Press Release from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services
March 19, 2002
IMLS Press Contacts:
202/606-8339
Eileen Maxwell - [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Mamie Bittner - [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Coming Up Taller Growing Stronger
Washington, DC - In 2002, the President's Committee on the Arts and the
Humanities will present Coming Up Taller awards to non-profit organizations,
state or local governments, or federally-designated tribal communities
conducting out-of-school programs using the arts and humanities to enrich
the lives of underserved children. Coming Up Taller grants ten awards of
$10,000 each year. Guidelines, eligibility requirements, past honorees and
applications are available on the Coming Up Taller Web site at
http://www.cominguptaller.org
</scripts/exitmsg.cgi?url=http://www.cominguptaller.org>
Coming Up Taller is a unique partnership among federal cultural agencies.
Recognizing the exceptional afterschool programs at many of our nation's
libraries and museums, this year the President's Committee on the Arts and
Humanities welcomes the Institute of Museum and Library Services
<http://www.imls.gov> joining with the National Endowment for the Arts
</scripts/exitmsg.cgi?url=http://www.arts.gov> and the National Endowment
for the Humanities </scripts/exitmsg.cgi?url=http://www.neh.gov> in making
these awards possible. Founded in 1998, the program focuses national
attention on, and garners support for, out-of-school programs that use the
arts and the humanities to provide children safe places to go, new learning
opportunities, chances to contribute to their community, and ways to take
responsibility for their own futures.
The 2001 Honorees include Artists in Training, a program developed by the
Opera Theater of Saint Louis. The program, which is in its second decade,
exposes high school singers to operatic training by celebrated college voice
teachers. Through AIT students learn how to set and develop artistic goals
and how to be productive citizens in their communities as well as in their
post high school lives. During the school year students attend weekly voice
lessons. In the fall they begin with an orientation, in the spring they
attend a college retreat, and in the winter they participate in a ten-day
visiting artist program where they receive master training. The Opera
Theater of Saint Louis established a formal matching scholarship system with
Webster University and the University of Missouri-St. Louis, which provides
opportunities for exceptional students to attend the school's programs.
During the past three years 90 percent of AIT graduating seniors enrolled in
college.
In 1996 the leaders of the Tohono O'odham Nation established the Arts and
Cultural Preservation Program Youth/Elder Initiative to redevelop strong
cultural/community identity within their youth population. The after-school,
summer arts, and culture program uses the traditional arts of the Tohono
O'odham Nation such as: pottery basketry, oral history activities,
traditional singing, and dancing to foster positive self images and
identities in their youth. Another integral element of the program is their
Youth/Elder Initiative, which pairs the Elders and Youth together to share
and implement cultural knowledge. Through this collaboration the initiative
reintroduced the jujkida--a rain ceremony--back to a village where it had
not been performed in 30 years.
In 1998 visual artist Bob Bates and local businessman Irwin Jaeger developed
the Inner-City Arts After School Program in a Los Angeles neighborhood in
response to budget cuts to Los Angeles Public Schools. The pair transformed
a former auto body shop into an artistic haven for children from 14 local
elementary schools. Inner City Arts provides activities in visual arts,
dance, digital animation, and choir. The majority of the children that are
served by the program are Latino, many of whom have limited English language
proficiency. A large number of the children live in walking distance of the
center and one third of the children are classified as homeless. Without the
program many would not have experienced diverse and significant cultural
exposure. The University of California Los Angeles conducted a recent study
on children who participated in the program. The study showed that the
children who attended preformed better on standardized tests in math,
reading, and language.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) - IMLS is an
independent Federal agency that fosters leadership, innovation, and a
lifetime of learning by supporting the nation's museums and libraries.
Created by the Museum and Library Services Act of 1996, P.L. 104-208, IMLS
administers the Library Services and Technology Act and the Museum Services
Act. For more information contact IMLS at 1100 Pennsylvania Ave., NW,
Washington, D.C. 202-606-8536, or <http://www.imls.gov>.
Eileen Maxwell
Public Affairs Specialist
Institute of Museum and Library Services
1100 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Suite 510
Washington, DC 20506
202-606-8339
202-606-8591 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
Subscribe to Primary Source, the IMLS monthly e-mail newsletter, for
important museum and library news http://www.imls.gov/utility/subscrbe.htm.
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
|
