NEA Fine Arts Task Force Meeting Minutes—Webcast –February 9, 2011

NEA Fine Arts Task Force Meeting—Webcast –February 9, 2011

The meeting was called to order at 6:02 p.m. ET

Meeting Participants: (2-Absences: Andrew Corbin, Derrick Johnson)

·         Princess Moss (Co-Chair)- NEA Exec. Committee, elementary school music teacher

·         Greg Johnson  (Co-Chair)- NEA Exec. Committee, high school choir director

·         Tom McLaughlin- a high school drama teacher

·         Jennifer Roberts- a high school art teacher

·         Christopher Thomas, NEA Staff Liaison

·         Aaron Muhammad- Manager, Governance and Policy

1.      The Chairpersons updated the Task Force on the committee’s work, reiterating the March 1, 2011 Deadline

2.      Then a discussion ensued on the proposed recommendations developed from our first meeting

·         Utilizing the RA as a kick-off to a year-long emphasis on the arts (July 2011 – July 2012) throughout the Association, beginning with a major Arts-focused event;

o   An event at the McCormick Theatre proposed for July 1 and/or “Friendship Night” could serve as the official kickoff

o   Using street performers in various areas of the convention hall, perhaps 3-4 to perform on 1 of the RA days.

§  Assignment delegated to Tom McLaughlin to find 3-4 performers to feature covering various mediums.  Ideally the performers are to be NEA members.

o   Featuring an exhibits area centering around a model of the 21^st Century Classroom, complete with 21^st Century Classroom equipment vendors

o   Featuring chalk based “sidewalk art” featured outside main RA auditorium

o   Featuring caricature artists

o   July 4^th NEA Choir Performance can re-iterate the year-long, association-wide emphasis on the arts

o   Tom proposed having slide show display of art to be broadcast during breaks at the RA or the beginning and conclusion of each meeting day (as the delegates enter and exit )

·         Developing an arts advocacy toolkit to be distributed at the RA;

o   Tom suggested that the toolkit include the Arts Skills Map

o   Princess mentioned an upcoming fast response survey funded by the federal government “Status and Condition of the Arts” scheduled to be published this summer.  If published early enough perhaps it can be added to the toolkit as well.

·         Working with regional planning committees to highlight student performances during NEA regional leadership conferences;

o   committees begin planning at the May Board meeting

·         Developing workshops on arts education to be conducted at NEA regional leadership conferences;

o   often the planning committee will put out requests for workshop presenters in the fall of the year

·         Establishing an Arts Education Day during American Education Week;

·         Devoting portions of NEA Today to the arts during Art Education Month;

o   Working with the editors of NEA Today to feature stories surrounding budget cuts and how the arts are disproportionately affected by these cuts

§  Tom will be tasked with collecting these stories

§  The stories will be turned over to editors w/ contact info for any follow-up information editors may need

§  Through these featured stories we will also solicit more stories that are out there

3.      The Task force agreed upon the proposed recommendations and offered suggestions on how to best execute the proposals.

The meeting was adjourned at 6:32 p.m. ET.