arts education

Council

Nominations and Elections
Interested Americans for the Arts professional members may nominate themselves or colleagues for open positions on the Arts Education Council. Information about nominations and elections is available online. Or, to ensure you receive the notice, please contact membership@artsusa.org and request to receive electronic communications, with an interest area of education.

Please note: Arts Education Council members that begin their term on January 1, 2010 may be required to attend an in-person meeting in January 2010 in Washington, DC.

About the Council

The Arts Education Council represents the Arts Education Network—a segment of professional members of Americans for the Arts that works 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. Information about each council member is available online.

Benefits of Council membership

• The most common reason for serving on the council is the opportunity to affect policy and practice in arts education administration and provision around the country through the professional services of Americans for the Arts.
• Council participation positions council members as national leaders in their field, unique in their position and nationally connected in exceptional ways. 
• Council participation provides a small, intimate network of highly effective professional peers, which is leveraged for programmatic advancement at participating organizations.
• Council activities and discussions represent demanding and engaging professional development opportunities for all involved. 
• Members value that council service provides an opportunity to “give back to the field.”
• Americans for the Arts provides free participation to some professional events for Council members.

Operations of the Council

• Council members are responsible for advising Americans for the Arts on national association and membership services. As such, Council members understand the scope of work at Americans for the Arts and support staff's efforts to strategically expand and improve professional growth services. 
• Currently 10 members sit on the council. 
• Council members serve staggered, three-year terms. Each member is eligible for a second or third renewed term. 
• Task forces are established to complete projects as needed. There are no standing committees or task forces, except for the Executive Committee.
• The Executive Committee includes the Chair and Vice Chair, who are elected each year in January, following Council elections. 

Commitments of the Council

• The Council meets on the phone each month for 60 minutes for updates and discussion.
• Each Council member is required to write one blog post each month, 400–1,500 words in length, on a topic of their choosing. They are also required to participate in the creation of additional online content as requested by staff. 
• Three requisite, in-person meetings occur in summer, fall, and winter: one in conjunction with the Americans for the Arts Annual Convention in June, one following Convention, and one in conjunction with other Councils in winter. 
• In 2008, time commitments for council members were estimated at 20 hours by phone including monthly calls and task force participation; and 5 full days of in-person meetings, not including travel time. There is an additional 20 hours of time dedicated to meeting groundwork, reviewing of documents, and other preparation activities. 
• All travel and expenses must be covered by Council members. In 2008, travel expenses for each Council member were estimated at $3,000.00.
• Each Council member takes on additional volunteer responsibilities or participates in task forces, when needs arise. Each additional project is temporary and is included in the above time and money estimates.