councils and networks
Americans for the Arts Advisory Council Elections
Four Americans for the Arts Leadership Councils—the Arts Education Council, Emerging Leader Council, Private Sector Council, and the Public Art Network Council—are currently seeking nominations for new council members to serve three-year terms from January 1, 2012 through December 30, 2014. Nominations close on October 7, 2011!
- Council Member Responsibilities Learn about the role of council members, council meetings, and committees
- Nomination Procedure Nominate yourself or a colleague for one of the councils
- Nomination and Elections Timeline Review the dates for nominations, voting, and announcement of new members
Council Member Responsibilities
Americans for the Arts needs, first and foremost, the councils to be advising staff on programs and services that will build a deeper connection to the field and the network membership. This gives council members the opportunity to be seen as national leaders and provides an opportunity to give back to the field by connecting the national work of Americans for the Arts to the local level.
The advisory council will include a cross-section of members representing a diverse range of age, gender, ethnicity, geographical area, and level of experience in the field.
Advisory Councils:
- Will be elected by the membership of Americans for the Arts.
- Serve two three-year terms.
- Must be professional members of Americans for the Arts, as either individuals or employees of a member organization.
- Maintain their membership throughout the course of their tenure on the advisory council.
Sub-committees:
- Advisory councils may break into sub-committees to help with large projects.
- Sub-committees are not normally standing on a year-to-year basis.
- These sub-committees are assembled as needed and may include non-council members.
Council Chair:
- Members self nominate a chair to work with the Americans for the Arts staff liaisons.
- The chair and the staff liaisons run all full council meetings and encourage and foster the ongoing engagement of all council members and the network as a whole.
- The chair may serve a one-year renewable term.
- If needed, council members may elect to vote in a co-chair or vice-chair that can assist the chair and staff liaisons.
- A co-chair or vice-chair may serve a one-year term.
Council Programs:
Advisory Councils have several opportunities to offer Americans for the Arts leadership, support, and advice. They include:
- Americans for the Arts annual programming (peer-group meetings, professional development sessions, receptions, webinars, etc.)
- Americans for the Arts Blog (posting, annual blog salon, responding, etc.)
- Research (field surveys, program evaluation, etc.)
- Network specific programs (i.e. Creative Conversations, Arts in Education Week, Public Art Year In Review)
- Building a deeper connection with the Network to help advance the arts in local communities
Council Meetings:
- Advisory councils meet on a regular basis, usually through conference calls
- Members have the opportunity to meet in-person and can meet up to two times a year. Last year, travel expenses for both in-person meetings for each council member were estimated at $3,000.00.
- An Americans for the Arts staff liaison must be present on all calls and be present at all in-person meetings
- In person winter meetings can be organized in two-ways:
- A council member may host the advisory council in their community - each member, including the Americans for the Arts staff person covers the cost of their travel to the host’s city
- Americans for the Arts will host the meeting in Washington, DC and covers the cost of meeting location and any meeting expenses (council members will cover the cost of their travel and lodging to Washington, DC)
- Annual Convention meeting
- Held in June during the convention
- Usually not outside of the cost of the council member’s cost or stay in the convention city
To learn more about the expectations for council members and council operating procedures, please see respective websites:
It is strongly encouraged that nominees consult their organizations about holding a council position, as it involves committing time and money in the form of conference calls, volunteer national projects, and mandatory attendance at events and in-person meetings.
To nominate yourself or a colleague for one of the councils, please submit the following materials by October 7, 2011. Submitting instructions are located in the Nomination Form. Please type the name of the council to which you are nominating in the subject line of your email to ensure it is reviewed.
- Nomination Form
- One-page letter of interest indicating why you want to be on the council
- One-page resume for individual nominees (any additional pages will be deleted)
- Headshot (75 DPI maximum quality)
- 250 word bio for individual nominees (text beyond 250 words will be deleted)
If nominees are advanced to the ballot, the letter of interest, headshot, and bio will be displayed in the online ballot for field-wide voting.
Nomination and Elections Timeline
- September 13, 2011: Call for Nominations Open
- October 7, 2011: Nominations close
- October 21, 2011: Voting opens
- November 21, 2011: Voting closes
- December 12, 2011: Americans for the Arts announces new council members
- January 1, 2012: New council members begin their terms
If you have any questions, please contact services@artsusa.org and type the name of the council in which you are interested in the subject line of your email.