me arts ed

Great day for Arts Education!

Biennial Statewide Arts Education Conference participants

Point Lookout Conference Center in Northport on Friday, October 9 was abuzz with Arts Educators for the Biennial Statewide Arts Education conference, The Measure of Success. The day was filled with student performances, celebrations, presentations, networking and intense workshops, conversations, questions, and wonderings. From the opening music performance by Camden Hills Regional High School Jazz Band under the direction of Nancy Rowe to the closing session with a theatre performance of the Adamms Family under the direction of Kim Murphy the day was educational, energizing, and filled with surprises!

Camden Hills Regional High School Jazz Band under the direction of Nancy Rowe

Over the next few days on the blog there will be highlights from the conference in words and images to give you a bit of what went on during the all-day event.

If you were able to join us – thanks so much – I hope that you found it worthwhile and that you met other folks to share ideas, your work, and that you learned something from them as well. If you couldn’t make it, please know that the blog posts will provide tidbits but in other similar events its just not the same as being there. I will do my best to describe what went on. If questions arise for you from what you read and see, please don’t hesitate to contact me at argy.nestor@maine.gov.

We initially started plans for this conference back in January and as you can imagine it takes many people to put all the details in place including those listed below. My apology if I leave someone or place out. I am sure that you will let me know.

• The Maine Arts Leadership Initiative Leadership Team for the hours they spent emailing, zooming to plan and implement the conference
• The amazing presenters including Theresa Cerceo and Janie Snider, Jennie Driscoll, Jen Etter, John Morris, Jen Nash, MaryEllen Schaper, Jeff Beaudry, Lindsay Pinchbeck, Catherine Ring, Dan Ryder and Kate Smith, and Rob Westerberg.
• The Maine Arts Commission staff especially Director Julie Richard, Priscilla Kelley and Chris Norris in the front office, and Linda Nelson
• Maine Department of Education especially Beth Lambert, the new Visual and Performing Arts Specialist and the financial support from the MDOE
• MALI partners: New England Institute for Teacher Education, Maine Art Education Association, Maine Music Educators Association, USM, UMaine Performing Arts, Maine Department of Education
• Camden Hills Regional High School Jazz Band, Nancy Rowe and Camden Hills Regional High School theatre students, Kim Murphy
• Kate Smith, Jen Etter, and Cynthia Keating for Celebrating Excellence!
• Lindsay Pinchbeck, Amy Gertner, and Jessica Day for Bumpity Bump Bump
• Theresa Cerceo sharing SLAM
• Farnsworth Art Museum, Kate Smith, Allie Rimkunas, Pamela Kinsey, Camden Hills Regional High School, Hampden Academy and others for providing door prizes
• Barb Vinal and Catherine Ring, completing the new website
• Peripole, supplying every participant with their own set of egg shakers in great colors!
• Celebration Team!
• Point Lookout Conference Center staff, especially Gerry Hill
• Susan MacPherson at Great Gatherings for the registration
• Maine College of Art for providing the bags, Liam Sullivan

A taste of the Adamms Family – getting ready for opening night, under the direction of Kim Murphy

Please note: On August 3, 2015, MAAI, the Maine Arts Assessment Initiative, announced its new name, MALI, the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative. MALI is a program of the Maine Arts Commission. You can read about it at https://meartsed.wordpress.com/2015/08/09/maai-goes-to-mali/. Please email Argy Nestor if you have any questions at argy.nestor@maine.gov.