LIVING ARTS BLOG
Here's How We're Responding to COVID-19
Hi Living Arts supporters -
In the last few days, so many of you have reached out to me and Living Arts' staff and board members with your concern and well wishes. Your messages and conversations have been a great source of encouragement as we navigate new challenges together.
Our response to the COVID-19 crisis has been moving quickly and I want to update you on some of the ways we are responding to the needs of our youth, Teaching Artists, and staff.
"Living Arts Honored by Crain's Detroit
Living Arts was awarded Best-Managed Nonprofit 2019 from Crain’s Business Detroit! This morning, our Executive Director, Alissa Novoselick, was presented with the award at the Newsmaker of the Year luncheon.
SAVE THE DATE! Framing the Future: An Evening for Living Arts
Join us in celebrating the launch of our next decade of youth arts education in Detroit!
20th Anniversary Fund Update!
Across Metro Detroit, our Teaching Artists helped preschoolers get the skills they need to succeed in kindergarten and brought older students inspiring movement, songwriting, and animation experiences that gave them new ways to connect with their creativity and understand academic subjects like math and language arts.
Harnessing Personal Power through Dance
On Saturday November 16, seven of the nine Youth Dance Ensemble dancers joined their mentor/instructors Miryam Johnson and Penny Godboldo, along with Living Arts’ Director of Programs, Erika Villarreal Bunce and Dance Program Director, Marianne Cox over Lebanese food and conversation.
5 Minute Mindfulness - Reflection
As a Teaching Artist in multiple programs within Living Arts, I never know which adventure I’ll be faced with next. It’s exhilarating! Who will be sitting in front of me for today’s class? What tricks will I pull out of my sleeve in the heat of the moment? What objective will organically present itself as an intruder to my lesson plan? And what unexpected inexplicable joy will be evoked by the authentic experience of showing up as my true self to a room full of strangers that I get to serve through my gift?
Dispatches from the National Guild for Community Arts Education Conference
Every year, Living Arts sends a team to the annual conference of the National Guild for Community Arts Education. This event brings together artists, administrators, educators, and changemakers to share their work and models and build collaboratively on a national scale. The conference is an opportunity for all members of our team (staff, Teaching Artists, and students) to learn from peers and leadership in the field. Previously held in Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and Baltimore, this year’s conference was held in Austin, Texas from October 30-November 2.
Living Arts Presented with Spirit of Detroit Award!
On Thursday, October 17, Council Member Raquel Casteneda-Lopez stopped by the Ford Resource and Engagement Center (FREC-Mercado) to spend some time with the Living Arts community. As members of District 6 (Casteneda-Lopez’s constituency) the Council Member gave an update on upcoming changes in Southwest and answered questions from our families.
Animation and Emotional Storytelling
Thirty years ago, I created my first video with my family’s VHS tape recorder. I dressed my friends in costumes and set up my Barbies. I was using animation techniques without even knowing what stop-motion was – I honestly thought I invented the technique!
Reflections on our 20th Year
Due to a somewhat fortuitous structural issue in our office basement, the Living Arts team got to spend a few afternoons this spring going through decades-old organizational boxes in preparation for construction to begin. Together, we sifted through photos of youth from 1999, hand-written lesson plans integrating visual art and science, and teaching artist rosters of familiar names and folks gone by. We found “3rd Annual Showcase” posters, fundraising events that we’ve outgrown, old board meeting minutes, grant receipts from some of our longtime partners, and copies of very meager annual budgets. We laughed about some of the dated work and were left with great admiration of the people who have built this organization to where it is today. Living Arts is still a very clear and steadfast reflection of all the things we found — just a little bit bigger.
Creating Meaningful Partnerships: An Interview with Teaching Artist Katy Schoetzow
One of Living Arts’ core values is partnership. By cultivating relationships with schools, educators, families, and institutions, Living Arts creates collaborative and creative learning experiences for Detroit's youth. One such partnership is between Living Arts, Shulze Academy, and Teaching Artist Katy Schoetzow. As we enter the fifth year of this partnership, we interviewed Katy about her work and collaboration with her students and the Shulze faculty.
Living Arts Dancers to Perform Sofrito of Cultures with Penny Godboldo at the Wright Museum
Living Arts’ Youth Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Master Teacher and Dance Artist Penny Godboldo and Living Arts’ Teaching Artist Miryam Johnson, with musical accompaniment by Chinelo "Chi" Amen-Ra and Ozvaldo "Ozzie" Rivera, will present a free community performance graciously hosted by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History on August 8, 2019 from 6:00pm - 9:00pm.
Closing Out the Season: 20th Annual Student Showcase
On a moderate Sunday afternoon, families, friends, and supporters gathered at Cass Technical High School for the Living Arts 20th Annual Student Showcase. The program opened with Program Manager, Zack Bissell, who welcomed the audience and thanked the event’s supporters.
A culmination of the 2018-2019 season of programming through the Out-of-School Arts (OSA) program, Showcase featured a mix of dance, visual arts, video animation, and music composition. The program featured a special guest performance by Ballet Folkórico de Detroit and an intermission performance by Mariachi Femeníl de Detroit.
Before You Take the Stage: A Chat with Living Arts' Senior Artists
In the 45 minutes window between school and rehearsal, I met with 5 young women at the FREC-Mercado. In preparation for their upcoming 20th Annual Student Showcase, we sat down to talk about their history with Living Arts, and the role the organization has played in their lives.
Art, Philanthropy, and Legacy: Talking with Ronald Cresswell (Cresswell Family Foundation)
We are beyond grateful for the support that we’ve received for our 20th anniversary. As part of our recent series on getting to know our sponsors, we recently did a quick Q&A with Ronald Cresswell, of the Cresswell Family Foundation. Mr. Cresswell and his wife, Sheila, have been long-time lovers of the arts, and have supported the arts through their foundation. Below is a transcript of our interview. Many thanks to the Cresswell Family Foundation for their continued support of Detroit arts and youth development!
Get to Know Before You Go: REVOK
Visual artist Jason “REVOK” Williams is turning his agreement with clothing retailing H&M into a $50,000 twentieth anniversary present for Living Arts. Williams’ gift will be used to launch a $100,000 fundraising initiative and set plans in motion to expand services and reach more than 30,000 Detroit-area children and teens by 2030.
Support for Detroit Arts Education: An Interview with Dr. Rita Fields
Valentine’s Day is not normally a holiday I celebrate. In my relationship, every day is a chance to show one another love and appreciation, so it’s not a an extra special time for us. But this year, I got the chance to spend some time talking with Dr. Rita Fields, SHRM-SCP. If you’re not familiar with Dr. Fields, get familiar.