EdTA Advocacy Update
April 10, 2018
The Advocacy Update is where you can find current national and state news concerning arts advocacy and arts education.
EdTA NEWS
International Thespian Festival is Moving to a New Location in 2020
The Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) and International Thespian Society (ITS) have experienced a strong growth trend in event participation over the past several years. More Thespians than ever are attending EdTA Thespian festivals--both in their home states and the International Thespian Festival (ITF).
2018 EdTA National Conference Registration Open
Registration is now open for the 2018 EdTA National Conference taking place September 13-16 at the Grand Hyatt in Denver. The annual conference provides educators with the opportunity to meet and network with their peers during an event
STATE NEWS
Got state theatre and other arts education news you want to share? Send it to Shea: shaney@schooltheatre.org
California: La Jolla Playhouse Sponsors Middle Schoolers (La Jolla Light)
A New Bill Could Increase Access to Arts Education, but Some Fear it Won’t Guarantee Quality (KPCC)
Governor Brown Announces Appointments (Imperial Valley News)
Sages and Seekers Organization Promotes Art Education (Daily Trojan)
Newsies at Dos Pueblos Theatre Company (Broadway World Santa Barbara)
Florida: Turning Up the Volume (SRQ Magazine)
Illinois: Raue Center Announces Sage Studio Summer Classes (Broadway World Chicago)
Illinois: Three Area Middle Schools Awarded Fully Funded Three Year Jumpstart Theatre Program (Broadway World St. Louis)
Kansas: ARTSConnect Announces Annual Recipients of 2018 TopArts Grant Program (CJ Online)
Confidence, Laughter Among Benefits for Adaptive Ballet Students (And Instructors) (Kansas City Star)
Louisiana: State of Arts Education in Rural Northeast Louisiana (My ArkLaMiss)
Maryland: Cast Shuts Down Production of Iron Crow Theatre’s Corpus Christi Amid Allegations of Sexual Harassment (The Baltimore Sun)
Century’s ‘Seussical’ to Offer Sensory Friendly Performance for LFI Students (Carroll County Times)
Massachusetts: County Fare: Berkshire Pulse Dance Perform at Baltimore Theatre Project (The Berkshire Eagle)
Minnesota: McGregor Speech Team Competes at Eveleth (Aitkin Age)
North Carolina: John Ehle, Celebrated Writer and Founder of the N.C. School of Arts, Dies at Age 92 (News & Record)
Artsplosion Celebrates Student Talent (Rocky Mount Telegram)
New York: Correcting the Record on Arts and Tourism Funding in Tompkins County (Ithaca Dot Com)
Saint Joan, School of Rock, Play That Goes Wrong to Receive NYC Education and Engagement Grants (Broadway World)
They’re Learning STEM Skills by Dancing to Destiny’s Child, and the Results are Great (Nation Swell)
Compton Unified Celebrates ‘Music Unites Day’ (LA Sentinel)
Pennsylvania: Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students Learn New Moves in Dance Workshop (York Daily Record)
Rhode Island: PPAC Announces Winners of the ARTS Scholarships 2018 Program (Broadway World Rhode Island)
South Carolina: TD Bank Business and the Arts Partnership Awards Presented (Greenville Business Magazine)
Washington: Spokane Arts Grants Awards Funds Artistic Reach (The Spokesman-Review)
West Virginia: Local Arts Reps React to W. VA. Proposal (The Marietta Times)
Justice to Call Special Session to Deal with New Arts Dept. (The Herald-Dispatch)
Wisconsin: Oshkosh School Board Election: Jim Evans Talks District Success, Arts Education (Oshkosh Northwestern)
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Canada: Arts Education Squeezed Out Across Ontario Schools, New Report Finds (The Star)
India: World Theatre Day 2018: Delhi theatre artists tell us if this art is fading away (India Today)
Slam Out Loud Brings Arts into Education (NDTV)
United Kingdom: School Absence Rules Stop Children Taking Dance and Drama Exams- Royal Academy of Dance (The Stage)
Bolton Pensioner Qualifies as Ballroom Dancing Teacher at the Age of 81 (The Bolton News)
WORTH READING
There’s New Evidence That Music Lessons Boost Kids’ Cognitive Skills
Evidence has been building that music lessons boost students' cognitive skills, helping them excel at a wide range of academic subjects. While many studies point in that direction, others are more cautionary, suggesting smarter, more motivated kids may simply choose to take up an instrument. (Pacific Standard)
Pulling Back the Curtain: Theatre professionals say eliminating sexual harassment on Broadway won’t be easy
**Content Warning: This story includes graphic details of sexual assault which may be triggering to survivors. Please read with caution. **
“The lines are blurred and gray,” said actor Stacey Oristano. “They know they can get away with it because they have for so long.” (BuzzFeed)