Share Arts Enterprise

AE Programs: Best Practices

Last Updated on Thursday, 11 November 2010 22:41 Written by Nathaniel Zeisler Thursday, 11 November 2010 22:01

Attention: open in a new window. PDFPrintE-mail


  • Beyond Talent Workshops
  • Music 101
  • Mentorship Through Music (MTM)


Beyond Talent Workshops

Beyond Talent Workshops (BTW) are intimate hour-long question and answer sessions for students interested in applying business skills in order to sustain their  passions and interests. BTW’s  provide leadership activities and networking opportunities to help AE members grow. Previous BTW’s have focused on taxes for artists, marketing for artists, discussions with artists and creative professionals about their careers both in the arts and in other industries.

 Past workshops: Understanding the Tax Codes for Artists, Making Innovative Ideas a Reality Within Organizations, The Promises and Perils of the Art Industry, Making It In New York City, Music and Money - Friend or Foe?, Playing for Uncle Sam: discussion and performance with the Marine Band, Making Your Passion Your Career: Performance and Beyond, The Symphony Audition: How to Win the Audition and Keep the Job, The Art of Arts Leadership.

 Through these workshops we provide practical and invaluable information to AE members that are missing from our current higher education system. These workshops also serve as an opportunity to introduce Arts Enterprise to, and create relationships with innovative professionals and to grow our national network.

  •  Why Beyond Talent Workshops work:
  •  Low Cost (generally free). It is best to invite local or visiting leaders and professionals to avoid paying for flights and hotels and to build local relationships.
  •  Low Stress (easy planning)
  •  Around Dinner (free pizza)
  •  Easy to Advertise (Facebook)

If you are interested in creating a program similar to Music 101 and have any ‘how to’ questions feel free to contact Emily at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Music 101

Music 101 is a pre-performance series/social event that introduces a genera or style of performance (jazz, orchestra, modern dance, chamber music etc.) in an accessible and actively engaging way. Music 101 provides an opportunity for students of any discipline to learn about a particular artistic craft they are unfamiliar with before attending a performance. This event helps those unfamiliar with anything from Chinese opera to ballet to feel comfortable, excited, and informed about attending performances of said craft. Music 101 is also an opportunity for young artists to learn how to engage and connect with audiences and providing them with community engagement experience.

During a Jazz 101 event, musicians from the University of Michigan jazz program defined jazz vocabulary and demonstrated basic structures of jazz performance. Attendees participated in the performance demonstration through clapping, a Q&A, and were even given the opportunity to join the musicians for a first lesson in improvisation. The whole group then attended the performance and afterwards went out for pizza to socialize and discuss their concert experience.

  • Choose a performance.
  • Find a knowledgeable event leader to create a pre-performance event plan that will be informative and engaging.
  • Advertise event with group ticket prices, arrange group ticket purchase with presenter.
  • Notify the presenter of your event and invite them to attend as well. This will help create a valuable partnership.

If you are interested in creating a program similar to Music 101 and have any ‘how to’ questions feel free to contact Emily Weingarten at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Mentorship Through Music

Mentorship Through Music (MTM) was a community engagement program that involved a partnership between University of Michigan students and middle school music programs in Detroit in need of support, more specifically the start-up instrumental string program at the University Prep Academy (UPA). MTM involved weekly mentorship and chamber music coaching in Detroit and an end of the year concert. Students worked closely with the UPA music instructor to supplement and enhance UPA students’ learning through providing the opportunity to learn in smaller chamber groups and at times one-on-one. UPA now has an official after school chamber music program that stemmed from MTM. 

How to:

  • Create a partnership with a local school in need of creative support.  Creating this relationship takes time; make sure to start your search months in advance of your program launch, preferably during the academic school year. Identify the needs of that program and determine with your partner how you can provide support most effectively.
  • Find funding. Once you have established a partnership start searching for grants that will provide program support, transportation for the mentors, and weekly snacks for your students.
  • Find mentors. Start advertising for volunteers as early as possible as university students’ schedules fill up quickly. Try having an information session specifically for your program as well as reaching out via Facebook and your chapter newsletter. Ask professors in your specific craft to mention the program to their students.
  • Curriculum. Work closely with your partner and volunteers to create a weekly lesson plan, and attempt to structure your time consistently from week to week.
  • Reflect. Once you have started making your weekly trips, check-in regularly with your mentors, partner(s), and students to see how they are finding the program and identify ways to improve. Try asking your mentors for short weekly reflections to document the program’s evolution.
  • End of the year Concert. This is a great way to motivate and inspire your students.

 If you are interested in creating a program similar to MTM and have any ‘how to’ questions feel free to contact Rebecca Dragonetti at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .