schedule

 *Note: Course details such as dates, presenters, and descriptions are subject to change.  The program will also include at least three small group discussions in between webinars and full class discussions. 

Orientation and Welcome

Webinar:  January 16, 2013, 
2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. (EST)

Session Leaders:

• Maryo Ewell, Community and Arts Development Consultant
• Robert L. Lynch, President & CEO, Americans for the Arts 

Career Development: Navigating Opportunities in the Local Arts Field

Webinar:  January 23, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–
3:30 p.m. (EST)
Discussion:  January 30, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (EST)

Session Leaders:

• Laura Zucker, Executive Director, Los Angeles County Arts Commission
• Mitch Menchaca, Chief Operating Officer, Chorus America

There is no prescribed career track for working in the arts at the community level. How do emerging leaders who want to make arts management a long-term career know what steps to take when first starting out? This session will discuss the different pathways and job functions for working in the arts at the local level. You will learn how to communicate transferable skills from previous jobs in another field, and panelists will address participants’ specific questions and challenges around working in local arts management. 

Cultural and Community Planning: Building a Common Agenda for Development

Webinar:  February 13, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. (EST)
Discussion:  February 20, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (EST)

Developing or participating in a planning process that considers the needs of the entire community is a skill useful to many local arts administrators, but very few are equipped with the tools and resources to successfully navigate this process. This class will discuss best practices on leading the planning process for your organization or community and participating effectively in them. Whether you or your community is in the middle of a planning process, or you know you’ll have to be a part of one in the future, the importance of having this skill and knowledge cannot be overstated.

Session Leaders:

• Dr. Craig Dreeszen, Director, Dreeszen & Associates
• Lynne McCormack, Director, City of Providence, Department of Art, Culture & Tourism

Space for Art: Creating Spaces for Arts Production, Presentation, and Community Engagement

Webinar:  March 6, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. (EST)
Discussion: March 13, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (EST)

According to a report by the Urban Institute and commissioned by Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC), art spaces and the activity they make possible are crucial elements of a viable community, contributing to its cultural vitality and, by extension, its health, social fabric, and economic development. This session will feature local arts leaders that created spaces to support artists and to act as a community engagement cornerstone. We will look at specific cases, discuss impacts, challenges, and opportunities of creating artist space and explore policy trends.

Session Leaders:

• Greg Esser, Associate Director, Desert Initiative, Arizona State University Art Museum
• Nat May, Executive Director, SPACE Gallery

Stewardship and Resource Development: Raising Funds, Friends, and Allies

Webinar:  March 27, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. (EST)
Discussion:  April 3, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (EST)

This session will discuss current trends in philanthropy and new ideas for developing resources for your organization. Resource development can come in the form of new partnerships, strategic alliances, or utilizing what you are already doing to better leverage revenue dollars. We will explore best practices in partnership, opportunities, and challenges.

Session Leaders:

• Kate Gibney, Vice President of Development, Americans for the Arts 
• Christina Jensen, Director of External Relations, Hyde Park Art Center 

Advocacy: Making the Case for Arts and Culture

Webinar:  April 17, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. (EST)
Discussion:  April 24, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (EST)

What is your action plan during a crisis, such as threats to cut public support for your local arts agency or arts organization? This session will demystify the rules and regulations around lobbying as a nonprofit 501(c)3 as well as what options are available to city government, public, and private sector employees. You will gain the tools to make the case for public support for the arts in your community and discuss steps for creating a messaging platform. We will also debrief on the key takeaways and lessons learned at Arts Advocacy Day (April 8-9, 2013).

Session Leaders:

• Jay Dick, Senior Director of State and Local Government Affairs, Americans for the Arts
• Scarlett Swerdlow, Advocacy & Communications Director, Arts Alliance Illinois

Activating Community Leadership: Board and Staff Development

Webinar:  May 8, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m. (EST)
Discussion:  May 15, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (EST)

Arts organizations are only as strong their staff and leaders, and leaders are only limited by what they don’t know that they don’t know. In this final session, we will redefine what it means to be an arts leader. By hearing from arts administrators who also work within education and youth development, social services, and the public sector, we will learn how we can be more effective in creating impact across sectors and into the wider community.

Session Leaders:

• Dr. Doug Borwick, CEO, ArtsEngaged
• Tetia Lee, Executive Director, Tippecanoe Arts Federation, Inc.

Closing Call

Discussion:  May 22, 2013, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. (EST)