ArtsErie Blog

Register for the Art in Action Learning Lab in August

posted on: Tuesday, July 10, 2012

ArtsErie’s Art in Action Program will host an Art in Action Learning Lab from Sunday, August 12 to Tuesday, August 14 at Allegheny College in Meadville. The conference is open to AIA partner school administrators, teachers, staff, teaching artists, as well as teachers and teaching artists outside of the program who want to know more about arts integration and arts infusion.

The theme of the Learning Lab is “Making an Impact.” Sessions will focus on practical applications for using art in the classroom, as well as ArtsErie’s Art in Education program.

The registration fee includes workshops, group meals and snacks, a school calendar and the chance to win gifts. An ArtsErie member discount is available. Teachers may also receive nine hours of Act 48 Credits.

To learn more and to register for the Learning Lab, visit artinaction.wikispaces.com.

For more information, contact ArtsErie at (814) 452-3427 or info@artserie.org.


ArtsErie to unveil 'Medal of Honor' painting at Jefferson Society lecture

posted on: Tuesday, June 12, 2012

On Wednesday, June 13, the Jefferson Educational Society will host a luncheon with Col. Jack Jacobs, a Vietnam Veteran and Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient, who will speak about his life experiences. Col. Jacobs is also the Chairman of the Congressional Medal of Honor Curriculum Development Project, which was developed by the School District of the City of Erie and the Wattsburg Area School District with funding from the GE Foundation.

At the luncheon on Wednesday, ArtsErie will unveil a painting entitled “Courage,” which was the result of an ArtsErie-sponsored artist residency at Seneca High School, using the Congressional Medal of Honor Curriculum. The Seneca High School students worked with artist Tom Ferraro to create the painting.

Prior to his lecture, Col. Jacobs will be given a framed print of this artwork, presented by Holly Nowak, ArtsErie's Arts-in-Education Director; Nancy Sadaly, Wattsburg Area School District Superintendent, who worked on developing the Congressional Medal of Honor Curriculum; and Tom Ferraro, the artist who conducted the arts-in-education residency at Seneca High School.


Arts Funding in Jeopardy

posted on: Thursday, March 03, 2011

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed an appropriations bill which reduces funding to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) by $43 million.

How does this affect us in Erie County?
  The Pennsylvania Council of the Arts (PCA) receives just under $1M in funding from the NEA, the majority of which becomes part of the PCA’s grant pool.  As that pool is reduced, the amount available for local programs and projects is also reduced.   In addition, several Erie County organizations including the Erie Playhouse, Erie Art Museum and the Erie Philharmonic have received direct funding from the NEA.

The U.S. House and Senate also just passed the Continuing Resolution which eliminates the Department of Education’s $40 million Arts in Education program. This program funds a large number of arts education activities across in the country, including ArtsErie’s model arts in education program that is integrating the arts into the core curriculum at elementary schools in Union City, Cambridge Springs and Meadville, all schools in high poverty areas.  This program provides extensive teacher training and work for artists. It is unclear at the moment of how a short-term CR might impact a program that currently has over 50 active multi-year grants in place around the country. However, this can be fixed in the upcoming long-term CR that Congress and the White House are currently negotiating.

It is vitally important that the arts community mobilizes to restore this important Arts in Education program, as well as restore the cuts previously made in the House to the National Endowment for the Arts, as the final FY2011 budget is considered in the coming days.

PLEASE, take a few moments to write Congress, expressing your concern that these cuts will negatively impact Erie County.  Share that these valuable programs create jobs, provide an economic benefit to our community and enable access to the arts.  PLEASE encourage your board members and your audiences to do the same.