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Feature Article
New Governors on the Arts
November 09, 2010
California
As the former Mayor of Oakland, Jerry Brown knows of the powerful economic impact the arts can have on a community, and brought about a huge economic revitalization in the city through the implementation of a creative economy. As Governor, Brown has indicated he wants to strengthen arts education opportunities for all students, and expand the state’s creative economy to help it overcome current economic turmoil.
Hawai’i
Neil Abercrombie has vowed to take funding and awareness of arts and culture in the state to unprecedented levels, and to work closely with the Hawai’i Film Office to attract the lucrative production of movies and television shows to the state. As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Abercrombie served on the Congressional Arts Caucus and received an ‘A’ grade on the Arts Action Fund 2008 Congressional Report Card.
Michigan
Newcomer Rick Snyder has an extensive arts platform which focuses on a variety of areas such as creative placemaking, sustainability, and public-private partnerships to enhance access to the arts. Snyder is aware of the huge return on investment that funding the arts can provide, and has stated he will support the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.
Minnesota*
As a U.S. Senator, Mark Dayton voted in support of funding for the NEA and NEH, and supports fifty percent of Minnesota’s Arts & Culture fund to be allocated to the State Arts Board and Regional Arts Councils. He also supports the state’s Legacy Amendment, continued tax exemptions for nonprofits, and stronger arts education and community arts programs. He has vowed to increase K-12 education funding to help make the arts readily accessible to all students.
*This gubernatorial election has entered an automatic recount. The election must be certified by November 23. Dayton is the projected winner by fewer than 9,000 votes.
Pennsylvania
Tom Corbett plans to support funding for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and engage the business community in discussions with arts nonprofits on how to effectively establish public-private partnerships which will benefit the arts throughout the state. He also wants to expand access to arts education through a tax credit program for businesses that sponsor arts education-related initiatives.
Rhode Island
Former U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee routinely supported the Artist Fair-Value Deduction Act. As a former Mayor of Warwick, he worked to raise awareness and funds for public art initiatives. Chafee understands the value of creative industries at local, state, and federal levels, and advocates will be working adamantly to ensure he continues to pursue and support pro-arts legislation.
Become a Successful Arts Advocate
August 12, 2010
This video from Immediate Past-Chair of the SAAN, Donna Collins, Executive Director of the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education and Ohio Citizens for the Arts, provides in-depth tips on how to successfully advocate for arts education with your state legislators.
Donna stresses the importance of being prepared prior to your visit to the capitol. It is not necessary to research all of the intricate processes of government operations, but advocates should be well-versed in their legislators’ background - primarily any past opinions or legislation they have offered in support of, or against, arts education and funding for the arts.
Also prior to your visit, it is important to do research on the topic you want to discuss with your legislator. Because of busy schedules, visits with lawmakers usually last only 10 to 20 minutes, so it is necessary to have a concise, yet substantive argument in order to efficiently state your case. Visit the Americans for the Arts Policy and Advocacy page and E-Advocacy Center to learn how to educate yourself and your legislators about the issues that matter to you.
Finally, you may want to consider joining the Arts Action Fund. Membership is free! The Arts Action Fund is the only national organization that mobilizes Americans in the fight for arts funding and arts education. It’s building a nationwide army of citizen activists who will help guarantee that arts-friendly public policies are adopted at the federal, state, and local levels.
Thank you to Donna Collins, SAAN Chair July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010
July 13, 2010
By Jay Dick
I want to take this time and space to publically thank Donna Collins for her tireless efforts as chair of the SAAN Council. She follows in a line of former chairs that have expertly guided and shaped the SAAN: Anne Katz, Sheila Smith, Gretchen Johnston, Judy Weiner, Betty Plumb, and Alene Valkanas.
Most people probably don’t realize this, but for half of her term as chair, Donna was also the chair of the Americans for the Arts Arts Education Council which ended up being a very helpful endeavor as the SAAN recently welcomed the members of the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network (KCAAEN) to the SAAN. Because Donna was a member of both the SAAN and the KCAAEN, the process of welcoming the alliance members was very smooth and positive.
As our former chairs will tell you, being chair just isn’t presiding over meetings, but involves multiple monthly conference calls, numerous phone calls, countless e-mails and time and effort to develop agendas for the various meetings. Donna performed all these tasks with grace and charm. We had a wonderful fall meeting in Columbus where Donna was the consummate host and even arranged for a sponsor of one of our meals!
During the past 12 months, we have instituted monthly member led conference calls, continued NEA funding, stepped up our quarterly webinars, seen an increase in our listserv traffic, welcomed several new members, and have had three great in-person meetings.
While Donna is not leaving the council, I do want to thank Donna for her tireless work as chair on behalf of Americans for the Arts, the SAAN, and the arts in America.
The Creativity Crisis
July 12, 2010
(Newsweek) Back in 1958, Ted Schwarzrock was an 8-year-old third grader when he became one of the “Torrance kids,” a group of nearly 400 Minneapolis children who completed a series of creativity tasks newly designed by professor E. Paul Torrance. Schwarzrock still vividly remembers the moment when a psychologist handed him a fire truck and asked, “How could you improve this toy to make it better and more fun to play with?” He recalls the psychologist being excited by his answers. In fact, the psychologist’s session notes indicate Schwarzrock rattled off 25 improvements, such as adding a removable ladder and springs to the wheels. That wasn’t the only time he impressed the scholars, who judged Schwarzrock to have “unusual visual perspective” and “an ability to synthesize diverse elements into meaningful products.”
The accepted definition of creativity is production of something original and useful, and that’s what’s reflected in the tests. There is never one right answer. To be creative requires divergent thinking (generating many unique ideas) and then convergent thinking (combining those ideas into the best result).
In the 50 years since Schwarzrock and the others took their tests, scholars—first led by Torrance, now his colleague, Garnet Millar—have been tracking the children, recording every patent earned, every business founded, every research paper published, and every grant awarded. They tallied the books, dances, radio shows, art exhibitions, software programs, advertising campaigns, hardware innovations, music compositions, public policies (written or implemented), leadership positions, invited lectures, and buildings designed. (Continue reading...)
2010 Half-Century Summit SAAN Meeting
June 09, 2010
Friday, June 25, 8:30 am - 10:30 am
Individuals who serve on the boards of directors for State Art Action Network member organizations are encouraged to join this meeting to discuss issues of common interest prior to official beginning of the Summit.
Welcome Justin Knabb!
April 01, 2010
Justin joined Americans for the Arts in April 2010 as the State and Local Government Affairs Coordinator and is responsible for tracking ballot initiatives and collaborating with the State Arts Advocacy Network on researching and supporting grassroots public policy initiatives that are beneficial to the creation and growth of arts projects on a local and statewide level.
Justin is a native of Charleston, WV, and attended Marshall University where he received his Bachelors of Arts degrees in political science and Spanish. He enjoys traveling, and has a goal of visiting at least five countries on every continent. He is also passionate about baseball, music, and engaging in political debates with anyone who will listen.