ff?$lp8 iuu.ovdt ive JJC/AJN A. [\ \yi'A ^ 1 raf t*1 M^i iM^hi^fl MLS TO ACTION \ * ■ - T . NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS To participate in the ongoing American Canvas dialogue, go to the National Endowment for the Arts web site at: httpillarts. endow.gov/Community/Am Can/ Opening.html In October, 1997, the Endowment pub- lished the American Canvas report. You can order the report and share your responses to these Calls to Action online or by writing to: American Canvas Room 729 National Endowment for the Arts 1 100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20506 American Canvas In 1996, the Arts Endowment became a catalyst for a national discussion on enriching our cultural legacy to future generations through community nurtur- ing of the arts. The Endowment went into large and small communities around the country and met with representatives of all aspects of civic and social life. The American Canvas, as this initiative came to be called, was a great vehicle for shar- ing ideas and information on the issues vital to sustain and advance the arts in this country. At each of the six privately- funded com- munity forums, national, regional and local participants explored a different aspect of the successful integration of the arts into communities. The host cities were chosen for their leadership in the development of innovative strategies for supporting the arts and using the arts to build strong communities. Columbus, Ohio How do the arts promote community under- standing and civic participation? Los Angeles, California How do the arts link communities and build a solid social framework to ensure livable com- munities for tomorrow? Salt Lake City, Utah How do the arts support student success, good schools and strong families? Rock Hill, South Carolina " Charlotte, North Carolina How do the arts enhance community eco- nomic development and growth? San Antonio, Texas How do the arts enrich community life and community planning, design and develop- ment? Miami, Florida How do the arts enhance equity and access to Americas culture and heritage? As a result of the discussions and ideas gener- ated from the regional American Canvas forums, the Ten Calls to Action were formed. A Need for Action Following the American Canvas forums, this discussion was joined by a group of national leaders from all sectors of public life — busi- ness, education, religion, government, indus- try, civic groups, unions, arts, consumer groups and foundations. These leaders were seeking specific ways that their organizations and sectors could work together nationwide to assist communities in ensuring an arts legacy for future generations. They recog- nized the strength in sharing ideas and strate- gies, forming partnerships and collaborations, and stimulating other individuals and organi- zations to advance our nation's cultural resources and the quality of life the arts bring to all our citizens. In endorsing the Calls to Action, this nation- al group calls upon civic and community leaders, educators, artists and arts organiza- tions nationwide (commercial, non-profit and volunteer), parents, religious leaders, business leaders, elected officials, and all departments of government (federal, state and local), and others in the private and pub- lic sectors. Working alone or in concert, we all need to be involved in advancing these Calls to Action. We encourage everyone to answer the Calls to Action and to share plans through the American Canvas forum on the Endowment's web site (http://arts.endow.gov) ~ a place for the open exchange of information and ideas on how we all can take action to sustain the arts in our communities. You may also write to the address on the back cover. Ten Calls /. Recognize America s place among the great cultures of the world through artistic and cultural celebration at the turn of the century. II. Share resources and broaden citizen exposure to the arts in order to strengthen, revitalize and promote communities. Ill Ensure that the arts are an integral part of the education system by recognizing the unique role of the arts as a resource for engaging students and developing skills neces- sary to compete in the information age that will expand in the 21st century. IV. Design community development plans which recognize the competitive and cultural advantages that the arts bring to the economic, social, and imaginative life of com- munities and their citizens. V. Develop partnerships wtihin govern- ment and with the private and non-profit sectors that enhance the quality of life for all Americans by integrating arts and cultural opportunities in their decision-making and services. to Action VI. Support and develop broad-reaching policy and services that ensure greater access to the arts and cultural heritage for all Americans. VII. Recognize the unique opportunities the arts provide to America s communities and take responsibility for making the arts part of developing solutions in response to community needs. VIII. Expand the description of the arts to be more inclusive of the broad array of cul- tural activities that the American public experiences and appreciates. DC. Mobilize at the local y state, regional and national levels to express the value of the arts to society and to ensure an arts legacy for future generations. X. Support the vital role of government in ensuring that the arts play an increasing part in the lives and education of our citizens and in strengthening America s communities. Answering the Calls The following responses from American Canvas participants provide examples of some of the actions currently underway or planned for the future. U.S. Department of Education Richard W. Riley, Secretary of Education The following actions, designed as responses to the American Canvas Calls to Action, will be undertaken by the U.S. Department of Education and its partners to support our schools through arts education. 1) support two valuable publications to provide information and ideas about how schools can more fully integrate the arts into their curriculum; 2) extend the Department's partnership with the Arts Endowment to continue the work of the Goals 2000 Arts Education Partnership to the year 2000; 3) honor arts education and business partnerships, through an annual awards pro- gram, for supporting quality arts education at the state and local levels and to encourage more of them; 4) recognize outstanding schools, through the Department's Blue Ribbon Schools Program, that have used the arts to lift their school and their students to new lev- els of achievement and that are examples of excellence in instruction and student achieve- ment; and 5) create a task force with parents, educa- tors, researchers and the arts community to explore ways in which art and music can help young children and families reach the America Reads Challenge — one of President Clinton's most important initiatives. The Coca-Cola Foundation Donald Green, President Coca-Cola plans to continue their aggressive efforts to support important cultural pro- grams around the country through their Foundation and Corporate Contributions. In addition to support of arts education, two new categories have been added: Arts Festivals and Arts Centers. National League of Cities Donald Borut, Executive Director Leadership within the National League of Cities will be asked to engage cities to cele- brate the cultural heritage of their communi- ties at the beginning of the millennium. To accomplish this goal, a partnership with state municipal leagues has been proposed. American Federation of Musicians Tom Lee, Vice President The American Federation of Musicians is in the process of creating a tax-exempt organiza- tion dedicated to the promotion of art and arts education. This non-profit organization will educate government officials and com- munity leaders on the value of the arts, in addition to providing scholarships. Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers Julianne Boyd, President The Society will stress the importance to all of its members about getting involved at the grassroots level in their communities, as well as helping to create broad-reaching policy at the civic and government level. YMCA of the USA David Mercer, National Executive Director Through our new Arts & Humanities Office of Program Development, the YMCA is developing resources to help local Y's offer programs that incorporate the arts into learn- ing and recreation. Resources include publi- cations, conferences, and training courses for YMCA staff beginning in the fall of 1997. Getty Education Institute for the Arts Leilani Lattin Duke, Director Wave Your Banner: Exploring Community Through Art and The Kids Congress on Art, two complementary Institute-sponsored pro- grams will be commemorated in November, 1997, with the convening of middle school students representing each state and territory. The program and its results will be widely disseminated, illustrating in the voice of chil- dren the importance of arts education to their future. The Getty will match Annenberg grant funds to support projects in schools that demonstrate how arts education can enhance whole school reform. Goals 2000 Arts Education Partnership Richard Deasy, Director The Goals 2000 Arts Education Partnership in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education and the National Endowment for the Arts will conduct a national awards pro- gram to honor effective state and local part- nerships of business, education and the arts to sustain arts education in schools. Working with the President's Committee on the Arts & the Humanities, the Partnership will pub- lish a report for local school boards and administrators on the characteristics of effec- tive school arts education programs. United States Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice Donni LeBouef, Senior Program Officer In the belief that arts can deter violent and disruptive behavior, the Department of Justice has provided funding to five after- school arts programs around the country, which will be evaluated to provide evidence that the arts are an effective and cost-efficient way to address the issue of children and vio- lence. The report will include hard facts and figures that show truancy and dropout rates are down, attendance is up, disciplinary refer- rals are down, and students become better communicators . Council of Chief State School Officers Gordon Ambach, Executive Director Current initiatives include hosting, with the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, the Goals 2000 Arts Education Partnership fund- ed by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Endowment for the Arts. Secondly, the Council is promoting voluntary National Standards for arts education, as well as state standards. Further, the Council advocates incorporation of arts education as a central part of education improvement and reform, and it is promoting the National Assessment of Educational Progress and state assessments in the arts. National Association of Counties Michael Hightower, President American Canvas Calls to Action have been incorporated into county agendas nation- wide. Our goal is to raise awareness of the arts throughout every county in America. Johns Hopkins University Arnold Packer, Senior Fellow To ensure that the arts are an integral part of education, Johns Hopkins University will develop materials that integrate the arts with workplace skills. American Association of Museums Edward Able, President and CEO To address the growing demand for educa- tional, historical and cultural tourism, the Association has created Partners in Tourism. The program was developed with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, among others. The program includes a series of regional cultural tourism leadership forums intended to initiate local, state, regional and national strategies to promote cultural tourism in partnership with the tourism industry National 4-H Council Richard J. Sauer, President & CEO In partnership with the Ad Council, the National 4-H Council is implementing a public service campaign called "4-H Youth Voices and Action." The messages will be cre- ated by young people to tell their peers about important issues in their lives and in their communities and what they can do to be involved. The use of art and artistic expres- sion will be promoted. Office of the State Deputy Comptroller for New York City Rosemary Scanlon, Deputy State Comptroller The Comptroller's Office will continue to emphasize the economic value of the arts to the economy of New York City and the state in their ongoing economic reports, as identi- fied in the 1993 study, "The Arts as an Industry: Their Economic Importance to the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Economy." National Recreation and Parks Association Fran Mainella, President The National Recreation and Parks Association pledges to emphasize the benefits of the arts in relation to parks and recreation programs to park officials around the coun- try. These programs range from the arts and craft programs in after-school or summer recreation programs to large cultural special events held in parks. Americans for the Arts Robert Lynch, President & CEO Americans for the Arts through its Institute for Community Development and the Arts will work with its national civic partners rep- resenting Mayors, county commissioners, city and county managers, and other local and state officials to create opportunities for dia- logue and planning about better involving the arts as a community development partner and about turn-of-the-century cultural cele- brations and will begin by issuing a mono- graph on the subject. Steering Committee & National Forum Participants Access Media/Nil Awards Alexander Julian, designer Altoon &I Porter Architects .American Arts Alliance American Association of Community Colleges .American Association of Museums American Council on the Arts American Federation of Musicians .American Film Institute American Guild of Musical Artists American Library Association .American Svmphonv Orchestra League .Americans for the Arts .Arnold and Porter Law Firm .Arts &I Business Council, Inc. Asian .American Arts Alliance Association or American Cultures Association ol Art Museum Directors Binney & Smith, Inc. Chicago Field Museum Coca-Cola Foundation Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, National Council on the Arts Computer & Communications Industry Assn. Council of Chief State School Officers Council of Literary Magazines & Presses/ Literary Network Council on Foundations Creative Coalition Dallas Museum ol Art Dance/USA Directors Guild of America Economic Club of Detroit Ed Gero, actor Father Leo J. O' Donovan, National Council on the Arts George Gund Foundation, The Getty Education Institute for the Arts Goals 2000 Arts Education Partnership Grantsmakers in the Arts GTE California High Museum Human Capital Research Independent Sector Institute of Museum & Library Services International Citv/County Management Association James Earl Jones, actor Joel Wachs, L.A. Councilman John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Johns Hopkins University Jorge Perez, NCA Knight Foundation Lisa Thorson, musician Mary Ann Mears, sculptor Maryland Institute, College of Art Maryland National Capital Parks & Planning Commission Massachusetts Institute of Technology Morningstar Foundation Music Educators National Conference National 4-H Council National Art Education Association National Assembly of State Arts Agencies National Association of Artists' Organizations National Association of Counties National Association of Elementary School Principals National Association of Evangelicals National Association of Latino Arts &C Culture National Conference of State Legislatures National League of Cities National Main Street Center Network of Cultural Centers of Color Ohio State University OPERA America Ovation — The Arts Network People for the American Way Pew Charitable Trusts, The Philip Morris Companies, Inc. President's Committee on the Arts & Humanities Reverend Tony Campbell Ririe Woodbury Dance Company Rockefeller Foundation Sara Lee Foundation Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers State University of New York at Purchase Theatre Communications Group U.S. Conference of Mayors U.S. Department of Education U.S. Department of Justice Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts West Chester University William Strickland, National Council on the Arts YMCAoftheUSA Young Audiences xec i zc \ r t> /?i m : ■ . ■ ' ic NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS 1100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, DC 20506-0001 202/682-5400 HTTP: //ARTS. ENDOW. GOV