A Missing Narrative: Moving Towards Understanding the Black Experience in Teaching Artistry in the U.S.

Given the current socio-political climate of the U.S. at the time of this research, as well as the pervasive lack of understanding about the Black experience around the world, the need for Afrocentric cultural awareness has never been greater. As part of the Black Teaching Artist Lab’s (BTAL) Ethnographic Research Initiative, BTAL and Creative Generation co-created a research strategy to evaluate and compile research by, for, and about Black teaching artists in the U.S. and field a national study to better understand the demographic composition of this community of practice and elevate their attitudes and perceptions about their work to drive important dialogue. This report combines the findings of desk and field research with analysis and perspectives from the Black teaching artists, educators, and cultural practitioners on the research team on three primary topics: 1) The Importance of Community, 2) Cultivation of Black-Centered Spaces, and 3) Discrimination within the U.S. Education and Cultural Systems.

Read more

3.1.8 Making The Case For Social Justice

The term social justice is commonly referenced as the objective of creating a fair and equal society, with equitable distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges, where individual rights are recognized and protected, and decisions are made in ways that are fair and honest. To realize the principles of social justice in and through arts and cultural education, consider focusing your work in one of the following areas: access and participation, board development, teacher recruitment, and curriculum development.

Read more

3.1.7 Taking Action: Stakeholder Participation and Engagement

A key component of any social change effort is in the engagement and participation of stakeholders. Regardless of the size, stakes, and subject matter of advocacy campaigns, outcomes depend in great part on the engagement of those individuals and groups who care deeply about the issue. Stakeholder engagement describes a process of accountability. How are stakeholders informed and empowered? Stakeholder participation is a metric that is used to look at advocacy effectiveness. Who is engaged and what are the outcomes? In this seventh article in the series, the author examines what it means to take action in advocacy for arts and cultural education.

Read more

3.1.6 Collective Impact and Coalition-Building: A Dynamic Relationship

In this sixth article in the series Case-making and Systems Change in Arts and Cultural Education, we explore elements that are foundational to changemaking coalitions. The article describes some shared characteristics of collective impact projects and coalition building as well as how they differ. It describes the strategic and structural elements that enable effective coalitions. Coalition building requires advocates to work continuously to align a vision of the ideal with the reality of the everyday. The iterative work of coalitions means continuous improvising, evolving, and a commitment to authentic collaboration.

Read more

3.1.5 Systems Change in Arts Education

The fifth article in the series Case-making and Systems Change in Arts and Cultural Education, expands on the theme of Advocacy for the Sector, describing how history has shaped the system of arts education, with a review of the components of our current system. The model acknowledges that we see the larger system and work within a local context, balance organizational structure and flexibility, link communications strategies to goals, build adaptive processes that encourage engagement, understand the dynamics of systems change, and acknowledge progress at all levels. The author proposes new vocabulary to establish Creative Learning at the core of the model, with three sectors (policy, leadership, and philanthropy) that compose the Centers of Influence. The Centers of Influence work to support Creative Learning through various Areas of Impact and Drivers of Change.

Read more

3.1.4 The Art of Strategic Communications

'Strategic communications' is a term describing an intentional and targeted messaging plan that is linked to overarching goals. The article places strategic communications in the context of arts and cultural education. It describes a framework for creating communications plans, guiding questions for engaging in different types of communications, a glossary of terms, and provides examples of effective strategic communications tactics used in campaigns to advance arts and cultural education. The fourth article in the series, the ideas inform advocacy of self, field, sector, and justice and are most enhanced when applied both to the individual and the collectives assembled to advance arts and cultural education.

Read more

Adaptive Impact Planning: A Short Take

The phrase ‘organizational planning’ conjures images of calendars, excel spreadsheets, and abandoned binders on a shelf. Largely synonymous with strategic planning, organizational planning has had a bad reputation, since the 1980’s, for producing a final product that can quickly become irrelevant in the relatively recent past, the fundamental aspects of strategic planning - planning and strategy in the context of the organization - have ceased to be the most important aspects of our work as a whole in the nonprofit, arts & cultural, or education sectors. In more contemporary times, innovation and response to changing circumstances (be it a global health crises, influx of philanthropic dollars, citizen civic action, or the like) is quick and unpredictable, data is inexpensive and overwhelmingly plentiful, and there are more ways to communicate than ever before. In response to the complicated question of how to best prepare a mission-driven organization for the unknown — without compromising on mission, vision, and values — Bridget Woodbury proposed the Adaptive Impact Plan (AIP). She theorizes that an AIP would be created through a deliberate planning process that addresses the reciprocity between mission, vision, values and priorities. This process involves reviewing community constituencies and activities in relation to an organization’s mission, vision, and values and then using that to select strategic priorities that guide decision-making.

Read more

3.1.3 The Value of Multiple Perspectives in Advocacy

This article explores the meaning of perspective in making the case for the arts and arts education. It underscores the importance of advocacy that sees the larger system while working within a local context. Three perspectives are described which are most often represented in arts, culture, and arts education advocacy: “practitioner advocate,” “field-builder advocate,” and “policy advocate.” Each group has its constituents, ranging from teachers to corporate citizens to national advocacy coalitions. Effective advocacy is accomplished by understanding first where you are, then embracing perspectives beyond your own. Using the metaphor of being in the balcony or on the dance floor to describe the vantage points of different perspectives, the article makes the point that it is time for casemakers and systems-changers to combine their perspectives to drive the changes they wish to see in the creative education of our youth. The article concludes with four recommended strategies and guiding questions for connecting multiple points of view, enabling everyone’s ability to see the bigger picture while acting locally: Enhance your perspective; own your expertise; embrace learning; and commit to action.

Read more

Throwing Out the Playbook: Insights from the 2021 ABLE Conversation

On Saturday, November 20, 2021, the Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs (BIAESN) hosted the first ABLE Conversation: Anti-Ableism, Representation, and Accessibility in Arts Education symposium. The event included keynote remarks from Rebecca Cokley and Gaelynn Lea, as well as discussions with attendees. Insights are shared from the event, focused on solidarity work; preparation, access, and opportunity; and the joy of disability culture. It concluded with a strong call to action for the arts education community to be revolutionary and throw out the playbook.

Read more

3.1.2 The Power of the Individual in Advocacy

A central component to case-making and systems change is personal advocacy, driven by the individual. How we translate our personal beliefs and biases into tactics for advocacy is an essential skill for all practitioners. This article shares four tactics to guide practitioners through this process, including storytelling, social media use, word choice, and relationship forming. Within each, guiding questions are formed through three lenses focused on communications strategies, the dynamics of systems change, and acknowledging progress. It concludes with a call to action about the professional responsibility of arts and cultural education practitioners to become effective advocates to make the case and affect systems change.

Read more

Overview of Documented Knowledge: Case-making and Systems Change in Arts & Cultural Education

In 2021, a collaborative project between Creative Generation and ElevateArtsEd emerged to better understand how practitioners - such as artists, educators, community leaders, and more - can make the case for and also advocate through arts and culture to drive systemic change and address the complex challenges we were facing, such as a global health pandemic, reckoning with racial justice, environmental crisis, threats to public education, and economic recession. This resource serves as a review of current literature on advocacy, case-making, and systems change: it incorporates overarching concepts from the distinct sectors of culture, education, and social justice; and includes bodies of knowledge including in the arts, health, housing, social justice, environment, and economics. The publication establishes the need for intertwining the science of advocacy — building blocks for understanding what effective advocacy looks like — and the art of advocacy with calls for improvisation, adaptability, and generative thinking, all characteristics of art making.

Read more

Annotated Bibliography: Case-making and Systems Change in Arts & Cultural Education

In 2021, a collaborative project between Creative Generation and ElevateArtsEd emerged to better understand how practitioners - such as artists, educators, community leaders, and more - can make the case for and also advocate through arts and culture to drive systemic change and address the complex challenges we were facing, such as a global health pandemic, reckoning with racial justice, environmental crisis, threats to public education, and economic recession. This resource serves as an annotated bibliography on advocacy, case-making, and systems change: it incorporates overarching concepts from the distinct sectors of culture, education, and social justice; and includes references from the arts, health, housing, social justice, environment, and economics.

Read more

3.1.1 Introduction to Case-making and Systems Change in Arts & Cultural Education

Introduction to Case-making and Systems Change in Arts & Cultural Education is an overview of a collaborative project between Creative Generation and ElevateArtsEd undertaken to better understand how practitioners - such as artists, educators, community leaders, and more - can make the case for and also advocate through arts and culture to drive systemic change and address complex challenges. The project seeks to expand the knowledge base of case-making and systems change in the field of arts and cultural education and provide resources to support effective actions for practitioners and young creatives. Investigating both the theory and the practice of case-making, the introductory article draws on research from three distinct sectors: cultural, education, and social justice. The approach represents both the science of advocacy - building blocks for understanding what effective advocacy looks like - and the art of advocacy with calls for improvisation, adaptability, and generative thinking, all characteristics of art making. The article describes six key learning themes and an expanded model for advocacy focused on self, field, and sector through an overarching lens of social justice.

Read more

Zora's Legacy: Scope of Work

Black Teaching Artists Lab (BTAL) is interested in ethnographic study to collect the stories, traditions, and artifacts from Afro-descendant artists across the African Diaspora to address the extant gaps in research and knowledge on Black-identifying teaching artists, which includes what they need and want from the institutions that employ them. Despite the institutional racism that pervades America’s education system and the ongoing fatigue and frustration of our nation’s Black educators, throughout this literature review, promising organizations and practices here in the U.S. have been identified, all working towards better supporting these educators. The ultimate hope is to not only gain a better understanding of who America’s Black-identifying teaching artists are, but also of the ways in which our society can provide the tools and resources for them to have a more equitable work and social life.

Read more

The Guiding Principles for the Assessment of Arts Learning

From October 11-15, 2021, the World Alliance for Arts Education’s Executive Forum authorized the 10th World Summit on Arts Education to be hosted by the University of Florida and the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education (SEADAE). During the 2021 Virtual World Summit, titled Arts Impact: Context Matters, over 200 delegates from twenty-six nations on all six continents gathered to network, share research, and examine the multiple and varied ways in which arts assessments are designed and implemented around the world. Throughout the Summit, multiple discussions by various groups of delegates resulted in rich sets of qualitative data that were analyzed and interpreted daily by the conference leaders and rapporteur. These analyses were used to modify and update the concepts and ideas found within the resulting "Guiding Principles for the Assessment of Arts Learning."

Read more

Network Theory: How Can Its Application Cultivate the Conditions to Support Young Creatives?

As observers to the intersectional fields of culture, education, and social change, Creative Generation witnessed the chosen organizational structure of “networks” come into vogue – particularly as smaller, community-based organizations have begun to participate in larger-scale, collaborative initiatives. In almost all examples, the individuals and organizations involved do their collaborative work through a “network,” using any number of connections and patterns. This qualitative inquiry sought to understand how applying Network Theory to organizational structures can cultivate the conditions to support young creatives. Through literature and conducting interviews with leaders of diverse networks in the arts and cultural education fields, this project provides an overview of Network Theory and examines examples of various models. This report proposes the following set of provocations for the field to interrogate the use of Network Theory in their projects’ implementation: strong connections between the network and its participants, shared power among network leadership and participants, clear expectations about funding, and specific role for young creatives in decision-making.

Read more

Where Do We Go From Here?

From August to December 2020, the Teaching Artistry with Courtney J. Boddie podcast and Creative Generation collaborated with twenty-two inspiring Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) artists, educators, and community activists through a video interview series, “We Can’t Go Back.” This cumulative report highlights the many anti-racist, liberatory, and intersectional feminist practices, strategies, and fundamental shifts in arts and cultural work – both pedagogical and institutional – to reimagine a future to which the arts education field may move toward. Readers are invited to pause and reflect on the question: If we can't go back, where do we go from here?

Read more