Local Arts create solutions for a diverse community, public education, cultural tourism, and innovation
Eat More Art Vegas celebrated our 8th anniversary as a space that introduces local arts and culture to the world, and the community to each other on November 3rd, and we thank everyone who has been there with us along the way. I started the Facebook page and registered the domain one sleepless night, worried a fellow theatre company's (Cockroach, now Vegas Theatre Company) show, Grounded, would go uncovered by local press. Our creativity is too essential to survival to ignore. The Arts are not an elitist cause, they are a tool for society, and the legacy and reflection of our humanity. As Thanksgiving approaches, it's the perfect time to "Talk Turkey" about the creative opportunity in our Las Vegas community.
The Arts, Culture, and Creative industries are big business and have a role in everything including Tourism, Education, and Technology; Las Vegas locals are working to leverage their strengths.
THE AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS AEP6 STUDY RESULTS ARE IN
For over a year, organizations across the state participated in the nationwide Arts and Economic Prosperity Study (AEP6), measuring the demographics and economic impact of participants at local nonprofit Arts and Culture events. While we eagerly await the release of Nevada's specific numbers, the national figures already reveal the healthy returns on investment both socially, and fiscally.
THE NEVADA FUTURE OF LEARNING NETWORK - THE COMMUNITY LEARNING FUND
In 2021 and 2022, the Nevada Department of Education came together with educators, students, families, businesses and community members to collaborate on a collective vision of the mindsets and skills that young people need to bring academic knowledge to life. They developed at a Portrait of a Nevada Learner as one who experiences learning hands on in ways that are empowering, connecting, impacting, and thriving. The Nevada Future of Learning Network, in partnership with Teach for America's Ed.Xtraordinary, is offering up to $15K per project to nonprofit and commercial companies to engage young people through a newly launched Community Learning Fund. The submission deadline is December 5th, 2023 for activities between March 1st and July 15th, 2024.
This innovation provides support for museums, arts organizations, cultural groups, other nonprofits, and local businesses to forge direct links to a public school classroom and offer off-campus mentorship, or other community-based learning experiences that align with the Portrait's goals and values. This is a groundbreaking opportunity for stakeholders in the Creative Economy to collaborate across the state with the Nevada Department of Education and create a future where we thrive together.
ALLIANCE FOR ARTS RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES (a2ru)
a2ru offers a national gathering place for the arts and arts integration in higher education which advances arts-integrative research, curricula, programs, and creative practice; hosting summits and publishing peer-reviewed journals. The UNLV College of Fine Arts has partnered with a2ru to host a new online journal, Tradition Innovations in Arts, Design, and Media Higher Education. The journal’s founding editor is Yvonne Houy, Learning Technologist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Editorial Board, of which I am honored to be a member, is an international, interdisciplinary cohort of scholars and practitioners in the arts, design, humanities, and information sciences.
International contributors in the inaugural edition of the journal, "Artificial Intelligence and Possible Futures for the Arts," responded to the question "How can artists, performers, designers, and media creators balance innovations and traditions in the Arts and higher education, and what can we learn from our fields’ reactions to AI?" This call received so many fascinating contributions that the editors decided to publish this issue in parts over the course of several months.
Art is Research. Southern Nevada's professionals in the sector have the skills and ideas we need to drive our transformation in the 21st century if we recognize their excellence within our community, and invest collaboration with our Creative Workforce in innovative ways.
VEGAS ARTS TABLE - IN PERSON - MONDAY, NOV 13 @ SLONINA ARTSPACE
Come to the VEGAS ARTS TABLE to connect and share news! We are proud of our perfect record.
It is happening – an in-person Vegas Table Arts meeting will be held (along with Zoom). Plan on coming down at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 13 at Slonina ARTSpace, 901 East Fremont Street #174 (9th Street and Fremont Street). We are meeting to share vital information, celebrate community, and 8 years of Eat More Art Vegas! #EatMoreArt