so full of snow (and you know I love snow) I wasn’t sure where the sidewalks and parking lots started and ended. Not only was there snow everywhere but the wind was blowing and it was VERY cold!

Once I got inside the building and met up with Christopher Burk, founder and director of the Jazz Residency Initiative, (JRI) I soon forgot about the wind and cold. The Maine Arts Commission Arts Learning Grant assisted JRI with funding this year so I was excited about learning more about the program and seeing it in action. The weather could have shut down the program but the commitment to Brewer School’s music education was evident when the school opened in the afternoon so rehearsals and learning could continue.

Brewer High School jazz band

Brewer High School music teacher Brady Harris was having a lesson with resident jazz musician Mike Stern. At first glance from the center of the Brewer Performing Arts Center Mike looked like a high school student. Later I realized he connected with the students quickly and easily because he was in many ways much younger than his age. They went back and forth comfortably before the high school jazz students arrived for rehearsal and they all jumped right in to making music. I was so impressed! The middle school students followed for rehearsal and their first time meeting Mike (due to the storm). Led by Lanissa Nadeau the students were so well prepared and played amazingly! My only disappointment was that I couldn’t stay for the evening performance but I understand that it was a big success!

Brady and Mike

JRI BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Jazz Residency Initiative (JRI) is a Maine based non-profit dedicated to positively impacting the development of aspiring jazz musicians by facilitating artist-in-residencies with master musicians. Guest artists share their knowledge with student musicians through a series of masterclasses, rehearsals, and interactive workshops. The three day residencies culminate in Capstone Concerts in which the featured artists and the students share a stage and perform for their community. The Capstone Concerts also includes a Pro Set during which the featured artist plays with regional professional musicians, often providing the students their first opportunity to experience a live professional jazz performance. Through the residencies, JRI pursues its multifaceted mission of inspiring student musicians, improving their musicianship, providing quality listening opportunities for the students and their communities, showcasing regional professional musicians, and reenergizing local music educators.

PROGRAM PLANNING 

Planning for each residency typically begins 8 to 14 months in advance. This is partly due to the scheduling demands of the world class master musicians we work with. For example, our most recent residency in Brewer featured Mike Stern. Stern began his career playing with Blood Sweat & Tear and later Miles Davis, and went on to release 17 albums, earning 6 Grammy nominations. Another reason for the long planning cycle is that we want to empower local music educators to build the residencies into their curriculum for the full year. Repertoire selection is done months in advance in conjunction with both the teachers and the featured artist. This allows the hosting music educators to introduce the music to their students and be prepared to explore more of the artistic expression of the pieces. It also allows more time for the students to listen to the guest artists’ discography and alternate renditions of the repertoire. During the follow through phase of the residencies, the teachers guide their students to incorporate learnings related to the repertoire, and to utilize newly learned practice techniques.

Lanissa Nadeau conducting the middle school jazz band

DETAILS OF JRI

While JRI has honed the format of the residencies to be fairly consistent over the four years that we have been coordinating them, each remains as unique as the featured artists and the communities that host them. They are all hosted by high schools, but open to the public, and strive to include both younger and older students as much as possible. For example, in Brewer, both the high school and middle school big bands were included throughout the residency and Capstone Concert. During others, the middle school students will participate in workshops, but will not perform. While JRI will provide general guidance, we allow the guest artist to select which masterclasses they present, and run the rehearsals as they see fit. There are common themes that all of the featured artist touch on; I don’t think we have had one yet that did not tell the students to practice all twelve Major scales, in time, regularly. The different artists, however, clearly have different points of emphasis such as the importance of listening, time feel, music theory, and technical proficiency.

Mike working with a middle school student

MIKE STERN

During Mike Stern’s visit to Brewer he touched on all of these themes to varying degrees, but it may be his positive energy and encouragement to “Just keep playing. Keep music in your life regardless of if you intend to perform professionally, teach it or just enjoy it” that is best remembered. Stern also shared non-musical pearls of wisdom such as “learn to get along with others” and “don’t hold grudges.” One highlight was when the  64 year old jazz guitar master informed the students that he still has a teacher and that like him, they should all “practice what their teachers assign first and save the easy or fun stuff for the end of their practice time.” 

A great big THANKS to Christopher Burk for providing information for this blog post.

MAC Awards Grants

Over $37,000 awarded!

The Arts Learning grants, along with several other grant programs, totaling $375,134.00 were approved yesterday by the commission members of the Maine Arts Commission.

One of this years grant recipients: Teaching artist Susan Camp will be providing an artist residency at Leonard Middle School in Old Town during this school year. She will work with visual art educator Adele O’Brien-Drake to create portraits on gourds.

The Arts Learning grants are providing $37,200.00 to a mixture of 18 schools and organizations all committed to providing quality arts education programming for young people. The selection process involves four amazing panelists who dedicated hours and hours to reviewing each application, gathering to discuss them and scoring each one, using a rubric based on the criteria. The panelists scores are added together to determine a total score.

We are considering changing the arts education grant for next year to build on the successes. I encourage you to consider applying by brainstorming ideas and having conversations with school personnel, community arts organizations, and teaching artists. If you have questions or wish to discuss an idea please don’t hesitate to contact me at argy.nestor@maine.gov.  I’d be glad to assist you in the applications process. The deadline is the end of March BUT it is never to early to begin the planning process. Each awardee’s work will have a blog post that will include the project so you can learn about them. This years recipients are listed below with the titles of their applications. CONGRATULATIONS to all of you!

• 317 Main Community Center, Yarmouth – Building Learning and Life Skills through Music Education
• Bangor High School, Bangor – Ceramic/Sgraffito Artist workshop
• Breakwater Learning, Portland – Play Start Studio: Artist in Residence
• Figures of Speech Theatre, Freeport – The Art of Memory
• Jazz Residency Initiative, Denmark – Jazz Residency Initiative Programming
• Learning Works, Portland – Learning Works Afterschool, Youth Dance Program
• Leonard Middle School, Old Town, Harvesting Identify
• Longfellow Elementary School, Portland – Filling a Void: Building a Performing Arts Program at Longfellow Elementary
• Maine Academy of Modern Music, Portland – Mammoth Rock Chorus in Local Elementary Schools,
• Oceanside High School, Rockland – OHS Art Lab in the Halls – A School & Community Collaboration
• Opera House Arts, Stonington – Creative  Stages Theatre Education Initiative
• Partners in Island Education, Vinalhaven – Galvanizing Student Connections between the Island Landscape and Art
• Portland Ballet, Portland – CORPS support
• Portland Ovations, Portland – Story to Stage
• Portland Stage, Portland – Support for Portland Stage’s K-12 Education Programming
• The Telling Room, Portland – Field Trips
• Union Elementary School, Union – Come Spring
• Waterfall Arts, Belfast – Youth & Family Outreach After School Art Programs

Arts Learning Grants

Maine Arts Commission grants

The Maine Arts Commission awards grants to artists, arts organizations, and arts educators through 12 different programs. The 2017 applications for six of these, with a deadline of March 23, are now open. The Arts Learning grant is especially for schools and educators working with students providing arts education.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 23, 2017, 5 PM.

The maximum award is $5,000. Last year the average grant award was $2,300.

ABOUT THE ARTS LEARNING GRANT

Funds are to be used to enhance PK-12 arts education through teaching artist programs, connections with community arts education, curriculum planning, professional learning for arts educators, teaching artists and teachers of all content.

The proposal should include the use of best educational standards-based practices reflecting 21-century teaching and learning.

PK-12 schools, community organizations, and cultural institutions acting as or in partnership with teaching artists are eligible to apply for the Arts Learning grant.

There is a required 50% in-kind or cash match for this grant. (For example, an applicant asking for $5,000 must provide $2,500 of matching support.)

The funding cycle for this program is July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018. 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Your school or organization is eligible to apply only if it meets all of the following criteria:

• Is a nonprofit organization, legally established in the state of Maine.
• Has a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service, is a public school, or is a unit of municipal, county or tribal government.
• Is in compliance with final reports required for any previous Maine Arts Commission awards received.

REVIEW CRITERIA

Arts Learning Grant applications are reviewed on a competitive basis using the following criteria:

• Demonstration of high-quality arts education teaching and learning opportunities. (25%)
• Clear description of the project and its impact. (20%)
• Evidence of significant collaborative planning among teachers and other partners and capacity to carry it out. (20%)
• Description of evaluation methodology with clear objectives and outcomes. (15%)
• Alignment with State of Maine Learning Results for Visual and Performing Arts. (10%)
• Assurance that the project will include certified, trained teaching artists and will provide professional development opportunities where appropriate. (10%)

APPLICATION NARRATIVE

1. In two to four sentences, please describe your idea. (638 characters max.)
2. Clearly state the objectives for the idea, and plans for evaluating your success. (1,275 characters max.)
3. Describe your partnership, collaborative planning and the learners that you serve, including underserved students. (1,275 characters max.)
4. How does your proposal align with the State of Maine Learning Results for Visual and Performing Arts and other standards if relevant? (1,275 characters max.)
5. Who are the professional teachers and teaching artists involved in this project? Summarize their professional experience.(1,275 characters max.)

APPLICATION PACKAGE REQUIREMENTS

A completed application in the Grants Management System (GMS) for the Arts Learning Grant contains:

ONLINE

• Completed answers to all narrative prompts
• Completed project budget
• Most recently completed Form 990 (for organizations only)
• Resumes, bios, or curriculum vitae for all key personnel. Include resumes for all teaching artists
• One to three letters of support from individuals or representatives of organizations or schools who can speak to their anticipated benefit from the project
• Lesson Plan/Unit showing learning outcomes and assessment tools

To read all of the details please go to https://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Grants/artslearning.

If you have any questions please contact Argy Nestor, Director of Arts Education, Maine Arts Commission at argy.nestor@maine.gov.

Arts Learning Grants

Maine Arts Commission grants

The Maine Arts Commission awards grants to artists, arts organizations, and arts educators through 12 different programs. The 2016 applications for six of these, with a deadline of March 24, are now open. The Arts Learning grant is especially for schools and educators working with students providing arts education.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 24, 2016, 5 PM.

The maximum award is $5,000. Last year the average grant award was $2,300.

ABOUT GRANT

Funds are to be used to enhance PK-12 arts education through teaching artist programs, connections with community arts education, curriculum planning, professional learning for arts educators, teaching artists and teachers of all content.

The proposal should include the use of best educational standards-based practices reflecting 21-century teaching and learning.

PK-12 schools, community organizations, and cultural institutions acting as or in partnership with teaching artists are eligible to apply for the Arts Learning grant.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Your school or organization is eligible to apply if it meets all of the following criteria:

• Is a nonprofit organization, legally established in the state of Maine.
• Has a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service, is a public school, or is a unit of municipal, county or tribal government.
• Is in compliance with final reports required for any previous Maine Arts Commission awards received.

REVIEW CRITERIA

Arts Learning Grant applications are reviewed on a competitive basis using the following criteria:

• Demonstration of high-quality arts education teaching and learning opportunities. (25%)
• Clear description of the project and its impact. (20%)
• Evidence of significant collaborative planning among teachers and other partners and capacity to carry it out. (20%)
• Description of evaluation methodology with clear objectives and outcomes. (15%)
• Alignment with State of Maine Learning Results for Visual and Performing Arts and the Common Core standards. (10%)
• Assurance that the project will include certified, trained teaching artists and will provide professional development opportunities where appropriate. (10%)

APPLICATION NARRATIVE

(All character counts include spaces. 4,400 characters/page)

1. In two to four sentences, please describe your idea. (4,400 characters)
2. Clearly state the objectives for the idea, and plans for evaluating your success.(2,300 characters)
3. Describe your partnership, collaborative planning and the learners that you serve, including underserved students. (2,300 characters)
4. How does your proposal align with the State of Maine Learning Results for Visual and Performing Arts? If relevant, speak to the Common Core standards. (2,300 characters)
5. Who are the professional teachers and teaching artists involved in this project? Summarize their professional experience. (2,300 characters)

APPLICATION PACKAGE REQUIREMENTS

• Complete answers to all narrative prompts
• Completed project budget
• Most currently completed 990 (for organizations only)
• Resumes, bios, or curriculum vitae for all key personnel. Include resumes for all teaching artists
• One to three letters of support from individuals or representatives of organizations or schools who can speak to their anticipated benefit from the project
• Lesson Plan/Unit showing learning outcomes and assessment tools

To read all of the details please go to http://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Grants/artslearning#.