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Emerging Leader Council Advisory Council Elections
The Emerging Leaders Council (ELC) is an elected advisory body to Americans for the Arts and assists with developing programs and resources to promote the growth, development, and sustenance of emerging arts professionals nationwide. ELC members are provided with professional development opportunities to engage in the field on the national level; build new and dynamic relationships with colleagues; learn firsthand about new programs, resources, and tools from Americans for the Arts; design and implement programs for their peers; and be recognized on the Americans for the Arts website.
Emerging Leaders Council Vision, Mission, and Goals
- Emerging Leaders Council Vision Statement
The Americans for the Arts Emerging Leader Council strives to ensure a bright and democratic future for the arts in America. - Emerging Leaders Council Mission Statement
To advise in the implementation of programs and development of organizational vision that engages, develops, and sustains emerging arts professionals nationwide. - Emerging Leaders Council Goals
- Strengthen an Informed Leadership: Expand, publicize, and increase access to professional development opportunities for emerging arts leaders.
- Increase Resources and Meaningful Policies for the Arts: Develop a strong national Emerging Leaders Network and support the creation of well-connected, regional chapters.
- Advance the Value Proposition for the Arts: Recognize, promote, and build awareness of the value of the arts and arts education by leveraging the skills and resources of the Emerging Leaders Network.
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:
- No more than 15 members, elected by the Americans for the Arts members
- Serve two 3-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
- Assembled as needed
- 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:
Local Arts Advancement Advisory Councils have several opportunities to offer Americans for the Arts leadership, support, and advice on, 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. Emerging Leaders Network 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
Emerging Leader Council Current Members
For a list of current Emerging Leader Council members and their bios, please visit the Emerging Leader Council section of our website.
To nominate yourself or a colleague, please submit the following materials by e-mail to leadership@artsusa.org by 8:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, October 7, 2011. Please type the name of the council to which you are nominating in the subject line of your e-mail to ensure it is reviewed.
- Nomination Form
- One-page letter of interest
- One-page resume (additional pages will be deleted)
- Photo Headshot (75 dpi max; contact Americans for the Arts if no electronic photo is available)
- 250-word bio (text beyond 250 words will be deleted)
Nominations will be reviewed by the ELC Governance Committee. 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. If you have any questions, please contact leadership@artsusa.org and type the name of the council in which you are interested in the subject line of your e-mail.