AES Highlights

Community Foundation of Western MA awards UMass Arts Extension Service $8,000 Artist Business Training grant

The Arts Extension Service at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is pleased to announce that it is the recipient of an $8000 grant from the Community Foundation of Western MA to support AES’ Artist Business Training Project.  The Artist Business Trainings will be offered to 75 artists in three sites in Springfield, Northampton and Orange, MA with the goal to impart best business practices to artists, based on   nationwide research conducted by the Arts Extension Service.  The grant comes from two sources overseen by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts: the Buxton Charitable Foundation Fund, Bank of America, Trustee, and the Credit Data Services, Inc. Fund.

Arts Extension Service staff will present the 1 ½ day artist business trainings in the winter/spring of 2010.  At each location, a site coordinator will host a Peer Group to help artists to self-organize peer groups.  Trainings and site coordinators include: Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield (Rosemary Woods of Art for the Soul Gallery), Commonwealth Center for Change (C3) in Northampton (Julia Handschuh), and the artist collective North Quabbin Woods (Annette Ermini).  

According to Arts Extension Service Director, Maren Brown, “We are grateful to the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts for their support of the region’s artists.  The economic downturn has deeply impacted the arts in the United States and the region.  Across the country, artists are experiencing vastly disproportionate unemployment rates: 50% more than other professionals with equal education, according to a recently released National Endowment for the Arts report.  According to a recent report by the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, our region has a 61% higher proportion of creative workers than the national average.  If our artists and their small businesses fail, our region’s economy is at risk.   We’ve even been contacted by a number of well known local artists asking for ideas about how they can adjust their business models, keep their homes, and in essence, survive this downturn.”  

Each session will consist of four key components: (1) A  1 ½  day artist business training led by Arts Extension Service (AES) instructors Maren Brown and Dee Boyle-Clapp, which includes Business Basics, Marketing, and grant writing with an emphasis on building new business opportunities;  (2) individual phone consultations with AES staff; (3) facilitated Networking meetings with Site Coordinators who will host monthly meetings to help build artist peer groups; and (4) handouts including a copy of the Arts Extension Service’s Artist in Business workbook, and access to a private Artist Business Resource area on the AES website.

Artists will be invited to participate via email and personal invitation by the Site Coordinators and the Arts Extension Service.  To be added to the mailing list, please email the Arts Extension Service at aes@outreach.umass.edu or contact the site coordinators directly: Julia Handschuh can be reached at C3  in Northampton at:  info@commonwealthcenter.org, Annette Ermini can be reached at North Quabbin Woods: aermini@northquabbinwoods.org, and Rosemary Woods can be reached at: Art for the Soul Gallery, artforthesoul@verizon.net. 

The UMass Arts Extension Service announces a new course "Greening Your Nonprofit Arts Organization"

Launching in the spring session (Feb. 3) this new online course addresses the unique needs of arts institutions.  Instructor Dee Boyle-Clapp, a sculptor and lecturer on 'green' topics explains, “The arts have always been on the forefront of change, and never has change been more required than today. Whether your organization needs to cut its facility costs, be first in line for donation dollars, wants to go green to fulfill its mission, serve as a community example, or do all of the above, this class is for you.”

Boyle-Clapp continued “We will begin with the big picture issues, including why you want to go green and mission fit, then we tackle energy consumption and HVAC systems; building internal support with green teams and getting the board involved; and will address program specifics, including the comfort and safety of staff and visitors by addressing products and processes used in creating art or cleaning the facility.  Many arts organizations and teaching facilities have a blend of operating needs, and students will define and then focus on their own issues: for example a museum with a museum school may hold an opening reception while simultaneously a printmaking studio in the may be using toxic materials.  We will discuss how that reception could utilize locally grown foods to support their community and reduce carbon footprint and how to transform the studio by utilizing less or non-toxic processes.  In addition we will consider transportation like how the visitor arrives – by car, bus, bicycle or virtually,  purchasing concerns that will reduce waste that will make the organization as green as possible.”

According to Sarah Brophy, author of the Green Museum, a text for this course, ""green is a critical part of the relevancy of non-profits today. No one goes all-green at once, but each green step is progress for the organization."

In this course students will determine which changes are easy to institute, provide the greatest cost savings, reduce the carbon footprint, and involve and build credibility with audiences. Students will learn how to create a Green Team, evaluate the products used in the office and in the programs, create energy use surveys, and conduct a cost-benefit analysis in a hands-on environment.  Each student will walk away with a three-year “Green Plan” tailored to the unique needs of their institution.  

Click here for course description and registration information. and to view syllabus.

UMASS Arts Extension Service Awarded National Endowment for the Arts:  Access to Artistic Excellence grant

The UMass Arts Extension Service is pleased to announce that it was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts:  Access to Artistic Excellence grant in the First Round of FY2010 grants. The Arts Extension Service’s $35,000 award was part of those designated for Local Arts Agencies and will be used to develop and implement a new Local Arts Agency Fundamentals Training Series, a professional development series for local arts agency staff to be jointly developed by the Arts Extension Service and Americans for the Arts.  The series will include the development of two day-long training sessions, as well as the associated workbooks specifically developed for this training.

“There are currently over 4,000 local arts agencies in the nation that are responsible for supporting and sustaining the arts in their regions and communities.  In the coming decade, the field is poised for a major shift as those currently holding leadership positions will retire.  The LAA Fundamentals Training Series—the first of its kind in the nation—will ensure that those who will are coming up the ranks will be prepared to step into local arts agency leadership positions with the necessary background and skills to successfully lead their organizations,” said Maren Brown, Director, Arts Extension Service, who is leading the project. 

The curriculum for the new series will be developed and piloted by a team of national local arts agency experts, including Randy Cohen, Vice President of Local Arts Advancement at Americans for the Arts, Washington DC; Maryo Gard Ewell local arts agency historian and consultant, Gunnison, CO.; and Dr. Craig Dreeszen, national local arts agency trainer and author from Florence, MA.  Training content will include an introduction to the field of local arts agencies, advocacy and communication skills, programming and other relevant subjects. 

The Arts Extension Service, founded in 1973, is a national arts service organization based at the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a mission to “develop the arts in communities and community through the arts with professional education for arts managers, artists and civic leaders.” AES is a leader in arts management research and scholarship and in developing resources that meet the needs of today’s arts managers. AES created the nation’s first online arts management certificate program, and now offers the only online bachelor’s degree in arts management in the country.  For more information, please visit http://www.artsextensionservice.org or http://www.umass.edu/aes. 

Staff raise $1,400 for Amherst Survival Center

The tradition began more than 15 years ago at Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) – and now involves two more campus programs, University Without Walls (UWW) and the Arts Extension Service, pulling together in a holiday fundraiser.

The fundraiser had lost momentum, until last year when it was revitalized in a conversation of fond memories between UWW faculty member Liz Brinkerhoff and Chris Marcoullier, academic advisor with CPE.

“This event has traditionally benefited a local community organization chosen by the staff – with last year’s and this year’s proceeds going to the Amherst Survival Center,” said Brinkerhoff.

Marcoulier added, “Our goal for this year was to top our previous contribution of $800 – and we are pleased to announce that we will be able to contribute $1,400 to the Amherst Survival Center."

Bill McClure, director of CPE, said, “It's been an excellent opportunity to give to the community and bring the staff together during the holiday season – a nice benefit of which has been a big boost in morale.”

“Giving always feels better than receiving,” said Amanda Chase, a member of the planning committee for this year’s fundraiser. Other committee members are Susan Harris, Marcie Savoie, Janet Danylieko and Susan O’Neil.

“We are grateful to UMass Continuing and Professional Ed, UWW and Arts Extension Service for their contribution to the Amherst Survival Center, said Tracey Levy, program director at the Survival center. “This $1,400 will provide 15,000 pounds of food for 250 people from all over Hampshire and parts of Franklin counties, including working families and migrants, single parents, those that are homeless and others who rely on us.”

Beyond providing meals, Amherst Survival Center services also include a free clinic, family night, coordination with the Salvation Army Services, meetings with a social services case manager, and a free clothing and bedding center. More information is available at the Amherst Survival Center website, by e-mail ( survivalcenter@verizon.net) or calling 413-549-3968.  By: Heather Miller